Ver. 1. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh— After a stay of seven years at Gilgal, Joshua took, and (without doubt at the express command of God,) performed the resolution, to remove the camp to Shiloh. It belonged to the Lord only, to mark out the place where he thought proper to fix the residence of his tabernacle; Deuteronomy 12:8-10. And in all probability he made known his will in this respect by Urim and Thummim. Shiloh was the place pitched upon. This city, which the learned Archbishop Usher alleges to have been the same with Salem, was situate upon a hill, in the tribe of Ephraim, about fifteen miles from Jerusalem, in the heart, as it were, of the whole country. There, consequently, the tabernacle was more safe than any where else; and for the same reason, it was more within reach of each of the tribes who were to present their religious services to God. Here this sacred edifice remained for about three hundred and fifty years, till the time of Samuel, or at least three hundred and twenty-eight years, as the Archbishop observes, whose chronology we follow. See Annals, to the year of the world 2560. Lastly, at Shiloh Joshua was himself better accommodated for the convenient dividing of the lands which still remained to be distributed. All Israel, therefore, decamped from Gilgal, and came to Shiloh; the Canaanites, either subdued or terrified, not daring to interpose the least obstacle in their way. For, as the historian adds, the land was subdued before the children of Israel.
Note; The name was given to the place, probably, from the peace which they now enjoyed, and might typify the place of rest for all true believers in heaven, when, after all their spiritual enemies shall be finally subdued, they shall rest with Christ, the ark of the covenant, in glory for ever.