Dictionary Article

Translation of two Hebrew words, kodesh and midkosh, both of which are derived from the verb “to be clean” and/or “to be holy.” It appears approximately 60 times in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers where the building, moving, and initial use of the tabernacle is reported. Places of revelation, sacrifice, and worship are referred to in Deuteronomy but not by the term “sanctuary.” The term appears over 60 times in Ezekiel, Daniel, and postexilic writings because of the importance the sanctuary had in the life of Israel during and after the exile.

“Sanctuary” refers to the place where God appeared and/or dwelt, as indicated by the presence of the ark. God’s Word was kept there and issued forth from it. There God’s people gathered for sacrifice, for hearing the covenant word, for worship and prayer, and for the celebration of the major feasts.

The patriarchs had places of worship (Gn 26:24-25; 28:16-22) but no actual sanctuary. The first reference to sanctuary (Ex 15:17) speaks of it as a symbol of God’s dwelling among his people and ruling over them from within it. The tabernacle, moved from place to place, was the central sanctuary until the time when Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem. It must be emphatically stressed that God’s people were to have one central sanctuary (Dt 12:4-7; 16:5-8).

Show passage in OET: GEN 26:24–25

OET-RV GEN 26:24

24 and Yahweh appeared to him during that night and said, “I am the god of your father Avraham. Don’t be afraid, because I’m with you and I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my slave Avraham.”

OET-RV GEN 26:25

25 So Yitshak built an altar there and he prayed to Yahweh. He set up his tents there and his slaves dug a well there.

OET-LV GEN 26:24

24 And_he _appeared to_him/it YHWH in_night (the)_that and_he/it _said I am_the _god _of ʼAⱱrāhām father _of_your do _not be _afraid if/because am_with_you I and_I_will _bless _you and_I _will _multiply DOM your(ms)_seed/fruit in_account _of ʼAⱱrāhām servant _of_my.

OET-LV GEN 26:25

25 And_he/it _built there an _altar and_he/it _called in/on_name _of YHWH and_he _pitched there tent _of_his and_they _dug there the _servants _of Yiʦḩāq/(Isaac) a _well.

Show passage in OET: GEN 28:16–22

OET-RV GEN 28:16

16 Then Ya’akov woke up and said to himself, “Yahweh is certainly here in this place, but I didn’t realise it.”

OET-RV GEN 28:17

17 So he was afraid and said to himself, “This place is spine-chilling—it’s nothing other than God’s house, and it’s heaven’s gateway.”

OET-RV GEN 28:18

18 Then in the morning Ya’akov got up early, and he took the stone that he’d put under his head and stood it up longways as a pillar, and he poured oil over the top of it.

OET-RV GEN 28:19

19 He named that place ‘Beyt -El’ (Bethel) (which means ‘God’s house’), even though that town had been named Luz before then.

OET-RV GEN 28:20

20 Then Ya’akov made a promise to God, saying, “If God will be with me and watch over me on this road that I’m walking on, and give me bread to eat and clothes to wear,

OET-RV GEN 28:21

21 and if I’m able to return safely to my father’s home, then I’ll make Yahweh my god,

OET-RV GEN 28:22

22 and this stone that I’ve stood up as a pillar will be God’s house, and I’ll give you a tenth of everything that you give to me.”

OET-LV GEN 28:16

16 And_ Yaˊₐqoⱱ/(Jacob) _he _awoke from_sleep _of_his and_he/it _said truly (there) YHWH is_in_place the_this and_I not I _realised.

OET-LV GEN 28:17

17 And_he _was _afraid and_he _said how awesome is_the_place the_this is_not this if/because (if) the _house _of god and_this is_the _gate _of the_heavens.

OET-LV GEN 28:18

18 And_ Yaˊₐqoⱱ _he _rose _early in_morning and_he/it _took DOM the_stone which he _had _put of _his _head _of_the _place and_he/it _assigned DOM_her/it a _pillar and_he _poured oil on top _of_its.

OET-LV GEN 28:19

19 And_he/it _called DOM the _name _of the _place (the)_that Bēyt- ^ʼēl and_but was_Lūz the _name _of the_city to_time.

OET-LV GEN 28:20

20 And_ Yaˊₐqoⱱ _he _vowed a _vow to_say if he _will _be god with_me and_he_will _protect _me on_journey the_this which I am_going and_he/it _gave to_me food to_eat and_clothing to_wear.

OET-LV GEN 28:21

21 And_I _will _return in_peace to the _house _of my _father _of_my and_it _was YHWH to_me (into)_god.

OET-LV GEN 28:22

22 And_the_stone (the)_this which I _have _set _up a _pillar it _will _be the _house _of god and_all/each/any/every that you _will _give to_me fully _(tithe) I_will _tithe _it to/for_you(fs).

Show passage in OET: EXO 15:17

OET-RV EXO 15:17

17 Bring them into the land
⇔ and establish them on the mountain of your inheritance.
⇔ The place you’ve chosen to become your home, Yahweh—
⇔ a sanctuary built by your hands, master.

OET-LV EXO 15:17

17 You_will _bring _them and_you_will _plant _them on_the _mountain _of your _inheritance _of_your a _place you_to_dwell you _have _made Oh_YHWH a _sanctuary my_master hands _of_your they _have _established.

Show passage in OET: DEU 12:4–7

OET-RV DEU 12:4

4 Don’t worship your god Yahweh the same way they worship their gods,

OET-RV DEU 12:5

5 because you all must go to the single place that Yahweh’s going to choose out of all your tribes, that he’ll attach his name to, so if you want find his residence, you’ll have to go there.

OET-RV DEU 12:6

6 That will also be where you’ll all have to take your animal sacrifices and offerings, as well as the tenth of your produce and animals, special contributions, sacrifices for promises, free-will sacrifices, and the firstborn animals from your herds and flocks.

OET-RV DEU 12:7

7 You’ll all be able to take your families there in front of your god Yahweh to cheerfully eat what you’ve produced as a result of his blessing.

OET-LV DEU 12:4

4 Not you(pl)_will _do thus to/for_YHWH god _of_your(pl).

OET-LV DEU 12:5

5 If/because (if) to the_place where YHWH god _of_your(pl) he _will _choose from_all tribes _of_your(pl) to_put DOM his/its_name there to_dwelling_his you(pl)_will _resort and_you _will _go to_(to).

OET-LV DEU 12:6

6 And_you(pl)_will _bring to_(to) offerings _of_your(pl)_burnt and_sacrifices _of_your(pl) and_DOM tithes _of_your(pl) and_DOM the _contribution _of your _hand _of_your(pl) and_your(pl)_votive _of_offerings and_your(pl)_freewill _of_offerings and_the _firstborn(s)_of your _herd[s]_of_your(pl) and_flock[s]_of_your(pl).

OET-LV DEU 12:7

7 And_you(pl)_will _eat there to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before YHWH god _of_your(pl) and_you(pl)_will _rejoice in_every _of (the)_undertaking _of your _hand _of_your(pl) you(pl) and_households _of_your(pl) which he_has _blessed _you YHWH god _of_your.

Show passage in OET: DEU 16:5–8

OET-RV DEU 16:5

5 You mustn’t sacrifice the ‘pass-over’ animal within any of your towns that your god Yahweh is giving to you—

OET-RV DEU 16:6

6 only at the place that your god Yahweh will choose to attach his name to. That’s where you must sacrifice the ‘pass-over’ animal at sunset, which was the time when your ancestors started leaving Mitsrayim.

OET-RV DEU 16:7

7 You must cook the meat and eat it at the place that Yahweh will choose, then in the morning you can start returning to your homes.

OET-RV DEU 16:8

8 Then for six days you must only eat flat bread, and the seventh day is a special celebration for your god Yahweh—don’t do any work on that day.

OET-LV DEU 16:5

5 Not you _will _be _able to_sacrifice DOM the_passover in_one _of your(pl)_gates _of_your which YHWH god _of_your is_about _to _give to/for_you(fs).

OET-LV DEU 16:6

6 If/because (if) to the_place which YHWH god _of_your he _will _choose to_cause _to _dwell his/its_name there you _will _sacrifice DOM the_passover in_evening just_ the_sun _as _goes the _time of_your _coming _out from_Miʦrayim/(Egypt).

OET-LV DEU 16:7

7 And_you _will _cook_it and_you(ms)_will _eat in_place which YHWH god _of_your he _will _choose in/on/over_him/it and_you _will _turn in_morning and_you _will _go to_tents _of_your.

OET-LV DEU 16:8

8 Six _of days you _will _eat unleavened _bread(s) and_will_on _the _day the_seventh an _assembly to/for_YHWH god _of_your not you _will _do work.

Jump to OET GEN 26:24–25 section.

Jump to OET GEN 28:16–22 section.

Jump to OET EXO 15:17 section.

Jump to OET DEU 12:4–7 section.

Jump to OET DEU 16:5–8 section.

The NT refers to the OT sanctuary as a type of a foreshadowing of God’s eternal dwelling with and among his people (Heb 8:5-6; 9:1-14).

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary