A holy place devoted to God. It appears to be the name sometimes of the entire temple, Psalm 73.17; Hebrews 9.1; sometimes of the "Holy place," where the altar on incense, the golden candlestick, and the showbread stood, 2 Chronicles 26:18 Hebrews 9:2; and sometimes of the "Holy of Holies," the most secret and retired part of the temple, in which was the ark of the covenant, and where none but the high priest might enter, and he only once a year on the day of solemn expiation. The same name was also given to the most sacred part of the tabernacle set up in the wilderness, Leviticus 4:6 . See TABERNACLE , and TEMPLE .
The temple or earthly sanctuary is an emblem of heaven, Psalm 102:19 Hebrews 9:1,24; and God himself is called a sanctuary, Isaiah 8:14 Ezekiel 11:16 , in reference to the use of temples as a place of refuge for fugitives, because he is the only safe and sacred asylum for sinners pursued by the sword of divine justice.