⁵ “Do not come any closer,”^(A) God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”^(B)

¹⁵ The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.”^(A) And Joshua did so.

³³ “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.^(A)

¹² Put limits^(A) for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death.

Fulfill Your Vow to God

5 ^[a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

²⁰ because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”^[a](A)

²¹ and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see^(A) the Lord and many of them perish.^(B)

¹⁶ When Jacob awoke from his sleep,^(A) he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” ¹⁷ He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!^(B) This is none other than the house of God;^(C) this is the gate of heaven.”

³ Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:

Aaron remained silent.