ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Falaite ‘Okatopa 8, 2021

Until Shiloh comes

Kae‘oua ke ha‘u ‘a Sailo

Siosiua 18 (Joshua 18)

(v. 1) PEA kātoa mai ‘a e fakataha ‘o ha‘a ‘Isileli ki Sailo, ‘o nau fokotu‘u ‘a e Tēniti Fe‘iloaki‘anga ‘i he potu ko ia: pea na‘e vaivai ‘a e fonua kiate kinautolu.

(v. 1) Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them.

 

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

An important event is now recorded. The Tent of Meeting was erected at Shiloh. No reason is given for the choice of Shiloh. It certainly was central to the country and perhaps that is the simplest explanation. That which follows immediately would lead us to believe that after districts had been allotted to Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh there was some slackness in continuing the work of settlement, for Joshua definitely rebuked the seven tribes for being slow to go up and possess the land. Before doing so, however, this place of worship was erected as the symbol of the deepest truth and principle of their nationality.

In the choice of the seven lots, the first fell to Benjamin. His territory occupied the space between that of Judah and Ephraim. This nearness to Ephraim and Manasseh was according to a natural order, but in process of time Benjamin drew nearer in sympathy to Judah, and at the great division went with Judah altogether.

Benjamin was always looked upon as the least of the tribes of Israel, but it is not to be measured by its size but rather by its caliber. Among its cities it included some that became famous in subsequent history-Jericho, Beth- el, Gibeon, and Mizpeh. Dean Stanley pointed out that even in New Testament times its influence remained, this being revealed partly by the frequency of the name of Saul in Hebrew families. It is interesting that one bearing that name subsequently made his boast in that he was "of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin" ( Php 3:5 ).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

Shiloh was in the lot of Ephraim, the tribe to which Joshua belonged, and it was proper that the tabernacle should be near the residence of the chief governor. The name of this city is the same as that by which Jacob prophesied of the Messiah, Genesis 49:10. It is supposed by some that the city was thus called, when it was chosen for the resting-place of the ark, which typified our great Peace-maker, and the way by him to a reconciled God.