Most Holy Place
One of the two portions into which the tabernacle was divided (Ex. 26:31; 37:17-25; Heb. 9:2). It was 20 cubits long and 10 in height and breadth. It was illuminated by the golden candlestick, as it had no opening to admit the light. It contained the table of showbread (Ex. 25:23-29) and the golden altar of incense (30:1-11). It was divided from the holy of holies by a veil of the most costly materials and the brightest colours.
The arrangement of the temple (q.v.) was the same in this respect. In it the walls of hewn stone were wainscotted with cedar and overlaid with gold, and adorned with beautiful carvings. It was entered from the porch by folding doors overlaid with gold and richly embossed. Outside the holy place stood the great tank or “sea” of molten brass, supported by twelve oxen, three turned each way, capable of containing two thousand baths of water. Besides this there were ten lavers and the brazen altar of burnt sacrifice.
Named in 12 verses
- 1 Kings 6:16 He built twenty cubits of the back part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the ceiling. He built this within, for an inner sanctuary, even for
- 1 Kings 7:50 the cups, the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and the fire pans, of pure gold; and the hinges, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and
- 1 Kings 8:6 The priests brought in the ark of Yahweh’s covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, even under the cherubim’s wings
- 1 Kings 8:13 I have surely built you a house of habitation, a place for you to dwell in forever.”
- 1 Chronicles 6:49 But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for I
- 2 Chronicles 3:8 He made the most holy place. Its length, according to the width of the house, was twenty cubits, and its width twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold,
- 2 Chronicles 3:10 In the most holy place he made two cherubim by carving, and they overlaid them with gold.
- 2 Chronicles 4:22 and the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and the fire pans of pure gold. As for the entry of the house, its inner doors for the most holy place and the doors o
- 2 Chronicles 5:7 The priests brought in the ark of Yahweh’s covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the che
- Ezekiel 41:4 He measured its length, twenty cubits, and the width, twenty cubits, before the nave. He said to me, “This is the most holy place.”
- Ezekiel 41:12 The building that was before the separate place at the side toward the west was seventy cubits wide; and the wall of the building was five cubits thick all arou
- Ezekiel 45:3 Of this measure you shall measure a length of twenty-five thousand, and a width of ten thousand. In it shall be the sanctuary, which is most holy.