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Ordnance Survey of Jerusalem 1865

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Ordnance_Survey_of_Jerusalem_1865.pdf

Page 105 of 206

View eastward.

The road immediately to your left, appearing at 8:30 o’clock position at the left edge of the picture, then running close to center of the picture, then on up to the center of the ridge in the distance, is the northern road between Jerusalem and Bethany. (There is another, southern pass between the southern end of Jerusalem and Bethany.)

That top ridge area of land, is the Mount of Olives, and the grove on the south side of the road, is probably the olive tree grove where Jesus prayed. The elevation is above Jerusalem.

Closer to the camera eye, the road passes by the little white Church of the Virgin [Mary] on your left of the road.

And, on the right side of the road, opposite the church, is the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed and was arrested.

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Page 106 of 206

View north-northeast

The slope from the center of the picture, leading up to the walls of Jerusalem, is the original, roughly 12 acres of land that wss The City of David - the area that King David originally conquered.

Draw and imaginary vertical line, up/down separating the right third of the picture, from the left two thirds. Along that line, is the Kydron / Kidron Valley.

About 1 inch to the right of center, is a dark shadowy area. That is the low end of the old City of David, and the location for the east-southest end of the old Siloam Pool.

Pilgrims would camp in the valley and the slopes on either side.

To visit the original Temple Mount that was on the height, short of the wall, and later, the Temple structure up on the more formal, walled fortress, pilgrims would cleanse themselves in the Siloam Pool and then walk up a variety of stairs and tiled path . . . on up to the heights.

The road and Garden of Gethsemane are up the Kydron / Kidron Valley. You could walk up the valley to that road, then go to the right along the road mentioned earlier, or [in the picture, as a reference] go to your right on another road that also would take you to Bethany.

In the time of Jesus’ last visit to the old City of David and of Jerusalem, a tall well-built wall extended from the right corner of the wall at the Temple Mount, down to and around the location of the Siloam Pool, thence, up and to your left alongside the line of trees that lead from the center of the picture, toward 9:30 o’clock on the surface of the picture . . . and then further to the west beyond the left edge of the picture.

In the Bible, during the time frame of the approaching final days, prior to the crucifixion, death, then resurrection of Jesus, He sent two of his disciples to locate a fellow carrying water.

At that same time, the Jewish authorities were anxious to capture him. My theory is, that the two disciples were actually sent to pass thru the gate at the low end of the wall, adjacent to the Siloam Pool. In other words, the gate of the lowest of the low, and the least of interest to the authorities.

Inside the gate, the two disciples found the fellow carrying water. That man was probably the gate house, gate keeper. His gate house would be, probably 100 - 200 feet from the actual gate.

My theory is, that the Last Supper was held on the second floor of that house. The other disciples, the women, and any other guests, could enter thru the gate and get to that gatehouse in the darkness, probably with less risk than the gates up at the main wall of the City of Jerusalem.

Also, after the Last Supper, during which Jesus said that He was there to satisfy the thirst of people, Jesus and those who followed, could leave thru the gate and make their way up to the Garden of Gethsemane, through the Kydron / Kidron Valley.

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The Pool of Siloam
https://www.bibleplaces.com/poolofsiloam/

Pool of Siloam
https://www.holylandsite.com/pool-of-siloam

Pool of Siloam
https://madainproject.com/pool_of_siloam

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Jerusalem area map - 1858
https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/15506394

Jerusalem area map - 1865 - including City of David
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/1865_Ordnance_Survey_of_Jerusalem_Old_City_full_map.jpg

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