<P> In the Authorized King James Version, "Holy of Holies" is always translated as "Most Holy Place". This is in keeping with the intention of the Hebrew idiom to express the utmost degree of holiness . The King James Version of the Bible has been in existence for over four hundred years . For most of that time, it was a primary reference in much of the English speaking world for information about Judaism . Thus, the name "Most Holy Place" was used to refer to the "Holy of Holies" in many English documents . </P> <P> A related term is the debir (דְּבִיר ‬) transliterated in the Septuagint (the Greek translation as dabir (δαβιρ), which either means the back (i.e. western) part of the Sanctuary, or derives from the verb stem D-V-R, "to speak", justifying the translation in the Latin Vulgate as oraculum, from which the traditional English translation "oracle" (KJV, 1611) derives . </P> <P> The Holy of Holies was covered by a veil, and no one was allowed to enter except the High Priest, and even he could only enter once a year on Yom Kippur (the day of atonement), to offer the blood of sacrifice and incense before the mercy seat . The Bible reports that in the wilderness, on the day that the tabernacle was first raised up, the cloud of the Lord covered the tabernacle (Exodus 40: 33 - 40: 34). There are other times that this was recorded, and instructions were given that the Lord would appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat (kapporet), and at that time the priests should not enter into the tabernacle (Leviticus 16: 2). According to the Hebrew Bible, the Holy of Holies contained the Ark of the Covenant with representation of Cherubim . Upon completion of the dedication of the Tabernacle, the Voice of God spoke to Moses "from between the Cherubim" (Numbers 7: 89). </P> <P> The area could be entered only by the High Priest on Yom Kippur after sanctifying himself . </P>

When would the priest enter the holy of holies