The Gihon Spring

"Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David"

King David had his son Solomon declared king of The United Kingdom, while David was still living, due to an attempt by one of David's other sons, Adonijah (1 Kings 1:1-27), to seize the throne. Solomon was crowned at Gihon according to David's instructions: "^1:33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: ^1:34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon" (1 Kings 1:33-34 KJV).

"^1:32 And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan The Prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. ^1:33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: ^1:34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon. ^1:35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

^1:36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. ^1:37 As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David [see Solomon's Kingdom].

^1:38 So Zadok the priest [see also The Lines Of Eleazar and Ithamar], and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. ^1:39 And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon. ^1:40 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them." (1 Kings 1:32-40 KJV)

When the Assyrians (see Ancient Empires - Assyria) threatened The Southern Kingdom of Judah (the Assyrians had already conquered and taken into exile The Northern Kingdom of Israel; see also The Galilee Captivity), King Hezekiah of Judah "stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David" (2 Chronicles 32:30 KJV) to prevent the invaders from having an easy water supply (and to keep them from cutting off the city's water supply during a siege).

"^32:1 After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself. ^32:2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, ^32:3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the Fountains which were without the city: and they did help him. ^32:4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water? ^32:5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance." (2 Chronicles 32:1-5 KJV)

Hezekiah's diverting the waters of Gihon turned out to be unnecessary. The Assyrian king Sennacherib brought about his army's defeat when he blasphemed The Lord (see The Day Sennacherib Challenged God).

"^32:21 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. ^32:22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side. ^32:23 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah [see Kings of Israel and Judah]: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

^32:24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign. ^32:25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. ^32:26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

^32:27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels; ^32:28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks. ^32:29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.

^32:30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works." (2 Chronicles 32:21-30 KJV)

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See City Of David