Places & biblical world
Temple
The central Jerusalem complex dedicated to Israel’s worship of God.
Also called · sanctuary
What it means
Solomon’s temple, the rebuilt Second Temple, and Herod’s expanded complex belong to different historical phases.
Biblical languages can distinguish the whole precinct from the inner sanctuary, though translations often use “temple” for both.
How it appears in the Bible
Kings narrates the first temple’s construction; the Gospels portray Jesus teaching and acting in the Second Temple complex.
Translation note
Context determines whether “temple” means the entire courts or the sanctuary proper.