One of the sites that I visited some decades ago, was Shiloh. Besides the sign which says “Shiloh” all I saw was an ancient wall.
I was deeply impressed by the name which reminded me of the rich history of the place.
What comes to your mind when the word “Shiloh” is mentioned?
Let me just mention a few of its historical highlights.
TABERNACLE
After Israel crossed the Jordan they stayed for a while at Gilgal. After that they moved to Shiloh where the tabernacle was erected. For the next 300 years Shiloh became the religious site for Israel. For three centuries this was the first capital of the Israelites.
PEOPLE
Can you remember some of the names of people that were connected to Shiloh?
Elkanah and his wives Hannah and Penninah.
Eli and his sons Hophni and Phineas. His wife gave birth to a son when she got the news of the capture of the ark and gave the little baby the name of “icaboth” which means “God’s glory has departed.”
The most illustrious character that lived at Shiloh is called Samuel.
After the Philistines defeated Israel at Aphek and capture the ark, they destroyed Shiloh.
MEANING OF SHILO
The name Shiloh means “at ease.”
But the name Shiloh has more than just a literal geographical name:
Listen to the explanation Moses gives to the name:
Genesis 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
This verse is understood by many commentators to be an appellation for the Messiah.
The name has been understood as meaning variously, “offspring,” “the one sent out,” “he to whom it (the scepter) belongs,” “the rest giver,” “peace giver.”
The name appears in a prophecy of Jacob stating that “the sceptre” would not depart from the tribe of Judah, nor a “ruler’s staff from between his feet” (RSV), until Shiloh should come.
This has been interpreted to mean that the Jewish nation would have national rulers until the time for the appearance of the Messiah. Did it happen?
In explaining the fulfillment it has been pointed out that even when Judah was a subject state it had a measure of local autonomy, and was for the most part governed by Jewish administrators.
These were governors such as Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah under the Persians, high priests under the Ptolemies and Seleucids, and later the native Hasmonaean priest-kings, under whom Judah was temporarily independent.
Then the Romans replaced the Hasmonaeans with the local king Herod the Great, who was of Idumean descent but Jewish by religion.
Finally in a.d. 6 Archelaus, Herod’s successor in Judea was deposed, and Judea for the 1st time became a mere province, administered directly by a Roman governor. By this time Christ had been born.
SITUATION
Its location is about 16 kilometers north of Bethel.
Excavations have shown that the city was in existence some time before the Hebrew conquest. It is not known how it came into the hands of the Israelites, who held it from Joshua’s time until it was destroyed by the Philistines 300 years later.
At Shiloh the tabernacle was erected
Joshua 18:1 Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them.
What happenbed next?
At Shiloh the country was divided among the tribes:
Joshua 18:8 Then the men arose to go away; and Joshua charged those who went to survey the land, saying, “Go, walk through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh.”
Jos 18:9 So the men went, passed through the land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh.
Jos 18:10 Then Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
At Shiloh the Israelites encamped there until Joshua died.
Joshua 24:1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
Jos 24:30 And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Serah, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash.
At Shiloh an annual “feast of the Lord” was celebrated at Shiloh, with dances performed by girls.
Judges 21:19 Then they said, “In fact, there is a yearly feast of the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
21:20 Therefore they instructed the children of Benjamin, saying, “Go, lie in wait in the vineyards,
21:21 and watch; and just when the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, then come out from the vineyards, and every man catch a wife for himself from the daughters of Shiloh; then go to the land of Benjamin.
21:22 Then it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to us to complain, that we will say to them, ‘Be kind to them for our sakes, because we did not take a wife for any of them in the war; for it is not as though you have given the women to them at this time, making yourselves guilty of your oath.’ “
21:23 And the children of Benjamin did so; they took enough wives for their number from those who danced, whom they caught. Then they went and returned to their inheritance, and they rebuilt the cities and dwelt in them.
21:24 So the children of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family; they went out from there, every man to his inheritance.
Toward the end of the period of the judges Eli officiated at Shiloh as high priest, and under his tutelage the prophet Samuel grew to manhood.
1 Samuel 1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
1Sa 1:2 And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
1Sa 1:3 This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
Excavations have shown that Shiloh was destroyed about 1100 a date that agrees with the Biblical chronology, according to which the ark was taken about half a century before Saul’s coronation.
The city remained mainly in ruins for many centuries, and Jeremiah seems to have known it only in a ruined condition.
Jeremiah 7:12 “But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel.
Jer 7:13 And now, because you have done all these works,” says the LORD, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer,
Jer 7:14 therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
Jer 26:6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.” ‘ “
Jeremiah 26:9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without an inhabitant’?” And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
However, it seems to have had some inhabitants, for it was the home of the prophet Ahijah in the time of Jeroboam I (1 Kings 14:2, 4)
1Kn 14:1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick.
1Kn 14:2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Please arise, and disguise yourself, that they may not recognize you as the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Indeed, Ahijah the prophet is there, who told me that I would be king over this people.
1Kn 14:3 Also take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him; he will tell you what will become of the child.”
1Kn 14:4 And Jeroboam’s wife did so; she arose and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were glazed by reason of his age.
Can you imagine the queen coming to Shilo where the tabernacle was located. She and her husband ceased coming to Shiloh the visit the tabernacle and bring their sacrifices to God’s house.
Jeremiah 41:5 that certain men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, eighty men with their beards shaved and their clothes torn, having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.
The ruins of Shiloh confirm the sad story of the tragedy that struck these men when they reached Mizpa.
ELI THE LAST HIGH PRIEST
The ruins of Shiloh tell us that Eli was the last High Priest during the time of the Judges. He had two very wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas.
One day Hannah, the childless wife of Elkanah came to the tabernacle where she wept bitterly. She suffered from the abuse of her husband second wife Penninah.
Eli thought she was drunk and he rebuked her. She denied his accusations.
1 Samuel 1:15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
1Sa 1:16 Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”
1Sa 1:17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”
1Sa 1:18 And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
BIRTH OF SAMUEL
The Lord blessed Hannah with a boy called Samuel which means “God has Heard.” When he was big enough she brought him to the tabernacle where he grew up. He was altogether different to the two wicked sons of Eli.
SAMUEL REVELATION
1 Sa 3:10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”
1Sa 3:11 Then the LORD said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.
1Sa 3:12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.
1Sa 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.
1Sa 3:14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”
1Sa 3:15 So Samuel lay down until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.
1Sa 3:16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He answered, “Here I am.”
1Sa 3:17 And he said, “What is the word that the LORD spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.”
1Sa 3:18 Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”
1Sa 3:19 So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
1Sa 3:20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD.
DEFEATED BY THE PHILISTINES
1 Sa 3:21 Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
1Sa 4:2 Then the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field.
1Sa 4:3 And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.”
1Sa 4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
1Sa 4:5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook.
1Sa 4:6 Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp.
1Sa 4:7 So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before.
1Sa 4:8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
1Sa 4:9 Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!”
1Sa 4:10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers.
1Sa 4:11 Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
This is one of the most tragic humiliations that happened to God’s people. Not only was the physical representation of God’s presence gone but also His law from their hearts.
THE SAD REPORT OF THE LOSS OF THE ARK
1Sa 4:12 Then a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day, and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
1Sa 4:13 Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on a seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out.
1Sa 4:14 When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What does the sound of this tumult mean?” And the man came quickly and told Eli.
1Sa 4:15 Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were so dim that he could not see.
1Sa 4:16 Then the man said to Eli, “I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line.” And he said, “What happened, my son?”
1Sa 4:17 So the messenger answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured.”
1Sa 4:18 Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
1Sa 4:19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, due to be delivered; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her.
1Sa 4:20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she regard it.
1Sa 4:21 Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
1Sa 4:22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
ICHABOD
The sound of the name Ichabod ecchoes from the ruins of ancient Shilo. Can you imagine the pain and shame of Samuel as he looked at the ruins of Shilo where God was presenting His love throught the tabernacle.
When we resent, reject the law of God in favour of our own idol, our selfish fallen human nature it also boils down to Ichabod – the glory of God has departed from our lives.
The law of God that was in that chest,revealed His character which is love for Him our Creator and Redeemerand love for our neighbours.
This is the glory of God. This is how we reveal His character, by our relationship with Him and our relationship with people we meet.
Have you lost God’s glory? Are you an Ichabod? There is an abundant hope for all of us in the message of the ark that was stationed here for 300 years.
Above the ten commandments, written by God’s own finger, was the mercy seat. And what is the symbol of the mercy seat?
My dear friend there is mercy from our Merciful God. He wants to restore our broken relationship with Him and our fellow human beings.
If we allow God to show His mercy in our lives, He will change our names from Ichabod to “friend of God.”