Topical Bible: Water: Collected in Pools

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In the biblical context, water collected in pools holds both practical and symbolic significance. Pools were essential in ancient times for storing water, especially in arid regions where rainfall was scarce and unpredictable. These pools, often man-made, served as vital resources for agriculture, livestock, and daily human consumption.

Historical and Practical Aspects

Pools were constructed to collect rainwater or channel water from springs and rivers. The Bible references several instances where pools played a crucial role in the life and sustenance of communities. For example, King Hezekiah of Judah undertook significant engineering projects to secure water for Jerusalem, including the construction of a pool. In 2 Kings 20:20 , it is recorded: "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?"

The Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem is another notable example. It was part of Hezekiah's water system and is mentioned in the New Testament. In John 9:7 , Jesus instructs a blind man, "Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing." This pool not only served a practical purpose but also became a site of miraculous healing.

Symbolic and Spiritual Significance

Water in pools also carries symbolic meanings in the Bible. It often represents spiritual cleansing and renewal. The act of washing in a pool can symbolize purification and the washing away of sin. This is evident in the account of Naaman, the Syrian commander, who was instructed by the prophet Elisha to wash in the Jordan River to be cleansed of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:10-14). Although not a pool, the concept of collected water for cleansing is similar.

Moreover, pools can symbolize God's provision and blessing. In Isaiah 41:18 , God promises to provide for His people: "I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs." Here, the transformation of dry land into pools of water signifies divine intervention and abundance.

Cultural and Religious Context

In the cultural and religious context of ancient Israel, pools were often associated with ritual purity. The Jewish practice of mikveh, a ritual bath used for purification, reflects the importance of water in religious observance. While not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, the concept of ritual bathing aligns with the broader biblical theme of water as a means of purification.

The significance of water collected in pools extends beyond its immediate practical use, touching on themes of healing, purification, and divine provision. These themes resonate throughout the biblical narrative, illustrating the multifaceted role of water in the life and faith of God's people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Kings 22:38
And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armor; according to the word of the LORD which he spoke.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Nehemiah 2:14
Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

First Greek Form.
... willow branch, and let out the waters which Jesus had collected. ... what harm did the
pools and the waters do to ... a pitcher, and sent Him to draw water, and bring ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/the gospel of thomas/first greek form .htm

The Water of Life;
... Wilson, Chandler, Whitfield, and others who collected and published ... of God, which
is full of water; it yieldeth ... It is not so with ponds, pools, and cisterns ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the water of life.htm

John Chapter iv. Jan-42
... That is commonly called living water which issues from a spring: that which is
collected from rain in pools and cisterns is not called living water. ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate xv john chapter iv.htm

The Pearl.
... degrees of refraction in the air and water will make ... When you have collected a
sufficient store, sit down and ... so low that some pearl-beds in pools, that had ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/vi the pearl.htm

La Brea
... 'In one of the star-shaped pools of water ... hot black pitch, we hurried on over the
water-furrows, and ... Upon a certain day, Juan Bono collected the Indians together ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter viii la brea.htm

The High Woods
... uncultivated spot; a desolate reedy swamp, with pools, and stunted ... steam in a sudden
splash of water, out of ... the Cacao-trees, while the dew collected by their ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter vii the high woods.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty
... which each morning he could pour out water and burn ... the chariots, arms, slaves, and
provisions collected on the ... nothing but a series of shallow pools; those on ...
/.../chapter iiithe eighteenth theban dynasty.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... are lost, while others have been collected and embellished ... this resource, the level
of the water falls daily ... and form a mere network of stagnant pools and muddy ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

The First Theban Empire
... his way to come to me, for I did kindness to all: I gave water to the ... of the mining
tools found in these districts with those which have been collected at Sinai ...
/.../chapter iiithe first theban empire.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty --(Continued)
... a considerable adjunct to the treasure collected in Syria ... Thou hast crossed the water
of the great ... The word signifies pools, marshes, the provinces situated ...
/.../chapter ithe eighteenth theban dynastycontinued.htm