A religious ceremony by which any person, place, or thing was devoted to a holy purpose. Thus the tabernacle and the first and second temples were dedicated to God, Exodus 40:1-38 1 Kings 8:1-66 Ezra 6:1 - 22 . The Jews also practiced a certain dedication of walls, houses, etc., Deuteronomy 20:5 Nehemiah 12:27 . The "feast of the dedication" was a yearly commemoration of the cleansing and rededication of the temple, when polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes, John 10:22 .