Gihon (2)
Location and Physical Character
The Gihon Spring is situated on the eastern slope of the Ophel ridge, just south of the Temple Mount, in the Kidron Valley. It was Jerusalem's only true spring and the primary reason the site was first settled in ancient times. The name Gihon derives from a Hebrew root meaning "to burst forth," aptly describing the spring's intermittent character. The water rises from a deep crack in the limestone rock and flows into a small cave before being channeled through ancient aqueducts. The spring's intermittent nature — surging at irregular intervals rather than flowing steadily — may have contributed to its reputation as a sacred site, since ancient peoples often regarded pulsating springs as having supernatural qualities.
The Gihon and Solomon's Coronation
The Gihon's most dramatic biblical appearance comes in the account of Solomon's coronation. When David's son Adonijah attempted to seize the throne during his father's old age, David instructed the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and the commander Benaiah to take Solomon down to the Gihon Spring and anoint him king there (1 Kings 1:33-34, 38-40). They placed Solomon on David's own mule, brought him to the spring, and Zadok anointed him with oil from the tabernacle. The trumpet was blown, and the people shouted, "Long live King Solomon!" The celebration was so great that "the earth was split by their noise" (1 Kings 1:40). The choice of the Gihon as the coronation site was deliberate: as Jerusalem's sacred spring and vital water source, it represented life, divine blessing, and the continuity of the city's identity.
Hezekiah's Water Tunnel
The Gihon's greatest engineering achievement was Hezekiah's tunnel, constructed around 701 BC in preparation for the Assyrian siege under Sennacherib. The biblical text records that Hezekiah "stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David" (2 Chronicles 32:30). This involved cutting a tunnel approximately 1,750 feet through solid rock, redirecting the spring's water to the Pool of Siloam inside the city walls. Second Kings 20:20 also mentions "the pool and the conduit by which he brought water into the city." The tunnel's construction was a remarkable feat of ancient engineering, with workers excavating from both ends and meeting in the middle. An inscription found inside the tunnel in 1880, known as the Siloam Inscription, describes the dramatic moment when the two teams of diggers heard each other's picks through the remaining rock.
Manasseh's Fortifications
King Manasseh, Hezekiah's son, further strengthened the defenses around the Gihon. Second Chronicles 33:14 records that he "built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley." This additional fortification protected the vital water source from potential enemies and extended the city's defensive perimeter. The reference to the "west side of Gihon, in the valley" locates the spring precisely in the Kidron Valley on the eastern side of the City of David, with Manasseh's wall running between the spring and the city ridge.
Archaeological Discoveries at the Gihon
Extensive archaeological work at the Gihon Spring has revealed a complex history of waterworks spanning centuries. The spring is accessed today by descending approximately 30 steps, a depth resulting from the massive accumulation of debris from Jerusalem's many destructions. Originally the water flowed at a much higher surface level down the open valley. Excavations have uncovered multiple channel systems: an ancient channel older than Hezekiah's tunnel that originally led water through a shaft system to a point accessible from within the city walls, Hezekiah's famous tunnel itself, and a later channel running at a lower level. Massive walls built at different periods to contain and direct the water testify to the extraordinary importance the spring held for every generation of Jerusalem's inhabitants.
The Gihon and the Gihon of Eden
The Gihon Spring in Jerusalem shares its name with one of the four rivers that flowed from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:13). While the two are geographically distinct, the shared name may not be coincidental. Ancient Israelites may have associated Jerusalem's life-giving spring with the primordial waters of paradise, reinforcing the theological significance of the city as God's chosen dwelling place. The spring's association with coronation, the temple, and divine provision made it a fitting echo of Eden's abundance in the heart of the holy city.
Biblical Context
The Gihon Spring appears in 1 Kings 1:33-40 (Solomon's coronation), 2 Chronicles 32:30 (Hezekiah's tunnel), 2 Kings 20:20 (the pool and conduit), and 2 Chronicles 33:14 (Manasseh's fortifications). The spring shares its name with the river of Eden in Genesis 2:13. Its importance underlies many passages about Jerusalem's water supply and defense.
Theological Significance
The Gihon represents God's provision of life-sustaining water in an arid land and symbolizes the divine blessing that flows from his chosen city. Its selection as the site of Solomon's coronation connected kingship with divine life and blessing. Hezekiah's redirecting of the waters demonstrated both practical wisdom and trust in God's provision during crisis. The spring's association with Eden's river reinforced Jerusalem's theological identity as a place of divine presence and abundance.
Historical Background
The Gihon Spring has been the subject of extensive archaeological investigation since the nineteenth century. Charles Warren first explored the underground water systems in the 1860s, discovering the vertical shaft system that bears his name. The Siloam Inscription, found in 1880 inside Hezekiah's tunnel, is one of the most important ancient Hebrew inscriptions ever discovered. Recent excavations by Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron have revealed massive fortification walls from the Bronze and Iron Ages protecting the spring, confirming its critical importance to Jerusalem's earliest inhabitants. The spring continues to flow intermittently today, though its water is no longer potable due to modern contamination.