The Waters of Shiloah provide a representation of serenity and the divine blessing of peace within the writings of the Book of Mormon. These waters, alluded to in 2 Nephi 18:6, signify the Lord’s gentle protection and guidance and are contrasted with the mighty and overwhelming forces akin to the invasion of the Assyrians. In the context of the scripture, the Waters of Shiloah represent the calm and steadfast trust in the Lord that the people are invited to embrace. However, as the verse indicates, the people refuse this divine offer, choosing instead to rejoice in their political alliances—specifically those with Rezin and the son of Remaliah—over the subtle and sustaining power represented by the Waters of Shiloah.
This metaphorical use emphasizes the foundational choice set before the people: to rely on the quiet and sustaining waters provided by faith in the Lord or to pursue worldly powers that lead to turbulence and destruction. The symbolic representation of the Waters of Shiloah in the Book of Mormon thus serves to underscore a broader spiritual principle of choosing divine guidance over human might and political schemes.