The Lord is not telling the people to literally go to Shiloh, but to rather look back in history and consider what happened there. Before the temple in Jerusalem was built, the Ark of the covenant was kept in a building in the town of Shiloh during the judgeship of Eli, while the prophet Samuel was a youth (1 Samuel 1:1–4:22). Worship of the Lord was centred on this place where the Lord made his name dwell at first.
The Philistine army captured the Ark during battle with Israel (1 Samuel 4:1–22). Israel suffered a great defeat, and it seems that Shiloh and the building where the ark had been kept were destroyed (probably around 1050 BC). The Lord explains through Jeremiah that he destroyed this place of worship in Shiloh because of the evil of my people Israel.
Shiloh did not fall because of military failure, but because of covenant unfaithfulness.1 The point is that what happened at Shiloh is powerful proof for the people of Jeremiah’s day that the mere fact that they had a place
where the Lord established his presence, did not guarantee safety to the people. The Lord could destroy the temple in Jerusalem at any time. The mere existence of the temple and their worship in the temple could not make up for their covenant disobedience.2 The fact that the Lord calls on the people to consider the story of Shiloh seems to make the judgment that is announced in Jeremiah 7:13–15 almost inevitable. The fate of the temple in Jerusalem seems almost certain to follow that of the place
in Shiloh.3
12 Allez donc au lieu qui m'était consacré à Silo, Où j'avais fait autrefois résider mon nom, Et voyez comment je l'ai traité, A cause de la méchanceté de mon peuple d'Israël.