The Pools of Bethesda / Bad van Bethesda

Bethesda means “house of favours” and is where a wash area used to be near the Sheep Gate in the northern part of Jerusalem.

The Lord Jesus healed the man who had been paralysed for 38 years by the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15).

Adjacent to the Pools of Bethesda, is the beautiful Crusader church known as St Anne’s Church.  The Pools of Bethesda next to the church are two cisterns that once lay outside the city walls.   They were built in the 8th and 3rd centuries BC to collect rain water.  Sometime later, under Herod the Great, they were turned into curative baths.

Die betekenis van Bethesda is “huis van gunste” en dit is waar daar eens op ‘n tyd ‘n was area naby die Skaappoort in die noorde van Jerusalem was.

Jesus het ‘n man genees by die Baddens van Bethesda wie vir 38 jaar verlam was. (Johannes 5:1-15).

Aangrensend tot the Baddens van Bethesda is die pragtige Crusader kerk bekend as St Anne’s Kerk.  Die Baddens van Bethesda wat langs die kerk geleë is, bestaan uit twee tenke wat eens op ‘n tyd buite die stadsmure geleë was.  Hulle was in die 8ste en 3de eeue v.C. gebou om reënwater op te gaar.  Heelwat later is hulle verander in geneesende baddens tydens die regering van Herodus die Grote.