Topical Encyclopedia
Introduction:Shiloh holds significant importance in biblical history and theology. It is both a geographical location and a prophetic term, deeply embedded in the narrative of Israel's early history and messianic expectations.
Geographical Significance:Shiloh was an ancient city in the territory of Ephraim, centrally located in the land of Canaan. It served as a major religious center for the Israelites during the period of the Judges. The tabernacle, which housed the Ark of the Covenant, was set up in Shiloh after the conquest of Canaan under Joshua. This made Shiloh the focal point of Israelite worship and the center of national gatherings.
Biblical References:The first mention of Shiloh as a location is found in the Book of Joshua.
Joshua 18:1 states, "Then the whole congregation of the Israelites assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. And the land was subdued before them." This highlights Shiloh's role as the spiritual heart of Israel during the early settlement period.
In 1 Samuel, Shiloh is depicted as the place where the young Samuel was dedicated to the Lord by his mother, Hannah.
1 Samuel 1:24 records, "Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh." This narrative underscores Shiloh's significance as a place of worship and dedication.
Prophetic Significance:The term "Shiloh" also appears in a prophetic context in
Genesis 49:10 , where Jacob blesses his sons and speaks of Judah, saying, "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and the allegiance of the nations is his." This verse has been traditionally interpreted by many as a messianic prophecy, foretelling the coming of a ruler from the tribe of Judah who would bring peace and command the obedience of the nations. The identity of "Shiloh" in this context has been the subject of much theological discussion, often associated with the coming of the Messiah.
Historical Decline:Shiloh's prominence declined after the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant, as recorded in
1 Samuel 4. The loss of the Ark marked a significant turning point, and Shiloh eventually fell into obscurity.
Jeremiah 7:12 later references Shiloh as a warning to Jerusalem, "But go now to My place that was in Shiloh, where I first made a dwelling for My Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel."
Archaeological Insights:Modern archaeological excavations at the site of ancient Shiloh have uncovered remnants of its past, including pottery and structural remains, which provide insights into its historical and cultural context. These findings corroborate the biblical narrative of Shiloh as a significant religious center during the time of the Judges.
Theological Implications:Shiloh's dual role as a physical location and a prophetic symbol reflects the intertwining of Israel's history with its spiritual aspirations. As a place where God's presence dwelt among His people, Shiloh serves as a reminder of the centrality of worship and obedience in the life of the covenant community. The prophetic aspect of Shiloh points to the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises through the coming of the Messiah, who would establish a kingdom characterized by peace and righteousness.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Shilohsent
Smith's Bible Dictionary
ShilohIn the Authorized Version of the Bible Shiloh is once used as the name of a person, in a very difficult passage, in (Genesis 49:10) "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." Supposing that the translation is correct, the meaning of the word ispeaceable orpacific , and the allusion is either to Solomon, whose name has a similar signification, or to the expected Messiah, who in (Isaiah 9:6) is expressly called the Prince of Peace. [MESSIAH] Other interpretations, however, of the passage are given, one of which makes it refer to the city of this name. [See the following article] It might be translated "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, till he shall go to Shiloh." In this case the allusion would be to the primacy of Judah in war, (Judges 1:1,2;20:18;Numbers 2:3;10:14) which was to continue until the promised land was conquered and the ark of the covenant was solemnly deposited at Shiloh.
ATS Bible Dictionary
Shiloh1. This term is used,Genesis 49:10, to denote the Messiah, the coming of whom Jacob foretells in these words: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be;" that is, until the time of Christ, Judah's self-governments as a tribe should not ceases. It must be admitted, however, that the literal signification of the word is not well ascertained. Some translate, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah till he comes to whom it belongs." Others, with more probability, till the coming of the Peacemaker, or of the One desired.
2. A famous city of Ephraim, about ten miles south of Shechem, and twenty-four north of Jerusalem. Here Joshua assembled the people to make the second distribution of the Land of Promise; and her the tabernacle of the Lord was set up, when they were settled in the country,Joshua 18:1; 19:51. The ark and the tabernacle continued at Shiloh, from B. C. 1444 to B. C. 1116, when it was taken by the Philistines, under the administration of the high priest Eli. In honor of the presence of the ark, there was "a feast of the Lord in Shiloh yearly;" and at one of these festivals the daughters of Shiloh were seized by a remnant of the Benjamites, Jud 21:19-23. At Shiloh Samuel began to prophesy,1 Samuel 4:1, and here the prophet Ahijah dwelt,1 Kings 14:2.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Generally understood as denoting the Messiah, "the peaceful one," as the word signifies (
Genesis 49:10). The Vulgate Version translates the word, "he who is to be sent," in allusion to the Messiah; the Revised Version, margin, "till he come to Shiloh;" and the LXX., "until that which is his shall come to Shiloh." It is most simple and natural to render the expression, as in the Authorized Version, "till Shiloh come," interpreting it as a proper name (Comp.
Isaiah 9:6).
Shiloh, a place of rest, a city of Ephraim, "on the north side of Bethel," from which it is distant 10 miles (Judges 21:19); the modern Seilun (the Arabic for Shiloh), a "mass of shapeless ruins." Here the tabernacle was set up after the Conquest (Joshua 18:1-10), where it remained during all the period of the judges till the ark fell into the hands of the Philistines. "No spot in Central Palestine could be more secluded than this early sanctuary, nothing more featureless than the landscape around; so featureless, indeed, the landscape and so secluded the spot that from the time of St. Jerome till its re-discovery by Dr. Robinson in 1838 the very site was forgotten and unknown." It is referred to by Jeremiah (7:12, 14;26:4-9) five hundred years after its destruction.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) A word used by Jacob on his deathbed, and interpreted variously, as the Messiah, or as the city Shiloh, or as Rest.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SHILOH (1)shi'-lo (shiloh): The prophecy inGenesis 49:10, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah,.... until Shiloh come," etc., has been the subject of very diverse interpretations. the Revised Version margin gives as alternative renderings, " `Till he come to Shiloh having the obedience of the peoples' Or, according to the Syriac, `Till he come whose it is,' etc."
(1) From the earliest times the passage has been regarded as Messianic, but the rendering in the text, which takes "Shiloh" as a proper name, bearing a meaning such as "peaceful" (compareIsaiah 9:6, "Prince of Peace"), labors under the difficulty that Shiloh is not found elsewhere as a personal name in the Old Testament, nor is it easy to extract from it the meaning desired. Further, the word was not personally applied to the Messiah in any of the ancient VSS, which rather assume a different reading (see below). Apart from a purely fanciful passage in the Talmud (compare Driver, Gen, 413), this application does not appear earlier than the version of Seb. Munster in the 16th century (1534).
(2) The rendering, "till he come to Shiloh," where Shiloh is taken as the name of a place, not a person, is plausible, but is felt to yield no suitable sense in the context. It is, therefore, now also set aside by most recent scholars.
(3) The 3rd rendering, which regards Shiloh as representing the Hebrew shelloh = shiloh for 'asher low, "whose (it is)," has in its favor the fact that this is evidently the reading presupposed in the Septuagint, the Peshitta, and the this is evidently the reading presupposed in the Septuagint, the Peshitta, and the Jewish Targums, and seems to be alluded to inEzekiel 21:27, "until he come whose right it is." In this view the passage has still a Messianic reference, though critics argue that it must then be regarded as late in origin. Other interpretations need not detain us. See for details the full discussions in Hengstenberg's Christology, I, 54;, English translation, the commentaries of Delitzsch, Driver, and Skinner, on Genesis (especially Excursus II in Driver), and the articles in the various Bible dictionaries.
See alsoPROPHECY.
James Orr
SHILOH (2)
(The most usual form is shiloh, but it appears 8 times as shilo, and 3 times as Shilow; Selo, Selom): A town in the lot of Ephraim where Israel assembled under Joshua at the close of the war of conquest (Joshua 18:1). Here territory was allotted to the seven tribes who had not yet received their portions. A commission was sent out to "describe the land into seven portions"; this having been done, the inheritances were assigned by lot. Here also were assigned to the Levites their cities in the territories of the various tribes (Joshua 18-21). From Shiloh Reuben and Gad departed for their homes East of the Jordan; and here the tribes gathered for war against these two, having misunderstood their building of the great altar in the Jordan valley (Joshua 22). FromJudges 18:31 we learn that in the period of the Judges the house of God was in Shiloh; but when the sanctuary was moved thither from Gilgal there is no indication. The maids of Shiloh were captured by the Benjamites on the occasion of a feast, while dancing in the vineyards; this having been planned by the other tribes to provide the Benjamites with wives without involving themselves in responsibility (21:21;). While the house of the Lord remained here it was a place of pilgrimage (1 Samuel 1:3). To Shiloh Samuel was brought and consecrated to God's service (1 Samuel 1:24). The sanctuary was presided over by Eli and his wicked sons; and through Samuel the doom of their house was announced. The capture of the ark by the Philistines, the fall of Hophni and Phinehas, and the death of the aged priest and his daughter-in-law followed with startling rapidity (1 Samuel 3;1 Samuel 4). The sanctuary in Shiloh is called a "temple" (1 Samuel 1:9;1 Samuel 3:3) with doorpost and doors (1 Samuel 1:9;1 Samuel 3:15). It was therefore a more durable structure than the old tent. SeeTABERNACLE;TEMPLE. It would appear to have been destroyed, probably by the Philistines; and we find the priests of Eli's house at Nob, where they were massacred at Saul's order (1 Samuel 22:11). The disaster that befell Shiloh, while we have no record of its actual occurrence, made a deep impression on the popular mind, so that the prophets could use it as an effective illustration (Psalm 78:60Jeremiah 7:12:14;Jeremiah 26:6). Here the blind old prophet Ahijah was appealed to in vain by Jeroboam's wife on behalf of her son (1 Kings 14:2, 4), and it was still occupied in Jeremiah's time (Jeremiah 41:5).
The position of Shiloh is indicated inJudges 21:19, as "on the north of Beth-el, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah." This is very explicit, and points definitely to Seilun, a ruined site on a hill at the Northeast of a little plain, about 9 miles North of Beitin (Bethel), and 3 miles Southeast of Khan el-Lubban (Lebonah), to the East of the highway to Shechem (Nablus). The path to Seilun leaves the main road at Sinjil, going eastward to Turmus `Aya, then northward across the plain. A deep valley runs to the North of the site, cutting it off from the adjoining hills, in the sides of which are rock-hewn tombs. A good spring rises higher up the valley. There are now no vineyards in the district; but indications of their ancient culture are found in the terraced slopes around.
The ruins on the hill are of comparatively modern buildings. At the foot of the hill is a mosque which is going quickly to ruin. A little distance to the Southeast is a building which seems to have been a synagogue. It is called by the natives Jami` el-`Arba`in, "mosque of the Forty." There are many cisterns.
Just over the crest of the hill to the North, on a terrace, there is cut in the rock a rough quadrangle 400 ft. by 80 ft. in dimensions. This may have been the site of "the house of the Lord" which was in Shiloh.
W. Ewing
Strong's Hebrew
7887.Shiloh -- a city in EphraimShiloh or
Shiloh or Shilo or Shilo. 7886, 7887.
Shiloh or
Shiloh or Shilo
or Shilo. 7888 . a city in Ephraim. Transliteration:
Shiloh...8387. TaanathShiloh -- perhaps "approach toShiloh," a city of...
TaanathShiloh. 8386, 8387. TaanathShiloh. 8388 . perhaps "approach to
Shiloh," a city of Ephraim. Transliteration: TaanathShiloh...
7886.Shiloh -- perhaps "he whose it is," a Messianic title
... 7885, 7886.Shiloh. 7887 . perhaps "he whose it is," a Messianic title.
Transliteration:Shiloh Phonetic Spelling: (shee-lo') Short Definition:Shiloh....
7888. Shiloni -- inhab. ofShiloh
... inhab. ofShiloh. Transliteration: Shiloni or Shiloni or Shiloni Phonetic
Spelling: (shee-lo-nee') Short Definition: Shilonite. Word...
3829. Lebonah -- a place nearShiloh
... 3828, 3829. Lebonah. 3830 . a place nearShiloh. Transliteration: Lebonah
Phonetic Spelling: (leb-o-naw') Short Definition: Lebonah....
5941. Eli -- a priest atShiloh
... 5940, 5941. Eli. 5942 . a priest atShiloh. Transliteration: Eli Phonetic
Spelling: (ay-lee') Short Definition: Eli. Word Origin...
8388. ta'ar -- probably to incline
... probably to incline. Transliteration: ta'ar Phonetic Spelling: (taw-ar') Short
Definition: Taanath-shiloh. Taanath-shiloh A primitive root; to delineate; reflex...
Library
Samuel --The Child of the Temple.
... The Tabernacle that was built in the wilderness, and was brought into Canaan by
the priests was set up atShiloh in the very centre of the land of Canaan, and...
The Child Samuel.
... made their home in the promised land of Canaan, they did not forget the God of their
great ancestor Jacob; but they set up on a hill calledShiloh a tabernacle...
The Signs of the Times
... spoken by Jacob a little before his death: (Gen.49:10:) "The sceptre shall not depart
from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, untilShiloh come." All...
Jeremiah's Courage in Danger
... "'Then go to my temple which was atShiloh, where people used to worship me at first,
and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel....
Samuel the Boy Prophet
... Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. This man used to go up from his village
each year to worship and offer a sacrifice to Jehovah of hosts atShiloh....
The Ark among the Philistines
... Philistines? Let us bring the ark of our God fromShiloh.... enemies.". So the people
sent toShiloh and took from there the ark of Jehovah of hosts....
Israel in Canaan.
... As Jacob had promised to Joseph, Ephraim and half Manaseh had the richest portion,
nearly in the middle, andShiloh, where the Tabernacle was set up, was in...
Faithlessness and Defeat
... Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out ofShiloh unto us, that, when
it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.4. So the...
That More Might be Given and Gotten.
... AtShiloh the formal worship was kept up, but the very priests were tainted with
the worst impurity. A sort of sleepy, slovenly anarchy prevailed....
Is God in the Camp?
... thought that, if they could get the ark of the covenant, which had been the symbol
of Jehovah's presence, and bring it from the tent ofShiloh into the midst...
Thesaurus
Shiloh (34 Occurrences)... The Vulgate Version translates the word, "he who is to be sent," in allusion to
the Messiah; the Revised Version, margin, "till he come to
Shiloh;" and the LXX
...Taanath-shiloh (1 Occurrence)
Taanath-shiloh. Taanathshiloh, Taanath-shiloh. Ta'anath-shi'loh . Easton's
Bible Dictionary... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. TAANATH-SHILOH....
Taanathshiloh (1 Occurrence)
... Approach toShiloh, a place on the border of Ephraim (Joshua 16:6), probably the
modern T'ana, a ruin 7 miles south-east of Shechem, on the ridge east of the...
Hannah (13 Occurrences)
... of Elkanah the Levite, and the mother of Samuel (1 Samuel 1; 2). Her home was at
Ramathaim-zophim, whence she was wont every year to go toShiloh, where the...
Lebonah (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Frankincense, a town nearShiloh, on the north
side of Bethel (Judges 21:19). It has been identified with...
Gilgal (39 Occurrences)
... for the administration of justice (1 Samuel 7:16), and here also he offered sacrifices
when the ark was no longer in the tabernacle atShiloh (1 Samuel 10:8; 13...
Ahijah (23 Occurrences)
... (6.) One of Solomon's secretaries (1 Kings 4:3). (7.) A prophet ofShiloh (1 Kings
11:29; 14:2), called the "Shilonite," in the days of Rehoboam.... Go toShiloh....
Ephraim (168 Occurrences)
... 30 broad. The tabernacle and the ark were deposited within its limits at
Shiloh, where it remained for four hundred years. During...
Ahi'jah (22 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 14:3 and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas,
the son of Eli, the priest of the LORD inShiloh, wearing an ephod....
Eli (36 Occurrences)
... Ascent, the high priest when the ark was atShiloh (1 Samuel 1:3, 9). He was the
first of the line of Ithamar, Aaron's fourth son (1 Chronicles 24:3; Comp....
Resources
What is the meaning of the term “Shiloh”? Is it a Messianic prophecy? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Elkanah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the story of Hannah and Samuel? | GotQuestions.orgShiloh: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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