Fullers Field
Fullers Field [1]
( שְׂרֵה כוֹבֵס, sedeh' koos'; Sept. ἀγρὸς τοῦ γναφέως, or κναφέως; Vulg. agerfullonis), a spot near Jerusalem ( 2 Kings 18:17; Isaiah 36:2; Isaiah 7:3) so close to the walls that a person speaking from there could be heard on them ( 2 Kings 18:17; 2 Kings 18:26). It is only incidentally mentioned in these passages, as giving its name to a "highway" ( מְסִלָּה =an embanked road, Gesen. Thes. page 957 b), "in" ( בְּ ) or "on" ( אֶל, A.V. "in") which highway was the "conduit of the upper pool." The "end" ( קָצֶה ) of the conduit, whatever that was, appears to have been close to the road ( Isaiah 7:3). In considering the nature of this spot, it should be borne in mind that sadeh, "field," is a term almost invariably confined to cultivated arable land, as opposed to unreclaimed ground. (See Topographical Terms). One resort of the fullers of Jerusalem would seem to have been below the city on the south-east side. (See Enrogel).
But Rabshakeh and his "great host" can hardly have approached in that direction. They must have come from the north — the only accessible side for any body of people — as is certainly indicated by the route traced in Isaiah 10:28-32 (See Gibeah); and the fuller's field, from this circumstance, has been located by some (Hitzig, zu Jesa. 7:3; Williams, Holy City, 2:472) on the table-land on the northern side of the city, near the Damascus gate. (See Fuller'S Monument) (below). The "pool" and the "conduit" would be sufficient reasons for the presence of the fullers, and their location would therefore determine that of the "field" in question. (See Conduit). On the other hand, Rabshakeh and his companions may have left the army and advanced along the east side of Mount Moriah to En-rogel, to a convenient place under the temple walls for speaking. There can be little doubt, however, that the "upper pool" is the cistern now called Birket el-Mamilla, at the head of the Valley of Hinnom, a short distance west of the Yafa gate (Porter, Handbook for S. and P. pages 99, 136). Hezekiah conveyed the waters from it by a subterranean aqueduct to the west side of the city of David ( 2 Chronicles 32:30). The natural course of this aqueduct was along the ancient road to the western gate beside the castle, and this was the road by which the Assyrian ambassadors would doubtless approach the city, coming as they did from Lachish. The position of the fuller's field is thus indicated. It lay on the side of the highway west of the city. (See Fuller'S Gate) (below). The fullers occupation required an abundant supply of water, and an open space for drying the clothes. We may therefore conclude that their "field" was beside, or at least not far distant from the upper pool. (See Gihon).
