Shiloh was the ancient city in Samaria
from the Old Testament and located today
in the West Bank- 10 miles north of Bethel.
Shiloh was the major Israelite worship center
before the first Temple was built in Jerusalem.
Long before the advent of the Israelites,
Shiloh was a walled city with a religious shrine or sanctuary
during Middle and Late Bronze Age Canaan.
When the Israelites arrived in the land,
they set up there the ancient wilderness tent shrine.
There Joshua and Eleazar divided the land among the tribes
who had not yet received their allocation Joshua 18:1-10.
and dealt with the allocation of cities
to the Levites- Joshua 21:1-8.
Subsequently, Shiloh became one of the leading
religious shrines in ancient Israel,
a status it held until shortly
Shiloh is connected to the stories
of Joshua, Hannah, Samuel and Eli.
Though it might be challenging to picture
this from the ruins today, it was a significant site.
Shiloh was one of the main centers of Israelite worship
by virtue of the presence
there of the Tent Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant.
The people made Pilgrimages there for major feasts and sacrifices,
and Judges 21 records the place
as the site of an annual dance of maidens among the vineyards.
Beautiful vineyards
still surround the excavated location.
Later history is told in the Byzantine churches.
This inscription is significant
as it mentions the site as Shiloh.
The recently uncovered mosaics
(some 2013)
(some 2013)
are a beautiful reminder of the artistry here.
The Ark of the Covenant was here
and was lost to the Philistines.
Eli mismanaged his family
and lost the heritage of faithfulness
in his worthless sons.
But, in this very place-
God met His people
and brought to them His presence.
God still seeks to be present with us
in our everyday lives.
A map to help locate Shiloh. Videos and teaching materials here are helpful.
There is a significant plan
to build an event center here.
There was no set up of the Tabernacle
during our visit in January 2020 but are told
that is part of a summer visit.
It seems like there is also significant updates
for parts of the exhibit.
Media centers are good and helpful.
(You need to tell them at the visitors center
to play the movie in English and they give you a time for that.)
A map to help locate Shiloh. Videos and teaching materials here are helpful.
There is a significant plan
to build an event center here.
There was no set up of the Tabernacle
during our visit in January 2020 but are told
that is part of a summer visit.
It seems like there is also significant updates
for parts of the exhibit.
Media centers are good and helpful.
(You need to tell them at the visitors center
to play the movie in English and they give you a time for that.)
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