The Bible says King Hezekiah built an underground waterway. What was it, and why did he build it? — Mandy of Benton, KY

Dear Mandy,

Many modern cities have water reservoirs (like big tanks or a man-made lakes), which supply its citizens with water. Often, rivers or streams supply these reservoirs. This is not a modern invention.

Ancient cities had similar reservoirs. For instance, the prophet Isaiah spoke of pools of water in the city of Jerusalem (22:9,11). These pools were supplied by aqueducts (water tunnels) made of stone and mortar. In this way, water from a nearby river was channeled into the city. This supplied water for the people.

Hezekiah built such a system in Jerusalem. The city was on a hill. Hezekiah had a winding tunnel dug under the city hill. This tunnel brought water from the Gihon spring to a pool (reservoir) on the West side of the city. Archaeologists have discovered its remains. This shows the Bible was correct when it said Hezekiah built an underground waterway.