Village of Siloam
SILOAM, VILLAGE OF (sĭ-lō'ăm). There is no mention of a village by this name in the Bible. However, across the valley east of the Spring of Gihon (see Siloam above) is a rocky slope on which is situated the modern village of Silwan (Siloam). At this site an inscription over the door of a tomb, discovered at the end of the nineteenth century a.d. but only recently deciphered by Professor N. Avigad, indicates that the tomb may have belonged to Shebna, an official during Hezekiah’s time (cf. Isa.22.15-Isa.22.16).
SILOAM, VILLAGE OF sĭ lō’ əm (Σιλωάμ, G4978). While this village is not mentioned in the Bible, there exists today a village of Siloam (Silwan) which is situated across the valley from the Gihon spring. Near this village a Heb. inscr. was found on a tomb which may be the inscr. of Shebna, a royal steward who was rebuked by Isaiah (Isa 22:15, 16). Some think that the tower in Siloam, which fell, killing eighteen persons (Luke 13:4), was located at the site now marked by the village of Silwan, while others locate the tower near the Pool of Siloam.