In biblical times, tunnels were significant engineering feats that demonstrated the ingenuity and resourcefulness of ancient civilizations. These subterranean passages were primarily constructed for water supply, defense, and transportation purposes. The most notable tunnel mentioned in the Bible is Hezekiah's Tunnel, also known as the Siloam Tunnel, which is a remarkable example of ancient engineering.

Hezekiah's Tunnel

Hezekiah's Tunnel is referenced in the context of King Hezekiah's preparations for the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem. The tunnel was constructed to secure the city's water supply by diverting water from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam within the city walls. This strategic move ensured that the inhabitants of Jerusalem had access to water during times of siege, while denying the same to the besieging forces.

The construction of Hezekiah's Tunnel is alluded to in 2 Kings 20:20: "As for the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, along with all his might and how he made the pool and the tunnel to bring water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?" . This passage highlights the significance of the tunnel as part of Hezekiah's broader efforts to fortify Jerusalem against external threats.

Engineering and Construction

Hezekiah's Tunnel is approximately 1,750 feet (533 meters) long and was carved through solid rock. The construction of the tunnel is a testament to the advanced engineering skills of the ancient Judahites. The tunnel's builders started from both ends and met in the middle, a remarkable achievement given the limited tools and technology available at the time. The Siloam Inscription, discovered within the tunnel, provides an ancient account of its construction and serves as a valuable archaeological artifact.

Symbolic and Spiritual Significance

In addition to its practical purposes, Hezekiah's Tunnel holds symbolic and spiritual significance. It represents the providence and protection of God over His people, as Hezekiah's efforts to secure the water supply were seen as divinely guided. The tunnel's successful completion and the subsequent survival of Jerusalem during the Assyrian siege are often viewed as manifestations of God's faithfulness to His covenant with Israel.

Other Biblical References

While Hezekiah's Tunnel is the most prominent example, tunnels and underground passages are not frequently mentioned in the Bible. However, the concept of subterranean construction can be seen in other contexts, such as the building of cisterns and storage facilities, which were essential for sustaining life in the arid regions of the Near East.

In summary, tunnels in the Bible, particularly Hezekiah's Tunnel, illustrate the intersection of faith, ingenuity, and survival. They serve as enduring symbols of God's provision and the resilience of His people in the face of adversity.1. (n. .) A vessel with a broad mouth at one end, a pipe or tube at the other, for conveying liquor, fluids, etc., into casks, bottles, or other vessels; a funnel.

2. (n. .) The opening of a chimney for the passage of smoke; a flue; a funnel.

3. (n. .) An artificial passage or archway for conducting canals or railroads under elevated ground, for the formation of roads under rivers or canals, and the construction of sewers, drains, and the like.

4. (n. .) A level passage driven across the measures, or at right angles to veins which it is desired to reach; -- distinguished from the drift, or gangway, which is led along the vein when reached by the tunnel.

5. (v. t.) To form into a tunnel, or funnel, or to form like a tunnel; as, to tunnel fibrous plants into nests.

6. (v. t.) To catch in a tunnel net.

7. (v. t.) To make an opening, or a passageway, through or under; as, to tunnel a mountain; to tunnel a river.

6794b. tsinnor -- a pipe, spout, conduit
... 6794a, 6794b. tsinnor. 6795 . a pipe, spout, conduit. Transliteration:
tsinnor Short Definition: tunnel. Word Origin from an unused ...
/hebrew/6794b.htm - 5k

Johnny, Cling Close to the Rock
... Johnny, Cling Close to the Rock. Little Johnny and his sister were one day
going through a long, narrow railroad tunnel. The railroad ...
/.../moody/moodys anecdotes and illustrations/johnny cling close to the.htm

February the Twenty-Fourth Moving Towards Daybreak
... I entered into a tunnel in the Black Country in England, but the motion
was continued, and we emerged amid fields of loveliness. ...
/.../february the twenty-fourth moving towards.htm

Christ Teaching Humility
... "The Thames' Tunnel Teaching Humility." Most strangers who visit the great city
of London go to see the famous tunnel under the river Thames. ...
/.../newton/the life of jesus christ for the young/christ teaching humility.htm

Peace in the Soul
... dishearten us. Not many years ago some workmen were digging a tunnel, when a
sudden fall of earth blocked the mouth of the opening. Their ...
//christianbookshelf.org/van dyke/what peace means/i peace in the soul.htm

Sharing Christ's Life
... He still lives, only there is this difference, that it is as though the railway
had hitherto been running through a tunnel, and he now comes out of it into the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 60 1914/sharing christs life.htm

History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7
... The empire after the wars of Assur-nazir-pal -- Building of the palace at Calah:
Assyrian architecture and sculpture in the IXth century -- The tunnel of Negub ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 7/title page.htm

The Next Morning Diamond was up Almost as Early as Before. ...
... If you will take me to Charing Cross, I shall be greatly obliged to you. I have
walked from Gravesend, and had hardly a penny left to get through the tunnel.". ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 26 the next morning.htm

The Road to Pella
... Chapter XXIV THE ROAD TO PELLA. There was no incident in the Maccabee's long struggle
through the inky blackness of the tunnel leading under Moriah. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the city of delight/chapter xxiv the road to.htm

Contention Over the Man Born Blind.
... It was probably called Sent because its waters are sent to it from the Virgin's
Fountain through a tunnel cut through the hill Ophel. ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxxxi contention over the man.htm

April the Fifth the Empty Tomb
... Death is now like a short tunnel which is near my home; I can look through it and
see the other side! In the risen Lord death becomes transparent. ...
/.../jowett/my daily meditation for the circling year/april the fifth the empty.htm

Tunnel (2 Occurrences)
... or at right angles to veins which it is desired to reach; -- distinguished from
the drift, or gangway, which is led along the vein when reached by the tunnel. ...
/t/tunnel.htm - 8k

Gihon (6 Occurrences)
... This "fountain" or spring is therefore to be regarded as the "upper water course
of Gihon." From this "fountain" a tunnel cut through the ridge which forms the ...
/g/gihon.htm - 16k

Siloam (4 Occurrences)
... It has with great care been deciphered by scholars, and has been found to be
an account of the manner in which the tunnel was constructed. ...
/s/siloam.htm - 21k

Shiloah (1 Occurrence)
... aqueduct along the side of the Kidron valley (see JERUSALEM, VII, 5). It was not,
however, till the days of Hezekiah that the great tunnel aqueduct, Siloam's ...
/s/shiloah.htm - 17k

Siloah (1 Occurrence)
... aqueduct along the side of the Kidron valley (see JERUSALEM, VII, 5). It was not,
however, till the days of Hezekiah that the great tunnel aqueduct, Siloam's ...
/s/siloah.htm - 17k

Shelah (18 Occurrences)
... aqueduct along the side of the Kidron valley (see JERUSALEM, VII, 5). It was not,
however, till the days of Hezekiah that the great tunnel aqueduct, Siloam's ...
/s/shelah.htm - 24k

Fountain (57 Occurrences)
... The perennial source from which the Pool of Siloam (qv) is supplied, the waters
flowing in a copious stream to it through a tunnel cut through the rock, the ...
/f/fountain.htm - 30k

Lime (4 Occurrences)
... than on the upper. The builders leave a passage or tunnel through the base
of the thick wall on the lower side. The whole interior ...
/l/lime.htm - 11k

Weights (14 Occurrences)
... approximate its value. The Siloam Inscription states that the tunnel in
which it was found was 1,200 cubits long. The actual length ...
/w/weights.htm - 21k

Mine (2991 Occurrences)
... or otherwise. 4. (vi) To form subterraneous tunnel or hole; to form a burrow
or lodge in the earth; as, the mining cony. 5. (vt) To ...
/m/mine.htm - 10k

What happened at the Pool of Siloam? | GotQuestions.org

Why should I not commit suicide? | GotQuestions.org

What was/is the importance of the gates of Jerusalem? | GotQuestions.org

Tunnel: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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