solomons pools Summary and Overview

SOLOMON'S POOLS . The three pools of Solomon are in a narrow valley south-west of Bethlehem, on the road to Hebron, and still supply Jerusalem with water through an aqueduct. See Eccl 2:6. They are partly hewn in the rock and partly built with masonry, are all lined with cement, and are formed on successive levels, one slightly above the other, with conduits leading from the upper to the lower, and with flights of steps from the bottom to the top of each pool. The waters, gathered from the surrounding country into a large fountain or reservoir near the upper pool, are from thence conducted by an underground passage into the pools. The main supply of the water, however, comes from the spring, or fountain. The upper pool is 380 feet long. 236 feet broad at the east and 229 feet at the west end, is 25 feet deep, and 160 feet above the middle pool. This middle pool is 423 feet long, 250 feet broad at the east and 160 feet at the west end, is 39 feet deep, and 248 feet above the 818 lower pool. The lower pool is 582 feet long, 207 feet broad at the east and 148 feet at the west end, and is 50 feet deep. Dr. Thomson says, "When full of water, it would float the largest man-of-war that ever ploughed the ocean." These pools were built to supply Jerusalem with water.