Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
Parallel translations
- WEB You shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed to it.’
- BSB And you must not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’
- NKJV Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’
- NASB And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’
- NLT And do not approach my altar by going up steps. If you do, someone might look up under your clothing and see your nakedness.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Worshipers were not to ascend the altar by steps, to avoid indecent exposure. God requires reverence and modesty in His worship.
Overview
This provision guards the dignity and purity of worship, ensuring nothing shameful attends approach to God. It reflects God's concern that He be worshiped with reverence and decency. Such care points to the holiness fitting for those who draw near to God, fully provided in Christ who clothes us in righteousness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Pet 1:16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
- Eccl 5:1Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
- Lev 10:3Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
- Ps 89:7God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
- Heb 12:28–29Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 20:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.