Σιλωάμ (Silōam)
Silōam
Siloam
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The name Siloam appears only three times in the New Testament, referencing two distinct locations in ancient Jerusalem: the Pool of Siloam and the Tower of Siloam. The term derives from the Hebrew word for "sent," a meaning that carries significant weight in its biblical context. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus mentions the Tower of Siloam after it collapsed and killed eighteen people (Luke 13:4), using the event to challenge assumptions about guilt and suffering.
In the Gospel of John, the Pool of Siloam is central to the healing of a man born blind. After making mud with his saliva, Jesus instructs the man to wash in this pool (John 9:7). The location was likely a spring or cistern within the city walls, serving as a practical source of water for ritual purification. This historical detail grounds the miracle in a specific, tangible setting.
While the name itself simply means "sent," its usage highlights themes of divine commissioning and physical cleansing. The juxtaposition of the tower’s destruction and the pool’s healing power offers a stark contrast between sudden judgment and restorative grace. Translators retain the proper noun to preserve this geographical and theological specificity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Siloam carries a quiet but powerful meaning: "sent." In John’s Gospel, Jesus sends a blind man to wash in the Pool of Siloam, and the man returns with his sight restored (John 9:7). This simple act of obedience opens the door to a profound miracle. It reminds us that God often meets us where we are, using ordinary places and actions to bring about extraordinary change.
Yet Siloam also appears in Luke’s account of a tower that fell, killing eighteen people (Luke 13:4). Jesus uses this tragic event not to assign blame, but to call everyone to repentance. Here, the name serves as a sobering reminder that life is fragile and that we are all dependent on God’s grace. Whether in healing or in hardship, Siloam points us back to our need for the One who sends.
For you, this word might invite reflection on how God uses your own "sent" moments—times when you are called to act, to wait, or to trust. It is not always clear why certain events happen, but we can rest in the truth that God is faithful, even when His ways seem mysterious.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Siloam2×
- of Siloam1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Σιλωὰμ2×
- Σιλωάμ1×
Key Verses
-
John 9:7
and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went away, washed, and came back seeing.
This verse highlights the meaning of Siloam as "Sent" and shows how obedience to Jesus' instruction leads to physical healing.
-
Luke 13:4
Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the men who dwell in Jerusalem?
Jesus references the Tower of Siloam to challenge the assumption that victims of tragedy were more guilty than others, calling all to repentance.
-
John 9:11
He answered, “A man called Jesus made mud, anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went away and washed, and I received sight.”
The healed man recounts Jesus' command to go to Siloam, emphasizing the necessity of following Christ's direction for restoration.