Shiloh
Shiloh is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Samaria in modern-day Israel. Known today as Khirbet Seilun. It appears across 37 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Shiloh stands as one of the most theologically significant sites in the entire Old Testament, serving as the central sanctuary of Israel during the period of the judges. After the conquest under Joshua, the tabernacle — the portable tent-shrine housing the ark of the covenant — was set up at Shiloh as a permanent location for Israel's worship (Joshua 18:1). The land was divided among the tribes from Shiloh (Joshua 18-19). It was here that the annual feast of the LORD was celebrated (Judges 21:19), and where Hannah prayed with such anguish for a son that Eli the priest mistook her for drunk (1 Samuel 1:9-18). The boy Samuel grew up in the tabernacle at Shiloh, receiving his prophetic call there (1 Samuel 3). The ark was eventually carried from Shiloh into battle against the Philistines and catastrophically captured (1 Samuel 4), an event Psalm 78:60 describes as God "forsaking the tabernacle at Shiloh." Jeremiah later invoked Shiloh's destruction as a warning to Jerusalem: "Go now to my place that was in Shiloh" (Jeremiah 7:12) — a sobering reminder that even the most sacred sites could be abandoned by God in response to unfaithfulness.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Shiloh has been identified with Khirbet Seilun, approximately 30 kilometers north of Jerusalem in the central hill country, since the nineteenth century. Danish expeditions (1926-1932) under Hans Kjaer and later Israeli excavations led by Israel Finkelstein (1981-1984) have extensively documented the site. Excavations revealed substantial Middle Bronze Age and Iron Age I occupation, including large stone-lined storage pits likely associated with the tabernacle precinct and the collection of tithes and offerings. A destruction layer from around 1050 BCE, possibly linked to the Philistine defeat of Israel, aligns with the biblical account of Shiloh's abandonment. Ceramic evidence confirms the site's prominence during the settlement period. No tabernacle structure has been identified, but the site's prominence during Iron Age I strongly supports the biblical narrative.
Verse Appearances (37)
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Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →