Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 41:5

"that there came men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with meal-offerings and frankincense in their hand, to bring them to the house of Jehovah." — Jeremiah 41:5 (ASV)

These three towns were all located in the tribe of Ephraim and in the district settled by Shalmaneser with Cuthites. Although the fact that these men had cut themselves (see the note on Jeremiah 16:6) is suspicious, they were probably pious Israelites. They were going up to Jerusalem, carrying the meat offering customary at the Feast of Tabernacles, since this was its season, and mourning over the destruction, not of the city, but of the temple, to whose repairs we find members of this tribe contributing in Josiah’s time (2 Chronicles 34:9).