MembersThe 70 Names of Jerusalem – Ohaliva – My Tent Within Her

The tent symbolizes the marriage bond, dwelling together. The two tents of Ezekiel’s prophecy remind us how quickly we can be seduced by sin.

By Aviel Schneider | | Topics: 70 Names of Jerusalem
The Tabernacle tent of God eventually arrived at its resting place in Jerusalem. Here pictured is a replica at Timna Park in sourthern Israel. Photo by Jim Black-Pixabay
The Tabernacle tent of God eventually arrived at its resting place in Jerusalem. Here pictured is a replica at Timna Park in sourthern Israel. Photo by Jim Black-Pixabay

No other city in history has had so many names and honorary titles as the Holy City of Jerusalem. Even that fact alone reflects the importance of Jerusalem in biblical history, in different cultures, and across the generations. This series introduces the biblical Hebrew names of the City of David. Unfortunately, the meanings of the Hebrew titles often fade in the translations. The names of Jerusalem also illuminate why the biblical city is so controversial. Here we take a deep dive into another one of these 70 names…

וּשְׁמוֹתָן אָהֳלָה הַגְּדוֹלָה וְאָהֳלִיבָה אֲחוֹתָהּ וַתִּהְיֶינָה לִי וַתֵּלַדְנָה בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת וּשְׁמוֹתָן שֹׁמְרוֹן אָהֳלָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם אָהֳלִיבָה

“The older was named Ohola, and her sister was Ohaliva. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Ohola is Samaria, and Ohaliva is Jerusalem.” (Ezekiel 23:4)

Ezekiel gives a divine prophecy in which Jerusalem and Samaria are personified and evaluated based on two women’s names. Samaria represents the northern kingdom of Israel, Jerusalem the southern kingdom of Judah.

In Hebrew there is a word play in these names. The names of the sisters Ohola and Ohaliva (in some transliterations Oholiba) come from the Hebrew word Ohel...

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One response to “The 70 Names of Jerusalem – Ohaliva – My Tent Within Her”

  1. Disciple 1978 says:
    May 22, 2023 at 11:33 pm

    “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (2 Cor 5:1)
    The human body is a tent to house our eternal soul for its time on earth. Afterwards we put on our heavenly tent, our resurrection body, our spiritual body. Everyone gets resurrected but only the redeemed enjoy heaven.
    “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,” (Jn 1:14) Dwelt translates “skenoo” a tabernacle, a tent. Messiah/ Immanuel was born into an earthly tent like us through the alma, the young, virgin woman. (Is 7:14) He would fulfil the sacrificial system by personally delighting to do God’s will. (Heb 10:5; Ps 40: 6-8) “Lo, I come” he says in Psalm 40:7. When the soul dies to self and turns back to God he can avail himself of Messiah’s life. He can become a living tabernacle who delights to do God’s will. He becomes Ohaliva (אהליבה) “My tent is in her”.

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