Pools of Bethesda (Jerusalem, Israel)

City:

Jerusalem

State, Province, Region, or District:

Jerusalem District

Country:

Israel

Overview

The ruins of the twin pools of Bethesda are located in the north side of the old city, close to the Lions' Gate (St. Stephen's Gate) located on the property of the Church of St. Anne. (The Church of St. Anne is reviewed separately.) These pools supplied water to the temple during the times of the first and second temple (until Herod). There are references in the Old Testament to the “upper pool,” which may have been the name of the northern pool (2 Kings 18:17; Isaiah 7:3).

Adjacent to the pools were baths and a healing center. These baths are the site of the healing miracle of Jesus in the pools of the sheep market (John 5:1-18). This was the healing of the paralyzed man who had waited for 38 years for someone to help him into the pool “when the water is stirred” — an event believed to have curative powers.

Bethesda means “House of Mercy” and has been associated with a place of healing for many years. According to the Gospel of John, Bethesda was a bathing pool with five porticoes or porches. The ruins of some of these porticoes can still be seen today. Later, a Byzantine basilica was built over parts of the pools only to be be destroyed about 150 years later. The Crusaders built a small chapel over its ruins, and later a larger Basilica nearby, the Church of St. Anne.

It should be noted that the pool that can be seen today is the corner of the southern pool. You will also note that it is significantly below the city level today because Jerusalem is really a large tel that has grown in height as one civilization built upon another.

Alternate Names

The Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem has several alternate names and spellings found in ancient texts, manuscripts, and historical traditions, including Bethzatha, Bezetha, Bethsaida (in certain textual variants), the Upper Pool, and the Pool of the Sheep Market.

Geography & Location

The Pools of Bethesda are located on the property of the Church of St. Anne.

Biblical, Historical, & Archaeological Background Information

Timeline Highlights

Architecture

The Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem is a large, double-basin rock-cut reservoir featuring a unique five-portico (colonnade) architectural layout. Built originally as a rain-collection and ritual water source near the Sheep Gate, it evolved through Roman, Byzantine, and Crusader building phases.

Biblical & Historical References

The Pools of Bethesda is the site where Jesus healed a man who had been sick for 38 years (John 5:1-18). This was the healing of the paralyzed man who had waited for 38 years for someone to help him into the pool “when the water is stirred” — an event believed to have curative powers.

Spiritual Lessons and Application

Jesus seeks out the helpless. The paralyzed man could not help himself and had no one to carry him. Jesus bypassed the crowd to focus on the one person who was completely unable to earn or achieve his own rescue.

Etymology

Bethesda – From Hebrew: Beth (house) and Hesda (kindness, charity, excellent, excel) traditionally translates to "House of Mercy" or "House of Grace," though root words in Aramaic can also double to imply a place of public need or healing for the sick.. The name may have been based on the quality of the waters in these pools, which their top-class quality granted favors to those who bathed in it. Perhaps, the quality attributed to these waters came from their use in the temple.

Planning a Visit

Disclaimer: The information provided below may not be current. Travel details, entry requirements, and business operations are subject to frequent change due to holidays, seasonal fluctuations, maintenance, staffing levels, weather, and safety considerations. Always double-check with official sources before you go.