and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus doesn't just send the man to a random pool; he sends him to "Siloam," a name meaning "Sent." This highlights that the healing power isn't in the water itself, but in the One who sends the man to the water, pointing directly to Jesus as God's Sent One. The instruction to wash is less about a physical remedy and more about testing obedience and directing the man's faith to the divine source of his healing.
and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just healed a man born blind by first applying clay to his eyes and then instructing him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The narrative focuses on this miraculous healing and the immediate aftermath, highlighting the man's obedience and the subsequent confusion and questioning by those who knew him. This event sets the stage for further conflict with religious leaders as Jesus' identity and actions are debated.
Jesus didn't just send the man to any old pool. The very name of Siloam held a deeper meaning, a hint of God's intention.
The pool of Siloam, or 'Sent,' points us to God's sending power and purpose. The waters themselves were seen as a gift from God, 'sent' to the city. More significantly, the name likely echoed the prophecy of Shiloh (the Sent One, the Messiah) in Genesis 49:10. By sending the man to Siloam, Jesus was subtly directing his attention to Himself – the ultimate 'Sent One' of God, whose purpose was to bring healing and light.
Imagine the confusion and doubt. Jesus' instructions were bizarre. Yet, the man went.
Jesus' command to wash in the pool of Siloam was a test of the man's faith and obedience. There was no inherent healing power in the clay or the water. The miracle wasn't in the pool itself, but in the man's willingness to trust Jesus' word and act on it, even when the 'why' was unclear. His journey to the pool, following Jesus' direction despite the strangeness, was an active step of faith that led to his sight.
He came back seeing. This wasn't just physical restoration; it was the dawning of a new reality.
The man's return 'seeing' signifies more than just the restoration of physical vision. It represents a profound spiritual awakening. Suddenly, the world—and Jesus, the Light of the World—was visible to him in a way that was previously impossible. This new sight would enable him to perceive Jesus' identity and mission more clearly, moving him from darkness into light, both literally and metaphorically.
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Understand the original words
kolumbēthran · Greek Noun
A reservoir or body of water collected for a specific purpose. Biblically, pools are often sites of healing or purification; Siloam specifically relates to the "sending" of the water from the Gihon spring.
apestalmenos · Greek Verb/Adjective
A term meaning "sent." In the context of the Gospel of John, it serves as a christological typology, as Jesus is the one "sent" by the Father to bring light and healing to the world.
The command to wash in the Pool of Siloam, whose name means 'Sent,' connects Jesus' healing power to His identity as the One sent by God, echoing the pool's own symbolic meaning and its role in Jewish ritual and prophecy.
c. 8th century BC
Hezekiah's Tunnel Dug
King Hezekiah ordered the construction of a tunnel to bring water from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam inside the city walls, ensuring water supply during an Assyrian siege. This engineering feat significantly developed the area around the pool.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
The Assyrian army under Sennacherib besieged Jerusalem. The Pool of Siloam, supplied by Hezekiah's tunnel, was crucial for the city's survival during this critical period.
c. 8th-7th century BC
Isaiah Prophesies
The prophet Isaiah references the 'waters of Shiloah that flow with a gentle stream' in contrast to the rushing waters of Assyrian power, associating the pool with God's quiet provision.
c. 1st century BC
Pool of Siloam Expanded
The pool was likely enlarged and improved during the Second Temple period, becoming a well-known landmark and a significant water source for Jerusalem, especially during religious festivals.
c. AD 30
Feast of Tabernacles Water Ritual
During the Feast of Tabernacles, a daily ritual involved priests drawing water from the Pool of Siloam and bringing it to the Temple for libation ceremonies, imbuing the pool with deep religious significance.
c. AD 30
Jesus Teaches at the Temple
On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood and cried out, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink,' likely referring to the water ritual and the spiritual thirst of the people.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus Heals Man Born Blind
Jesus encounters a man blind from birth near the Temple and, after anointing his eyes with clay, instructs him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man washes and is miraculously healed, demonstrating Jesus' power and fulfilling symbolic meanings associated with the pool.
This passage parallels the command given to Naaman to wash in the Jordan River for healing, highlighting the theme of obedience to a seemingly simple or mysterious command leading to divine intervention.
Isaiah 8:6This verse mentions the waters of Shiloah (Siloam) that flow gently, providing a contextual backdrop to the pool's significance and suggesting a contrast with more turbulent or powerful 'waters' that people might seek.
John 7:37-39Jesus proclaimed, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink... out of his heart will flow rivers of living water,' linking the idea of 'sending' and life-giving waters to Himself as the true source of spiritual renewal.
Isaiah 42:18This prophecy speaks of God opening the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf, directly connecting to the healing miracle and the theme of spiritual sight that Jesus's mission fulfills.
Hebrews 3:1This verse refers to Jesus as the 'apostle and high priest of our confession,' echoing the interpretation of 'Siloam' as 'Sent' and emphasizing Jesus's identity as God's divine messenger.
clarkeJohn 9:7: "And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing."
Siloam - Called also Shiloah, Silos, or Siloa, was a fountain under the walls of Jerusalem, towards the east, between the city and the brook Kidron. Calmet thinks that this was the same with En-rogel, or the fuller's fountain, which is mentioned in Joshua 15:7 ; Joshua 18:16 ; in 2 Samuel 17:17 ; and in 1 Kings 1:9 . Its waters were collected…
ellicottJohn 9:7: "And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing."
(7) Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. —Comp. Notes on John 5:2 (“Bethesda”), and on Luke 13:4 (“the tower in Siloam”). The locality is almost without doubt that now known by the Arabic form of the same name, the Birket Silwân, which is in the lower Tyropæon valley, between the Temple mountain and Mount Zion. It is about a quarter of a mile from…
Jesus doesn't just send the man to a random pool; he sends him to "Siloam," a name meaning "Sent." This highlights that the healing power isn't in the water itself, but in the One who sends the man to the water, pointing directly to Jesus as God's Sent One. The instruction to wash is less about a physical remedy and more about testing obedience and directing the man's faith to the divine source of his healing.
Jesus has just healed a man born blind by first applying clay to his eyes and then instructing him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The narrative focuses on this miraculous healing and the immediate aftermath, highlighting the man's obedience and the subsequent confusion and questioning by those who knew him. This event sets the stage for further conflict with religious leaders as Jesus' identity and actions are debated.
Jesus has just healed a man born blind by first applying clay to his eyes and then instructing him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The narrative focuses on this miraculous healing and the immediate aftermath, highlighting the man's obedience and the subsequent confusion and questioning by those who knew him. This event sets the stage for further conflict with religious leaders as Jesus' identity and actions are debated.
"and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing." — Jesus doesn't just send the man to a random pool; he sends him to "Siloam," a name meaning "Sent." This highlights that the healing power isn't in the water itself, but in the One who sends the man…
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Last reviewed October 2026