“He abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh,
The tent where he dwelt among mortals.
He delivered his power to captivity.
He delivered his glory to the hand of the foe.
He gave his people to the sword.
He vented his wrath on his heritage.
Fire devoured their young men.
Their girls had no marriage song.
Their priests fell by the sword.
Their widows made no lamentation.
Then Yahweh awoke as from sleep,
Like a warrior shouting because of wine.
He put his adversaries to rout.
He put them to everlasting shame.”
This is a reference to 1 Samuel, chapter 4, about the Ark of the Covenant at Shiloh. This was when the Philistines defeated the Israelites. Things were looking bad for Israel. God was angry at them. People died by the sword. Fire destroyed their young men so that the young girls had no marriage songs. The priests died by the sword, but somehow the widows were not able to mourn. Finally Yahweh woke up as if he were asleep. He then shouted like a warrior full of wine. God then put the adversaries of Yahweh to rout in everlasting shame.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 