Shiloh, located northeast of Jerusalem and within the tribal boundary of Ephraim, was destined to play a fateful role in Israel's history, because of the presence of the Tabernacle in its midst. The entire congregation of Israel gathered at Shiloh to set up the Tent of Meeting. (Josh 18:1-10)

Until then, the assembly point for the people and the site of the Tabernacle was Gilgal, just west of the River Jordan and opposite the city of Jericho, where the people of Israel first encamped fourteen years earlier. At Gilgal, they renewed the rite of circumcision and celebrated their first Passover in the new land.

Before the Tabernacle in Shiloh was erected, sacrifice upon the high places was permitted, and the service was performed by the firstborn. After the establishment of the Tabernacle, the high places were forbidden and the service was performed by the priests.

Establishing The Tabernacle At Shiloh

Eventually, when the Tabernacle moved to Shiloh, the high places were again forbidden, and the Shiloh sanctuary became the only acceptable venue for the sacrificial service. As the people planted crops in the new land and harvested the produce of their fields, the practice of the second tithe, (a portion of the crop, separated every 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th years of the agricultural cycle) was instituted, and the produce was brought to the Tabernacle, to be consumed there. After 369 years, the sanctuary at Shiloh was destroyed by the Philistines, and a period of great spiritual instability followed, until the prophet Samuel arose, to guide the people and lay the groundwork for the establishment of the monarchy. The sanctuary was re-established, first at Nov and later at Gibeon, during this time (a period of 57 years) and the high places were again permitted. Finally, when King Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, the worship upon the high places was discontinued forever.

The Tabernacle At Shiloh

The Shiloh Tabernacle had a ceiling made of curtains, indicating it was a temporary tent-like structure, as described in the book of Exodus. Hence, the Torah often refers to it as the "Tent of Meeting". (Ex 40:2) Once established at Shiloh, however, the temporary walls of acacia wood were stored away forever, and the walls of the Tabernacle were built out of stone. The cover of textiles and skins, however, was retained. Finally, in Jerusalem, the Temple structure was provided with walls of stone and a sturdy roof of cedars extravagantly covered on the interior with pure gold. (I Kings 6:9,22)

The developments in the building structure of the Tabernacle paralleled the history of the people of Israel as they experienced growth and security in their new homeland. It was king David who succeeded in both unifying the tribes and neutralizing their enemies, eventually founding the national capital in Jerusalem and initiating the process of building the Temple, while Solomon his son did the actual building of the Temple, on sacred Mount Moriah. The national stability, unity of purpose, security from external threats and cultural ascendancy, that Israel enjoyed during the period of Solomon's reign, corresponded to the building of the permanent Temple. Rising above Jerusalem, the Temple told the story of finally achieving stability and unity.

The connection between the Tabernacle and the process of settlement in the Promised Land, reflected the travails and triumphs of Israel as a nation. As surely as YHVH's presence was among them and His concern was never far removed, the Temple duplicated their destiny. No wonder that in the Biblical frame of reference, the exile of the nation of Israel from their land and the promise of their eventual restoration are tied with the destruction of the Temple on the one hand, and the prophetic vision of its ultimate rebuilding on the other.

Linking The Prophets To The Tabernacle

This period in Israel's history closely followed the chronological outline of the prophetic books of the Tanach. The book of Joshua is transitional, corresponding to the Tabernacle leaving the wilderness, arriving at Gilgal and, towards the end of the book, finally arriving at Shiloh, as the settlement begins in earnest. The events of the book of Judges, full of the painful struggle, take place while the Tabernacle stands at Shiloh - a more secure place but vulnerable nonetheless. Samuel opens with the Tabernacle's destruction, as uncertain and perilous time leading to the monarchy, begin to unfold. The events of the book transpire while the Tabernacle is temporally located first at Nov and then at Gibeon, and the high places enjoy a resurgence, indicating the spiritual uncertainty of the times. Finally, the Book of Kings details the building of the Temple at Jerusalem, under Solomon's leadership, during which Israel reached their highest point in their history, (spiritually and materially) until their exile to the rivers of Babylon at the book's conclusion, when the Temple was razed to the ground.

Significantly, rest is identified with Shiloh, and inheritance, with Jerusalem.