Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place,
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easy to miss is that the "tabernacle" mentioned here is actually the inner room, the Most Holy Place itself. The text clarifies that this inner chamber, which housed God's presence, was designated by its own unique name, emphasizing its supreme holiness and separation. It wasn't just a compartment, but the very heart of worship, set apart by two layers of veiling.
Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The writer is describing the structure of the Tabernacle, specifically its inner sanctuary. This passage follows an explanation of the outer tent and its furnishings, setting the scene for the ultimate sacred space where God's presence dwelled. The verse highlights the layered holiness and separation that defined this divine dwelling, a concept crucial for understanding the writer's argument about Christ's superior priesthood.
Ever wondered about the layout of the Tabernacle? This verse hints at a specific structure that separated the sacred spaces.
The Tabernacle wasn't just one big room; it was meticulously divided into distinct sections, each with its own level of sanctity.
The Outer Hanging
This was like a door to the entire Tabernacle structure, accessible to the people in the outer courts.
The First Veil
Separating the Outer Court from the Holy Place, this veil was crossed daily by priests ministering in the first section.
The Second Veil
This is the focus of our verse. It separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, creating an ultimate barrier to the very presence of God.
What made the 'Most Holy Place' so significant that it was separated by a final, formidable veil?
The Most Holy Place, also known as the Holy of Holies, was the pinnacle of sacredness in the Tabernacle. It wasn't just another room; it was where the divine presence of God was believed to dwell most intensely.
God's Dwelling
This inner sanctuary was designed to be the dwelling place for the symbolic presence of God, often represented by the Shekinah glory, between the cherubim.
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Ultimate Separation
The veil served as a constant, visible reminder of the immense holiness of God and the separation sin created between humanity and Him. Only the High Priest could enter, and only once a year, on the Day of Atonement.
Understand the original words
hagia hagiōn · Greek Noun Phrase
The innermost sanctuary of the tabernacle/temple where the Ark of the Covenant was kept and where God's glory dwelt; it was accessible only to the High Priest once a year on the Day of Atonement.
The description of 'the second veil' points to the Second Temple's structure, which tradition held had two veils separating the Holy from the Most Holy Place, unlike the single veil in the Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple. This detail highlights the spatial and symbolic differences the author uses to draw a contrast with Christ's once-for-all sacrifice.
c. 1440 BC
Tabernacle Construction
Following their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites are instructed by God to build a portable sanctuary, the Tabernacle, which includes a Most Holy Place separated by a veil.
c. 1440 BC
First Veil Hung
A veil, as described in Exodus 26, is hung to separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place within the Tabernacle.
c. 960 BC
Solomon's Temple Completed
King Solomon completes the First Temple in Jerusalem, a permanent structure that includes a Most Holy Place, also separated by a veil, mirroring the Tabernacle's design.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of the First Temple
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem and destroy Solomon's Temple, including the inner veil, marking the end of the First Temple period.
c. 516 BC— this verse
Second Temple Dedicated
After the return from Babylonian exile, the Second Temple is dedicated. Historical accounts suggest this Temple may have featured two veils separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, unlike the First Temple.
c. 20 BC
Herod's Temple Renovation
King Herod the Great begins extensive renovations on the Second Temple, altering its structure and potentially its furnishings, including the veils.
This passage describes the construction of the inner veil in the Tabernacle, directly setting the scene for the 'Most Holy Place' mentioned in Hebrews.
Leviticus 16:2This chapter details the rituals performed on the Day of Atonement, including the High Priest's singular entry into the Most Holy Place, highlighting its sacred and restricted nature.
Hebrews 10:19This verse speaks of having 'boldness to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,' directly referencing the significance of the veil and what it symbolized in Christ's sacrifice.
1 Kings 6:16This passage describes the construction of Solomon's Temple, noting the use of an 'oracle' or inner sanctuary that parallels the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle and its separation by a veil.
Matthew 27:51This verse recounts the tearing of the temple veil at Jesus' death, providing a powerful fulfillment and reinterpretation of the symbolic barrier that separated the Most Holy Place.
ellicottHebrews 9:3: "And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;"
(3) The tabernacle. —Rather, a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies. This literal translation of a Hebrew expression for “most holy” does not occur in the Bible, but has become familiar through the Latin sanctum sanctorum. The inner chamber of the Tabernacle is in a few passages only mentioned separately in the Pentateuch as the “Most Holy Place” (Exodus 26:33-34), or “the Holy Place” (Leviticu…
meyerHebrews 9:3: "And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;"
Hebrews 9:3 . Μετά ] after or behind . Of local succession (Thucyd. vii. 58, al .), in the N. T. only here. τὸ δεύτερον καταπέτασμα ] the second veil ( פָּרֹכֶת ). For before the Holy Place, too, there was a veil ( מָסָךְ ). On the former, comp. Exodus 26:31 ff. σκηνή ] sc. κατεσκευάσθη . ἅγια ἁγίων ] Most Holy Place. Periphrasis of the superlative (see Winer, Gramm., 7 Aufl. p. 231), and translation of…
What's easy to miss is that the "tabernacle" mentioned here is actually the inner room, the Most Holy Place itself. The text clarifies that this inner chamber, which housed God's presence, was designated by its own unique name, emphasizing its supreme holiness and separation. It wasn't just a compartment, but the very heart of worship, set apart by two layers of veiling.
The writer is describing the structure of the Tabernacle, specifically its inner sanctuary. This passage follows an explanation of the outer tent and its furnishings, setting the scene for the ultimate sacred space where God's presence dwelled. The verse highlights the layered holiness and separation that defined this divine dwelling, a concept crucial for understanding the writer's argument about Christ's superior priesthood.
The writer is describing the structure of the Tabernacle, specifically its inner sanctuary. This passage follows an explanation of the outer tent and its furnishings, setting the scene for the ultimate sacred space where God's presence dwelled. The verse highlights the layered holiness and separation that defined this divine dwelling, a concept crucial for understanding the writer's argument about Christ's superior priesthood.
"Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place," — What's easy to miss is that the "tabernacle" mentioned here is actually the inner room, the Most Holy Place itself. The text clarifies that this inner chamber, which housed God's presence, was desi…
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Last reviewed October 2026