Exodus 34:3

No one may go up with you; in fact, no one may be seen anywhere on the mountain—not even the flocks or herds may graze in front of the mountain.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Moses on Mount Sinai, instructing him to ascend alone while establishing a strict exclusion zone around the sacred site.

The words — The Hebrew אִישׁ (ish, "anyone") and יַעֲלֶה (ya'aleh, "he will go up") form the core prohibition against ascent, while אַל־יֵרָא (al-yera, "may not be seen") extends the restriction to visual presence.

The thread — This boundary command parallels the perimeter warnings in Exodus 19:12 and Exodus 19:21, and reflects the same exclusion principle found in Leviticus 16:17 regarding the Tent of Meeting.

Why it lands — The text explicitly forbids human or animal proximity to the mountain, requiring readers to acknowledge that divine presence operates under strict, non-negotiable access limits.

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

וְאִישׁ֙ve./'Ishand/ anyone לֹֽא־lo'-not יַעֲלֶ֣הya.'a.Lehhe will go up עִמָּ֔ךְ'i.Ma/khwith/ you וְגַם־ve./gam-and/ also אִ֥ישׁ'ishanyone אַל־'al-may not יֵרָ֖אye.Ra'he be seen בְּכָל־be./kholon/ all הָהָ֑רha./Harthe/ mountain גַּם־gam-also הַצֹּ֤אןha./Tzonthe/ sheep וְהַבָּקָר֙ve./ha./ba.Karand/ the/ cattle אַל־'al-may not יִרְע֔וּyir.'Uthey graze אֶל־'el-to מ֖וּלmul[the] front of הָהָ֥רha./Harthe/ mountain הַהֽוּא׃ha./Hu'<the>/ that

King James Version

And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.

Cross-references

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.
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 16:17 No one may be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he leaves, after he has made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Hebrews 12:20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”