Bibliography

Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. “Israelology: Part 1 of 6.” Chafer Theological Seminary Journal 5, no. 2 (1999): 27–51.

Gerstenberger, Erhard S. Leviticus: A Commentary. Old Testament Library. Louisville, KY.: Westminster John Knox, 1996.

Hartley, John E. Leviticus. Word Biblical Commentary 4. Dallas: Word, 1992.

Levine, Baruch A. Leviticus. JPS Torah Commentary. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989.

Stuart, Douglas K. Exodus. New American Commentary 2. Nashville: B & H, 2006.

Wenham, Gordon J. The Book of Leviticus. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979.

David B. W. Phillips

Holy of Holies (קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, qodesh haqqodashim). The innermost room of the tabernacle and temple.

Terminology

In addition to “holy of holies,” some translations refer to the small cubic room in the rear of the tabernacle or temple with the phrase “most holy place” (e.g., NIV, NRSV, ESV). Once it is referred to as “your holy sanctuary” (Psa 28:2; דְּבִ֥יר קָדְשֶֽׁךָ, devir qodshekha). The temples of ancient Near Eastern cultures outside Israel also sometimes included areas that could be equated with the holy of holies. For example, the sanctuary at Arad included a raised cubicle measuring around 4 feet in the west wall (Mazar, Archaeology of the Land of the Bible, 496).