Exodus 20:26
New International Version
And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’

New Living Translation
And do not approach my altar by going up steps. If you do, someone might look up under your clothing and see your nakedness.

English Standard Version
And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’

Berean Standard Bible
And you must not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’

King James Bible
Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

New King James Version
Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’

New American Standard Bible
And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’

NASB 1995
‘And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’

NASB 1977
‘And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’

Legacy Standard Bible
And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’

Amplified Bible
Nor shall you go up to My altar on steps, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’

Christian Standard Bible
Do not go up to my altar on steps, so that your nakedness is not exposed on it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You must not go up to My altar on steps, so that your nakedness is not exposed on it.”

American Standard Version
Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And you shall not go up by stairs to my altar so that your nakedness will not be revealed upon it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thou shalt not go up to my altar by steps, that thou mayest not uncover thy nakedness upon it.

Contemporary English Version
And don't build an altar that requires steps; you might expose yourself when you climb up.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt not go up by steps unto my altar, lest thy nakedness be discovered.

English Revised Version
Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Never use stairs to go up to my altar. Otherwise, people will be able to see under your clothes."

Good News Translation
Do not build an altar for me with steps leading up to it; if you do, you will expose yourselves as you go up the steps.

International Standard Version
You are not to ascend to my altar on steps, so that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.'"

JPS Tanakh 1917
Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon.

Literal Standard Version
neither do you go up by steps on My altar, that your nakedness is not revealed on it.

Majority Standard Bible
And you must not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’

New American Bible
You shall not ascend to my altar by steps, lest your nakedness be exposed.

NET Bible
And you must not go up by steps to my altar, so that your nakedness is not exposed.'

New Revised Standard Version
You shall not go up by steps to my altar, so that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.”

New Heart English Bible
Neither shall you go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed to it.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Neither shalt thou go up by steps to my altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

World English Bible
You shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed to it.’

Young's Literal Translation
neither dost thou go up by steps on Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not revealed upon it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Altar of Sacrifice
25Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it. 26And you must not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’

Cross References
Exodus 28:42
Make linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh, extending from waist to thigh.

Exodus 28:43
Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. This is to be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants.

Ezekiel 43:17
The ledge shall also be square, fourteen cubits long and fourteen cubits wide, with a rim of half a cubit and a gutter of a cubit all around it. The steps of the altar shall face east."


Treasury of Scripture

Neither shall you go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not discovered thereon.

thy nakedness

Leviticus 10:3
Then 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.

Psalm 89:7
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

Ecclesiastes 5:1
Keep 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.

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Exodus 20
1. The ten commandments are spoken by Jehovah
18. The people are afraid, but Moses comforts them
21. Idolatry is forbidden
23. Of what sort the altar should be














(26) Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar.--When the dress of the priests had been so arranged that no exposure of the person was possible (verses 42, 43), this precept became unnecessary. Thus it would seem that Solomon's altar had steps. (Compare 2Chronicles 4:1 with Ezekiel 43:17.)

Verse 26. - Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar. Here the reason of decency, added in the text, is obvious; and the law would necessarily continue until sacerdotal vestments of a very different character from the clothes commonly worn by Orientals were introduced (38:3-43). After their introduction, the reason for the law, and with it the law itself, would drop The supposed "slope of earth" by which the priests are thought to have ascended to the "ledge" on the altar of burnt offerings, and the "inclined plane," said by Josephus to have given access to the great altar of Solomon, rest on no sufficient authority, and are probably pure fictions. As soon as an ascent was needed, owing to the height of the altar, it was probably an ascent by steps (See Ezekiel 43:17.)



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And you must not
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

go up
תַעֲלֶ֥ה (ṯa·‘ă·leh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

to My altar
מִזְבְּחִ֑י (miz·bə·ḥî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4196: An altar

on steps,
בְמַעֲלֹ֖ת (ḇə·ma·‘ă·lōṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4609: Elevation, the act, the condition, a climactic progression

lest
אֲשֶׁ֛ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

your nakedness
עֶרְוָתְךָ֖ (‘er·wā·ṯə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6172: Nakedness

be exposed
תִגָּלֶ֥ה (ṯig·gā·leh)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1540: To denude, to exile, to reveal

on it.’
עַֽל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


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OT Law: Exodus 20:26 Neither shall you go up by steps (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 20:25
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