Exodus 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Exodus 3:5 Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."

5. put off thy shoes--The direction was in conformity with a usage which was well known to Moses, for the Egyptian priests observed it in their temples, and it is observed in all Eastern countries where the people take off their shoes or sandals, as we do our hats. But the Eastern idea is not precisely the same as the Western. With us, the removal of the hat is an expression of reverence for the place we enter, or rather of Him who is worshipped there. With them the removal of the shoes is a confession of personal defilement and conscious unworthiness to stand in the presence of unspotted holiness.

JFB.

Exodus 3 Images and Notes

Brief Summary: The LORD appears to Moses at the burning bush, Moses is called to deliver the Israelites from bondage, The LORD says his name is I AM and He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, The LORD promises to smite the land of Egypt and to bring the Hebrews out with the wealth of Egypt.

Outline
1 Moses keeps Jethro's flock
2 God appears to him in a burning bush
9 The LORD sends Moses to deliver Israel
14 The Name of God
15 His message to Israel

Photo of the Sinai Wilderness

Ancient Customs
priest of Midian
take off thy shoes
holy ground
taskmasters
milk and honey
token
jewels of silver
jewels of gold
Egyptian raiment
VARIED PASTURE GROUNDS
SHOES REMOVED
SHOES TAKEN OFF
JEWELRY AT RELIGIOUS FEASTS

Quick Reference Map

Map of the Nile River and Egypt (Click to Enlarge)

Ancient Topics
the angel of the LORD
the burning bush
I AM THAT I AM

Ancient People
Jethro
Moses
The Angel
Canaanites
Hittites
Amorites
Perizzites
Hivites
Jebusites
children of Israel
Pharaoh
elders of Israel

Geography
Egyptians
The back side of the desert
The mountain of God - Horeb
This Mountain
The Land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Quick Reference Maps

The Exodus of the Hebrews

Mount Horeb

The Red Sea

The Old Testament

Exodus Resources

Moses and the Exodus
The Giving of the Law
The Tabernacle
The Wilderness Wanderings

Exodus 3:5 Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."

Questions Related to this Verse

Select a Chapter

Select a Book of the Bible