Exodus 3:5

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — God addresses Moses from the burning bush immediately after calling his name and receiving a response. The command is issued at the moment Moses approaches the site to investigate.

The words — The imperative אַל־ תִּקְרַב (al-tikrav) literally means "may not you draw near," while שַׁל נְעָלֶיךָ (shal na'alekha) means "take off your sandals."

The thread — The identical instruction to remove footwear on sacred ground appears when Joshua encounters the Commander of the Lord’s army (Joshua 5:15) and is directly quoted in Stephen’s speech (Acts 7:33).

Why it lands — The text establishes a physical boundary that requires removal of ordinary gear before approaching the site. It demands recognition that the location is set apart by divine presence, not human effort.

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

וַיֹּ֖אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said אַל־'al-may not תִּקְרַ֣בtik.Ravyou draw near הֲלֹ֑םha.Lomhere שַׁל־shal-take off נְעָלֶ֙יךָ֙ne.'a.Lei./khasandals/ your מֵעַ֣לme./'Alfrom/ on רַגְלֶ֔יךָrag.Lei./khafeet/ your כִּ֣יkifor הַמָּק֗וֹםha./ma.Komthe/ place אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.Sherwhich אַתָּה֙'a.Tahyou עוֹמֵ֣דo.Med[are] standing עָלָ֔יו'a.La/von/ it אַדְמַת־'ad.mat-[is] ground of קֹ֖דֶשׁKo.deshholiness הֽוּא׃Hu'it

King James Version

And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Cross-references

Joshua 5:15 The Commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Acts 7:33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.
Exodus 19:12 And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.
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.
Genesis 28:16 When Jacob woke up, he said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was unaware of it.”
Hebrews 12:20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”
Exodus 19:21 and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish.
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.