Bible Dictionaries
Pool

Holman Bible Dictionary

A collection of water, natural or artificial. Small pools were commonly seen as a place to collect rain water from the roof which was used for irrigation or drinking. These reservoirs were important sources of water supply in the arid climate of the Middle East.

The following are some of the principal pools mentioned in Scripture: pool of Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:20 ), upper and lower pools of Gihon (Isaiah 7:3; Isaiah 22:9 ), old pool (Isaiah 22:11 ), King's pool at Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:14 ), pool of Bethesda (John 5:2 ,John 5:2,5:4 ,John 5:4,5:7 ), and pool of Siloam (John 9:7 ,John 9:7,9:11 ). Solomon also made pools to water his nursery (Ecclesiastes 2:6 ).

Most of the pools near the cities were carved from stone, fed by rainwater channeled into them by channels cut in the rock. Pools were natural meeting places (John 9:7 ). Pools are also used as an illustration of God's power to transform the barren into something fruitful (Isaiah 41:18 ), judgment (Isaiah 42:15 ), and the beauty of a woman's eyes (Song of Song of Solomon 7:4 ). See Cistern : Reservoir; Pond .

C. Dale Hill