Meaning of Shiloh 

We chose the name Shiloh because of its significance in scripture. Shiloh was so closely associated with the presence of God. We want to be a people of his presence; first and foremost. We want the presence of the Lord to be our distinctive just as it was for Israel. Below is a list of the ways Shiloh is used in Scripture.

The word Shiloh is used 32 times in the Old Testament to refer to a location—a city and one other time to refer to the Messiah.

The first mention of Shiloh is found in Genesis 49:10 as Jacob is giving blessings to each of his sons. When he blesses Judah on his deathbed he says: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”

Shiloh as a promise

Here, the name Shiloh would have derived from shālâ, “to be at ease,” and would mean something like “the peace-giver.”

Shiloh as a person 

Not only does Jacob give a blessing to his son Judah, but the blessing turns into a prophecy. As he continues to bless his son, he prophecies how the Messiah, the coming savior will come into power from this line and will continue to rule forever.

Shiloh as a place

Not only was Shiloh a promise and a person—our mighty Savior, but it was also a place. When it was built, it was located a little northeast of the center of Ephraim.

In 12th-11th century BC, the Israelites built the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant rested in the city of Shiloh. Here, it rested for three centuries where the tribes of Israel would visit for feasts or peace offerings. From the time Israel entered the land until the time of the prophet Samuel, the Ark of the Covenant remained in the Tabernacle at Shiloh.