New English Translation
Exodus 20:26
26And you must not go up by steps to my altar, so that your nakedness is not exposed.’
Exodus 20:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
- New International Version (NIV)And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’
Context of Exodus 20:26
24‘You must make for me an altar made of earth, and you will sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be honored I will come to you and I will bless you. 25If you make me an altar of stone, you must not build it of stones shaped with tools, for if you use your tool on it you have defiled it. And you must not go up by steps to my altar, so that your nakedness is not exposed.’
Read all of Exodus 20Exodus 20:26 word by word
וְלֹֽא־תַעֲלֶ֥ה בְמַעֲלֹ֖ת עַֽל־מִזְבְּחִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶ֥ה עֶרְוָתְךָ֖ עָלָֽיו׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 20:26
- Leviticus 10:3Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke: ‘Among the ones close to me I will show myself holy, and in the presence of all the people I will be honored.’” So Aaron kept silent.
- Psalms 89:7a God who is honored in the great angelic assembly, and more awesome than all who surround him?
- Ecclesiastes 5:1Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not realize that they are doing wrong.
- Hebrews 12:28So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe.
- 1 Peter 1:16for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.”
Commentaries on Exodus 20:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar - The word altar comes from altus, high or elevated, though the Hebrew word מזבח mizbach, from זבח zabach, to slay, kill, etc., signifies merely a place for sacrifice; see Genesis 8:20. But the heathens, who imitated the rites of the true God in their idolatrous worship, made their altars very high; whence they derived their name altaria, altars, i.e., very high or elevated places; which they built thus…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22-26Verses 22-26 Nothing could be more appropriate as the commencement of the book of the covenant than these regulations for public worship. The rules for the building of altars must have been old and accepted, and are not inconsistent with the directions for the construction of the altar of the court of the tabernacle, Exodus 27:1-8 (compare Joshua 22:26-28).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-26Verses 22-26 Moses having entered into the thick darkness, God there spake in his hearing all that follows from hence to the end of chap. 23, which is mostly an exposition of the ten commandments. The laws in these verses relate to God's worship. The Israelites are assured of God's gracious acceptance of their devotions. Under the gospel, men are encouraged to pray every where, and wherever God's people meet in his name to worship him, he will be in the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-26The Lord is beyond human understanding, as shown by his speaking to the people with a voice from heaven (20:22). This had two effects on their practices: They could not use silver or gold to make human-shaped gods (20:23). They could not carve stones for an altar (20:25). This might be to prevent them from carving stone gods. They must make the altar from earth and uncut stones (20:24, 25). The rule against revealing nakedness might have been to…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. by steps--a precaution taken for the sake of decency, in consequence of the loose, wide, flowing garments of the priests.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 20:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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