According to historical records, at daybreak of each festival day a priest would take a golden pitcher that could contain three log measures, or two pints, of liquid and he would descend from Jerusalem down to what came to be called the Pool of Siloam.

21. (a) How would the priest get to the Pool of Siloam, and what would he do with the water of Siloam? (b) The rejoicing at this time would remind the Jews of what words of Isaiah’s prophecy?

²¹ Not through Hezekiah’s tunnel, but followed by a great procession, including a band of musicians, the priest with the golden pitcher would go to the Pool of Siloam. After filling the pitcher with water, the priest would return to the city and would go to the courtyard where Jehovah’s altar of sacrifice was situated. On the altar’s southern side two basins had been installed, each with a hole at the bottom. The basin at the altar’s southwest corner was for the water from the Pool of Siloam. When the priest poured in the water, it would flow through and fall at the altar base. On this occasion the observing Jews rejoiced greatly. This may have reminded the joyful celebrators of Isaiah, chapter 12, which describes the pleasure experienced by the Israelites on being released from exile in Babylon in 537 B.C.E. Isaiah 12:3 says: “With exultation you people will be certain to draw water out of the springs of salvation.”

22. (a) How was Jehovah the Source of water of salvation for the forefathers of the Jewish celebrators? (b) How was the rejoicing at the pouring out of the water of Siloam described?

²² Jehovah God was the heavenly Source of their salvation. He was the One who delivered their forefathers from the 70 years of exile in pagan Babylon where they had thirsted for salvation to come after Babylon’s overthrow in 539 B.C.E. (Isa. 44:28 through 45:7; Jer. 2:13) The remembrance of this deliverance was a cause for rejoicing during the festival of booths. An ancient Jewish proverb says: ‘He who has never seen the rejoicing at the pouring out of the water of Siloam has never seen rejoicing in his life.’

⁴ The last day of the festival, Tishri 21, was called “the great day of the festival.” On that day Jesus likely reminded the people of the pouring out of the water of Siloam when he said: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He that puts faith in me, just as the Scripture has said, ‘Out from his inmost part streams of living water will flow.’” On what Jesus there said, the apostle John makes this comment: “However, he said this concerning the spirit which those who put faith in him were about to receive; for as yet there was no spirit, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.”​—John 7:37-39.