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Easton's Bible Dictionary
One of the two portions into which the tabernacle was
divided ( Exodus 26:31 ; 37:17 - 25 ; Hebrews 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 ( Exodus
25:23 - 29 ) and the golden altar of incense ( Exodus 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.
Hitchcock's Dictionary of Bible Names
(no entry)
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(no entry)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
(ha-qodhesh, Exodus 26:33, ha-hekhal, 1 Kings 6:17, etc.;
he prote skene, Hebrews 9:6 f):
1. The Terms:
The tabernacle consisted of two divisions to which a graduated scale of holiness
is attached: "The veil shall separate unto you between the holy place and the
most holy" (Exodus 26:33). This distinction was never abrogated. In the Epistle
to the Hebrews these divisions are called the "first" and "second" tabernacles
(Hebrews 9:6). The term "holy place" is not indeed confined to the outer chamber
of the sanctuary; in Leviticus 6:16, it is applied to "the court of the tent of
meeting." But the other is its technical use. In Solomon's temple we have a different
usage. The word hekhal, "temple," is not at first applied, as after, to the whole
building, but is the designation specifically of the holy place, in distinction
from the debhir, or "oracle" (compare 1 Kings 6:3 , 5 , 16 , 17 , 33 , etc.; so
in Ezekiel 41:1 , 2 , 4 , etc.). The wider usage is later (compare 2 Kings 11:10
, 11 , 13 , etc.).
2. Size of the Holy Place:
The size of the holy place differed at different times. The holy place
of the tabernacle was 20 cubits long by 10 broad and 10 high (30 x 15 x 15 ft.);
that of Solomon's temple was twice this in length and breadth--40 by 20 cubits;
but it is contended by many (Bahr, etc.) that in height it was the full internal
height of the building--30 cubits; the Herodian temple has the same dimensions
of length and breadth, but Josephus and Middoth give largely increased, though
differing, numbers for the height (see TEMPLE, HEROD'S).
3. Contents of Holy Place:
The contents of the holy place were from the beginning ordered to be these (Exodus
25:23 ; 30:1 - 10): the altar of incense, a golden candlestick (in Solomon's temple
increased to ten, 1 Kings 7:49), and a table of showbread (likewise increased
to ten, 2 Chronicles 4:8). For the construction, position, history and uses of
these objects, see TABERNACLE; TEMPLE, and articles under the several headings.
This, as shown by Josephus and by the sculptures on the Arch of Titus, continued
to be the furniture of the holy place till the end.
4. Symbolism:
As the outer division of the sanctuary, into which, as yet, not the people, but
only their representatives in the priesthood, were admitted while yet the symbols
of the people's consecrated life (prayer, light, thanksgiving) were found in it,
the holy place may be said to represent the people's relation to God in the earthly
life, as the holy of holies represented God's relation to the people in a perfected
communion. In the Epistle to the Hebrews, the holy place is not largely dwelt
on as compared with the court in which the perfect sacrifice was offered, and
the holiest of all into which Christ has now entered (Christ passes "through"
the tabernacle into the holiest, Hebrews 9:11). It pertains, however, evidently
to the earthly sphere of Christ's manifestation, even as earth is the present
scene of the church's fellowship. Through earth, by the way which Christ has opened
up, the believer, already in spirit, finally in fact, passes with Him into the
holiest (Hebrews 10:19 ; compare Hebrews 9:8; see Westcott, Hebrews, 233).
W. Shaw Caldecott
Tags:
bible commentary, bible history, bible reference, bible study, define, holy place, tabernacle
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