⁵ “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.

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 as he was told.

³³ “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.

¹² Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, ‘Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death.

Approaching God with Care

5 ^[a]As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.

²⁰ They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”^[a]

²¹ Then the Lord told Moses, “Go back down and warn the people not to break through the boundaries to see the Lord, or they will die.

³ Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when he said,

And Aaron was silent.

¹⁶ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” ¹⁷ But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!”