The inner court was strictly for the priests and levites and for their ministries. In Jeremiah 36:10 the inner court is also called "the higher court". This would indicate that it was on a higher level than the outer court.

At the west side of the inner court was the magnificent Temple itself. In the center of the eastern half stood the altar of burnt offering, and at the southeast corner stood the molten sea. There were ten basins, five on the north side and five on the south side. The inner court was surrounded by three rows of stones with cedar beams placed on top. There were surrounding rooms within these walls to provide more living space.