Exodus 20:26

And you must not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Yahweh addresses Moses and the Israelites at Sinai, placing this rule immediately after the command to build uncut stone altars.

The words — תַעֲלֶה (ta.'a.Leh) means "you must go up," paired with בְ/מַעֲלֹ֖ת (ma.'a.Lot) for "steps," forming a direct prohibition against ascending to the altar.

The thread — This restriction on approaching the sacred mirrors the holiness standard in 1 Peter 1:16 and the reverence warning in Ecclesiastes 5:1 regarding the house of God.

Why it lands — The text forbids architectural steps to prevent physical exposure, demanding that worshipers treat the altar as strictly separate from ordinary human vulnerability.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְלֹֽא־ve./lo'-and/ not תַעֲלֶ֥הta.'a.Lehyou must go up בְמַעֲלֹ֖תve./ma.'a.Loton/ steps עַֽל־'al-to מִזְבְּחִ֑יmiz.be.Ch/ialtar/ my אֲשֶׁ֛ר'a.Sherthat לֹֽא־lo'-not תִגָּלֶ֥הti.ga.Lehit will be uncovered עֶרְוָתְךָ֖'er.va.te./Khanakedness/ your עָלָֽיו׃ פ'a.La/von/ it

King James Version

Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

Cross-references

1 Peter 1:16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
Leviticus 10:3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’” But Aaron remained silent.
Psalms 89:7 In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared, and awesome above all who surround Him.
Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.