Shiloh

 

Introduction

 

1. After the conquest of the land was basically complete, the Tabernacle was set up in Shiloh, where it would reside for 369 years.

 

2. It became the spiritual center, and two million Jews gathered at Shiloh on the main festivals and camped on the surrounding hills.

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3. At Shiloh, Hannah prayed for a son. God heard her prayers and blessed her with Samuel.

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4. To Shiloh, Hannah brought Samuel and consecrated him to the Lord’s service. 

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5. Samuel was raised in the tabernacle here at Shiloh and became a great prophet whom God greatly used. 

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6. The ark was taken from here and captured in a battle with the Philistines. As a result, Hophni and Phinehas died along with their father, Eli, near Shiloh.  

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7. At this site we'll see:

• A hologram of what the tabernacle was like. 

• Wine and olive presses.

• Many churches marking this site.

• A film about this site at the summit of the tel.

• Four proposed locations of the tabernacle and which site we believe is the best candidate.

• Red heifers here that fulfill prophecy.

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Location

 

1. Shiloh is about 20 miles (32 km) north of Jerusalem on Hwy. 60. 

 

2. It was on a major north-south travel route that linked Beersheba in the south to Shechem and the northern cities of Israel.

 

3. Shiloh was located on a hilltop, which made it defensible.

 

4. It had hills surrounding it, so when the nation gathered at Shiloh for feasts, they could camp around it and partake of the events. As a result, archaeologists have found many pieces of pottery on the hills around Shiloh.

 

5. Tel Shiloh is at an archaeological park called "Ancient Shiloh," located at the entrance to modern-day Shiloh.

 

6. Shiloh was in the hill country of Samaria within the tribal allotment of Ephraim.

 

7. It was likely chosen as Israel's capital and military base due to its central location within the country.

 

Historical Background

 

1. Shiloh was the religious and military capital of Israel during the time of the Judges, and the Tabernacle resided here for 369 years.

 

2. It was the first place where the tabernacle became a permanent structure.

 

3. Two million Jews gathered at Shiloh on the main festivals and camped on the surrounding hills.

 

4. The Ark of the Covenant resided here within the tabernacle. The ark contained the following three items:

 

• Tablets of the 10 Commandments.

 

• Aaron’s staff that budded.

 

• Jar of Manna

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Places of Interest

 

1. Vineyards around Shiloh

 

2. Ancient street of Shiloh.

 

3. Byzantine churches near the Visitor Center.

 

4. Wine Press

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• Grapes were crushed by feet to avoid crushing the grape seeds, which would make the wine bitter.

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• Shiloh was famous for its wine, and here is where the Benjaminite men grabbed their wives in the vineyards.

 

​Judges 21:19-21: So they said, “Behold, there is the yearly feast of the Lord at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.” 20 And they commanded the people of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in ambush in the vineyards 21 and watch. If the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and snatch each man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 

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5. Olive Press

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6. Water Source

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• Difference between living water and water in cisterns.

 

7. Building with a hologram of the tabernacle. 

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• Courtyard entrance.

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• Bronze altar of burnt offering.

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• Bronze basin (laver) and its stand.

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• Tabernacle tent, containing the Holy Place and Holy of Holies.

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• Inside the Holy Place

  • Lampstand

  • Table of the bread of the Presence

  • Incense Altar

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• Inside the Holy of Holies

  • Ark of the Covenant​

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• Inside the Ark of the Covenant

  • Tablets of the 10 Commandments.

  • Aaron’s staff that budded.

  • Jar of Manna

 

8. Basilica Church (The Basilica Cultural Event Hall)

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• 550 AD Byzantine church.

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• A Danish team in the 1930s added the building over the 6th-century Byzantine church.

 

9. Byzantine Church

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• The first Byzantine church dates to around 386 AD. This church was likely built over the ruins of an ancient synagogue.

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• On the mosaic floor at the entrance of this church is an impressive inscription stating: “Lord Jesus Christ, have pity on Shiloh and its inhabitants. Amen.” This is one way we know this place is the authentic Shiloh.

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• Baptistry

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10. Byzantine church built over the 4th-century AD ruins.

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11. Proposed tabernacle location by Yosef Garfinkel.

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• It was outside the city walls. This fits well because buildings and homes were already inside.​

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• It was close to a good water source.

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• Byzantine churches are located here, which were normally built over important sites to commemorate them.

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• Hundreds of thousands of Israelites visited Shiloh during the high holy days. This area is in a large open space outside the city walls that could have handled these massive crowds.

 

12. Jama'a al-Yatim mosque from around 1250 AD, built on the west side of the northern 4th- and 6th-century Byzantine Church ruins. 

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13. Four-horned Altar Stone

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• God commanded horns on the tabernacle’s altars according to Exodus 27:1–2. These “horns” were projections rising from the altar's four corners, not actual animal horns.

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• Here we see evidence of a four-horned altar. Another four-horned altar stone has been discovered on the northern slope.

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14. Olive Oil Press

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• Olive oil is one of the basic commodities of the ancient world.

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• There were three main presses:

  • Press One: Called "virgin oil." It was used for the tabernacle here in Shiloh. It was used for many of the rituals: lighting the lamps, anointing, mixing with ground grain for the meal offering, and more.

  • Press Two: Used for cooking, food, medicine, and daily household use.

  • Press Three: Used for heating and lighting, making soap, cleansing, and lubrication.

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15. Map Pavilion

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Exodus Route Map

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• We believe the Exodus route went from Egypt to the Aqaba Finger of the Red Sea, where the Israelites crossed into Arabia and Midian.​

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• Evidence for this is growing stronger, and most archaeologists and scholars now accept this route.

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• The Bible also tells us its location: Galatians 4:25: Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem.

 

Tribes of Israel Map

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• The main conquest under Joshua lasted approximately seven years.

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• Half of the tribe of Manasseh, Gad, and Reuben received their allotments on the east side of the Jordan River.

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• The tribe of Dan was relocated to the far north of Israel.

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• Simeon was within Judah and was somewhat absorbed into it.

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• Jerusalem became the center of worship because it was centrally located.

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• In 1399 BC, Joshua gathered the seven tribes that had not yet received their inheritance on the west side of the Jordan River and encouraged them to conquer their inheritances as God commanded.

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• After the division of Israel in 930 BC, because of Solomon's sin of building high places to the gods of his wives, Jeroboam set up two golden-calf altars. One was at Bethel and the other at Dan.

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• The northern part of Israel was called "Israel," and the southern part was called "Judah."

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• The two and one-half tribes on the east side of the Jordan River suffered military attacks. Hazael of Aram conquered large areas east of the Jordan during Jehu's reign (2 Kings 10:32–33). Later, the Assyrians took them into captivity around 733–732 BC.

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• Many people from the northern tribes fled to Jerusalem and built homes on Jerusalem's western side.

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• In 701 BC, King Hezekiah built a large wall to enclose those living outside the walls, called Hezekiah's Broad Wall. He also built a water tunnel to bring water from the Gihon Spring into the city. Today, it's known as Hezekiah's Tunnel.

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• In 722 BC (roughly 200 years after the kingdom was divided), the Assyrians took the northern tribes of Israel into captivity.

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• In 586 BC, the Babylonians conquered Judah and deported many Jews to Babylon (roughly 136 years after the Northern Kingdom was taken into captivity). 

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• In 537 BC, Zerubbabel brought many Israelites back to Jerusalem and began building a new temple.

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• In 515 BC, they consecrated the new temple. This begins what is called the Second Temple Period.

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• In 20 BC, Herod the Great began a massive enlargement of the Temple Mount and built a new temple far more glorious than previous ones. 

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• In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed Herod's Temple. This ended the Second Temple Period.

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Travels of the Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) in the Promised Land

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• 1406 BC ~ Israelites cross into the Promised Land. Tabernacle was set up in Gilgal.​

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• 1399 BC ~ Initial conquest is done. The tabernacle was set up in Shiloh. 

Joshua 18:1: 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.

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• 1375 BC ~ The tabernacle resides at Bethel for a period. 

Judges 20:26-28: Then the Israelites, all the people, went up to Bethel, where they sat weeping before the LORD. That day they fasted until evening and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD. 27And the Israelites inquired of the LORD. (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there, 28and Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, served before it.)

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• 1100 BC ~ Hannah prays in Shiloh, where Eli was the high priest and where the tabernacle resided.

1 Samuel 1:24: And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. 

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• 1070 BC ~ The Ark of the Covenant and the tabernacle are separated at Shiloh, never to be reunited again. The ark was taken from here and captured in a battle with the Philistines. As a result, Hophni and Phinehas died along with their father, Eli.

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• 1040 BC ~ King Saul likely moved the tabernacle from Shiloh to Gibeon when he became king. Saul was from Gibeon, and during the time of King David and King Solomon, the tabernacle resided at Gibeon, as found in 2 Chronicles 1:3-5.

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• 1000 BC ~ King David brings the Ark of the Covenant to the City of David. He built a special tent over it. However, the tabernacle was at Gibeon, as found in 2 Chronicles 1:3-5.

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• 970 BC ~ The tabernacle resided at Gibeon.

2 Chronicles 1:3-5: And Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon because it was the location of God’s Tent of Meeting, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

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• 966 BC ~ King Solomon brings the Ark of the Covenant up from the City of David and places it in the new temple he built.

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• 966 BC ~ There is no more mention of the tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) after this. It appears it fell into ruins or was dismantled after Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem.

 

Travels of the Ark of the Covenant in the Promised Land

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• 1406 - 1070 BC ~ The Ark accompanies the tabernacle in all its travels until it's separated from it in 1070 BC.

  • Gilgal ~ 1406 BC​

  • Shiloh ~  1399 BC 

  • Bethel ~ 1375 BC

  • Shiloh ~ 1100 BC

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• 1070 ~ Ark in Shiloh. Hophni and Phinehas accompanied the Ark to Israel’s camp in a battle with the Philistines. The Philistines captured the Ark in the battle. Eli's two sons were killed, and Eli, the high priest, fell backward and died.

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• 1070 ~ The Ark of the Covenant and the tabernacle were separated at Shiloh after this battle.

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• 1070 ~ Ark in Ashdod: The Philistines placed it in Dagon’s temple. Dagon’s image fell before the Ark; judgment also struck the inhabitants.

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• 1070 ~ Ark in Gath: The Philistines moved the Ark here, but judgment followed, bringing tumors and panic.

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• 1070 ~ Ark in Ekron: Its arrival terrified the people. The Philistine rulers decided to return it to Israel.

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• 1070 ~ The Ark was transported from Ekron to Beth Shemesh: Two cows pulled a new cart carrying the ark into the field of Joshua of Beth-Shemesh during the wheat harvest. After initial rejoicing and sacrifices, judgment struck some inhabitants, and they requested its removal.

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• 1070 ~ The Philistine sequence and the Ark's seven-month total are explicit in 1 Samuel 5–6.

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• 1070 ~ Obed-edom’s house for three months: The ark remained with Obed-edom the Gittite for three months. God blessed his household as a result.

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• 1070 ~ Kiriath-jearim: The Ark would spend around 70 years here.

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• 1000 ~ King David brings the Ark of the Covenant to the City of David. David builds a special tent for the Ark

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• 586 ~ The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the temple, and the Ark of the Covenant is lost.

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• 30 AD ~ Time of Jesus: The Ark of the Covenant was not in the temple Herod built.

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16. Proposed tabernacle location by Finklestein on top of the tel.

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This location seems unlikely for the following reasons: 

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• Hundreds of thousands of Israelites visited Shiloh during the high holy days (Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Booths), and thousands during regular times. A large open area would have been needed to handle these massive crowds. Therefore, the tabernacle wouldn't have been located inside the city walls, as there would have been no room for them.

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• Evidence that countless Israelites camped outside the city walls has been discovered. 

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• It seems most likely the tabernacle was in an open, flat area easily accessible to large crowds, not within the city walls.

 

17. Visitor Tower

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• Great movie showing Shiloh's history.

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18. Proposed tabernacle location proposed by Dr. Scott Stripling.

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While we have utmost respect for Dr. Stripling, we have questions about this proposed site. Here is our reasoning: 

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• The building has massive walls around and inside of it. This seems to contradict Scripture, as the tabernacle was mobile and a tent. 

 

In 1000 BC, when David proposed to build a permanent temple for the Lord, God said to him in 2 Samuel 7:6: I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling.

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This seems to clearly state that God never resided in a fixed building before the permanent temple Solomon built.

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• The tabernacle moved around quite a bit, so its massive block walls seem to contradict Scripture. Following are the travels of the tabernacle after arriving in the Promised Land:

  • ​Gilgal ~ 1406 BC​

  • Shiloh ~  1399 BC 

  • Bethel ~ 1375 BC

  • Shiloh ~ 1100 BC

  • Gibeon ~ 970 BC 

When the tabernacle was at Gibeon, it seems to still be mobile and in a tent. 2 Chronicles 1:3-5: And Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon because it was the location of God’s Tent of Meeting, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

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• It's on a side hill, which would be difficult for large masses of Israelites to access. 

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• It seems most likely the tabernacle was in an open, flat area easily accessible to large crowds.

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• Hundreds of thousands of Israelites visited Shiloh during the high holy days (at least three per year: Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Booths). A large open area would have been needed to handle these massive crowds. Therefore, it seems impractical for the tabernacle to have been located inside the city walls, as there would have been no room for them.

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• Evidence that countless Israelites camped outside the city walls has been discovered. 

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19. Traditional tabernacle location proposed by Charles Wilson and later supporters.

 

We believe this site is the best candidate for the tabernacle location for the following reasons:

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• In his 1873 report, Wilson described a terrace approximately 412 feet long and 77 feet wide, larger than the level areas he observed on the summit. The courtyard prescribed in Exodus measured approximately 150 × 75 feet, using an 18-inch cubit. The terrace therefore appeared capable of accommodating it. "And you shall make the Tabernacle yard ... 100 cubits in length ... and the width of the yard 50 cubits (Exodus 27:9-13).

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• Wilson observed cut rock faces reaching about five feet high, with small excavations and cisterns along the sides. He suggested that this preparation might have been undertaken for the sanctuary. He also connected it with the rabbinic tradition that Shiloh’s sanctuary had stone walls beneath a tent covering. 

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• The rock was also deliberately cut to produce a flat area. Wilson therefore thought: Why would someone create a long level court almost exactly the width required for the Tabernacle?

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• Later advocate Asher Kaufman emphasized that the platform could accommodate a sanctuary with its entrance toward the east and its innermost compartment toward the west, consistent with Exodus. He also argued that surrounding slopes offered natural protection despite the location outside the city’s main enclosure.

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• It was outside the city walls. This fits well because buildings and homes were already inside.

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• ​Excavators found building walls within that northern terrace, but these seem to have been erected after the tabernacle was relocated to Gibeon.

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• Hundreds of thousands of Israelites visited Shiloh during the high holy days. This area is in a large open space outside the city walls that could have handled these massive crowds. 

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• Bone deposit from sacrificed animals found just east of this site.

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Tabernacle Layout

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• Outside the Tabernacle Courtyard

  • Place where Hannah prayed.​

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• Courtyard​

  • Bronze altar of burnt offering. ​

  • Bronze basin (laver) and its stand.​

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• Tabernacle containing the Holy Place and Holy of Holies.​

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• Inside the Holy Place

  • Lampstand

  • Table of the bread of the Presence

  • Incense Altar​

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• Inside the Holy of Holies

  • Ark of the Covenant​

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20. Cisterns

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21. Canaanite Wall

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22. Storerooms

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23. Red Heifers

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• The red heifers at Shiloh are significant because they are part of preparations to restore the biblical purification ceremony described in Numbers 19.

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• Some people connect those preparations with a future Temple that will be functioning during the Great Tribulation Period. To many, the red heifers indicate that Christ's return is close and the Tribulation Period is just around the corner.

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• In Numbers 19:1–22, God commanded Israel to obtain a red heifer—a female bovine—without defect or blemish, and one on which no yoke had been placed.

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• The ceremony involved:

  • Taking the animal outside the camp and slaughtering it under priestly supervision.

  • Sprinkling some of its blood toward the tent of meeting seven times.

  • Burning it, with cedarwood, hyssop, and scarlet material added to the fire.

  • Preserving its ashes and mixing a portion with fresh water for purification.

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• The Temple Institute regards producing valid red-heifer ashes as an important part of restoring ritual purity. Under its interpretation of Jewish law, the actual ceremony would take place on the Mount of Olives, facing the Temple site in Jerusalem, rather than at Shiloh.

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• According to the traditional Jewish count, nine red heifers were prepared for purification from Moses until the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70.

 

Shiloh In the Bible

 

1. During the conquest of the Promised Land (7-year period), the Tabernacle resided principally at Gilgal (Josh. 4:19–24).

 

2. After the conquest of the land was basically complete, the Tabernacle was set up in Shiloh, where it would reside for 369 years.
Joshua 18:1: 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.

 

3. At Shiloh, lots were cast to divide the land among the seven tribes who had not yet received their inheritance on the west side of the Jordan River. Ruben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had already received their portion on the east side of the Jordan, and Judah and Joseph had already received theirs on the west side.
Joshua 18:2–3: There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned. 3 So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?

 

Joshua 18:8–10: So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, “Go up and down in the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.” 9 So the men went and passed up and down in the land and wrote in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions. Then they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh, 10 and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion.

 

4. From Shiloh, Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh departed for their homes east of the Jordan River.
Joshua 22:9: So the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned home, parting from the people of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, their own land of which they had possessed themselves by command of the LORD through Moses.

 

5. After departing from Shiloh to return home, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar at the Jordan River. The rest of the tribes misunderstood the altar's purpose and met at Shiloh to fight them.
Joshua 22:12: And when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them.

 

The 2 ½ tribes intended to erect an altar as a witness to future generations that they were part of the 9 ½ tribes on the west side of the Jordan River. When the 9 ½ tribes understood their purpose, they returned home in peace.

 

6. During a dark time in the book of Judges, the Benjamite tribe was almost wiped out by the other tribes of Israel because of their severe disobedience to God. To revive Benjamin's population, they provided wives at Shiloh.
Judges 21:19–21: So they said, “Behold, there is the yearly feast of the Lord at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.” 20 And they commanded the people of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in ambush in the vineyards 21 and watch. If the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and snatch each man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

 

7. At Shiloh, Hannah prayed for a son. God heard her prayers and blessed her with Samuel.
1 Samuel 1:3–5: Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah, he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.

 

1 Samuel 1:9–11: After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

 

8. To Shiloh, Hannah brought Samuel and consecrated him to the Lord’s service. 
1 Samuel 1:24–28: And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child, I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

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9. Eli and his wicked sons presided over the Tabernacle at Shiloh. Then, through the prophet Samuel, the Lord announced the doom of their house.
1 Samuel 3:11–13: Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.

3 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them.

 

10. The ark was captured in a battle with the Philistines. As a result, Hophni and Phinehas died along with their father, Eli, near Shiloh.  

1 Samuel 4:16–18: And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?” 17 He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

 

11. The Ark of the Covenant was returned to Beth Shemesh by the Philistines and wound up staying at the house of Abinadab for 20 years (1 Sam. 7:1).

 

12. Eventually, King David would take the ark to the City of David (1 Chron. 13, 15), and then it would be moved to the temple Solomon built (2 Chron. 5:2). The tabernacle was taken to Gibeon (1 Chron. 21:29) but didn’t have the ark in it. After the temple was instituted, the Tabernacle at Gibeon went by the wayside.

 

13. After the Kingdom of Israel was divided, Jeroboam, King of the Northern Tribes, erected golden calf altars in Bethel and Dan for the worship of false gods. Over time, Shiloh fell into ruin and came under God's judgment.

 

Psalm 78:59–61: When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel. He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind, and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe.

 

Jeremiah 7:12: Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel. 

 

Faith Lesson from Shiloh

 

1. Shiloh was a place of rich blessing and rejoicing when the Israelites obeyed God. Do we understand that obeying and serving God brings life and fulfills our souls?

 

2. God judged Shiloh because of Eli and his sons' sins. What kind of leaders are we, and do we realize how our leadership affects our families and ministries?

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3. Eli was the same father who raised his own sons as well as Samuel. Regardless of our past, baggage, and problems, God's grace is enough to give us victory over our past. What about us? Do we have victory over our past, or do we use our past as an excuse for our problems?

 

3. Hannah prayed for a child at Shiloh, and God heard her. Like Hannah, do we pray for our needs, and do we pray with the right motives?

 

4. Shiloh was also a place of deep disaster with a bitter ending. It ended in judgment because of the continual sin of God’s people. Do we realize the danger of allowing sin in our lives and the consequences it can bring?