Exodus 34:3 kjv
And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.
Exodus 34:3 nkjv
And no man shall come up with you, and let no man be seen throughout all the mountain; let neither flocks nor herds feed before that mountain."
Exodus 34:3 niv
No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain."
Exodus 34:3 esv
No one shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain."
Exodus 34:3 nlt
No one else may come with you. In fact, no one is to appear anywhere on the mountain. Do not even let the flocks or herds graze near the mountain."
Exodus 34 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 19:12-13 | "You shall set limits for the people all around... When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain." | Previous divine command for sacred boundaries. |
| Exo 24:2 | "Moses alone may come near to the Lord..." | Reiteration of Moses' unique sole access. |
| Lev 10:3 | "By those who come near me I must be treated as holy, and before all the people I must be glorified." | Emphasizes God's expectation of holiness from those approaching Him. |
| Num 12:6-8 | "When there is a prophet among you... not so with my servant Moses... he beholds the form of the Lord." | Moses' unique, unparalleled proximity to God. |
| Josh 3:5 | "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." | Necessity of consecration before God's mighty acts. |
| Psa 2:11 | "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." | Command to approach God with reverence and awe. |
| Psa 89:7 | "God is greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and held in awe by all who are around him." | God's absolute holiness commands fear and reverence. |
| Psa 99:5 | "Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!" | Exhortation to worship God with an understanding of His holiness. |
| Isa 6:5 | "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips..." | Human unworthiness in the presence of God's holiness. |
| Isa 52:11 | "Depart, depart, go out from there... Purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the Lord." | Call to separation and purity for those serving God. |
| Zech 2:13 | "Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling." | Universal command for awe and silence in God's presence. |
| Hab 2:20 | "The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him." | God's supreme authority and the required human reverence. |
| Acts 7:33 | "Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." | Recounts God's command to Moses at the burning bush, establishing holy ground. |
| Heb 12:18-21 | "For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom..." | Contrasts Old Covenant Sinai with New Covenant access through Christ. |
| Heb 12:28-29 | "Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." | Commands reverent worship in light of God's character. |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | "but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" | Direct command for God's people to reflect His holiness. |
| 2 Cor 6:17 | "Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing." | Command for separation from worldly defilement, echoing sacred boundaries. |
| Rev 15:4 | "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy." | Acknowledges God's exclusive holiness and deserving of all fear and glory. |
| Exod 33:17-23 | God grants Moses a glimpse of His glory after the golden calf incident. | Precedes this command, setting the context for God's presence. |
| Lev 16:2 | "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil..." | Rules for access to God's presence, highlighting boundaries even for priests. |
Exodus 34 verses
Exodus 34 3 Meaning
This verse prohibits any human or animal presence on or near Mount Sinai, except for Moses who is commanded to ascend alone. It underscores the sacredness and terrifying holiness of God's presence, demanding absolute separation and reverence for His unique encounter with His chosen mediator.
Exodus 34 3 Context
Exodus 34:3 occurs in the aftermath of Israel's grave sin with the golden calf. God had broken the first tablets of the Law, signifying the shattered covenant. Chapter 33 describes Moses' intercession and God's promise of renewed presence, though not initially with the whole nation due to their sin. Moses is commanded to cut two new tablets. Verse 3 is a direct instruction for Moses' solitary ascent to Mount Sinai to meet with the Lord again, echoing and strengthening the boundaries set in Exodus 19. It emphasizes God's undiminished holiness and the necessity of strict separation when approaching Him, especially after the nation's profound failure. This command sets apart the encounter as unique to Moses, a mediator, highlighting God's transcendence and His specific requirements for interaction after sin. It subtly reinforces the infinite gap between sinful humanity and a holy God.
Exodus 34 3 Word analysis
- No one: The Hebrew is וְאִישׁ (ve'ish), meaning "and a man," "anyone," or "no one." It establishes an absolute and comprehensive prohibition. It excludes not only humans but by implication, anything that could be brought by humans.
- shall come up with you: לֹא־יַעֲלֶה עִמָּךְ (lo ya'aleh 'immakh) - "not shall go up with you." This specifies that Moses' ascent must be entirely solitary. It highlights his unique, divinely appointed role as the sole mediator at this critical juncture, distinct from even Aaron and the elders who ascended with him in Exodus 24.
- neither let anyone be seen: וְגַם־אִישׁ לֹא־יֵרָא (ve-gam 'ish lo ye'ra) - "and also a man not shall be seen." This strengthens the previous prohibition. It means not only should no one ascend with Moses, but no one should even be visible (be present) anywhere on the mountain. The sacred space must be utterly devoid of unauthorized human presence.
- throughout all the mount: בְּכָל־הָהָר (b'khol ha-har) - "in all the mountain." This defines the geographical scope of the prohibition. The entire mountain, from base to peak, is a no-go zone, indicating the pervasive sacredness of the space where God is manifesting His presence.
- neither let flocks nor herds feed: גַּם־צֹאן וּבָקָר לֹא יִרְעוּ (gam tzon u'vakar lo yir'u) - "also flock and cattle not shall feed." This extends the exclusion to animals. It's not merely about human will or intention; even animals grazing, implying unconscious transgression of the sacred boundary, are forbidden. This underscores the absolute holiness and separation required for the mountain.
- before that mount: נֶגֶד הָהָר הַהוּא (neged ha-har ha-hu) - "before/opposite that mountain, that one." This defines the outer perimeter. It signifies the ground even at the base, within sight of the holy mountain, must remain clear and undefiled. The visible presence of livestock would indicate normal human activity and disrupt the sanctity of the immediate environs.
Exodus 34 3 Bonus section
The rigorous boundaries around Sinai served not only to protect the people from God's holy presence (which could consume them in their sin) but also to teach them His transcendence and their need for a mediator. This set of instructions is distinct from the first Sinai encounter in Exodus 19 in its emphasis on Moses' absolute solitude, reinforcing the severity of the national sin. The animal prohibition (flocks and herds) parallels priestly purity laws concerning unintentional contact with holy things or places, emphasizing that holiness extends beyond intentional acts to the environment itself. This sacred space anticipates the design of the Tabernacle and later the Temple, where restricted access and precise boundaries governed who could approach God and how.
Exodus 34 3 Commentary
Exodus 34:3 reveals the formidable holiness of God, who demands absolute separation and reverence from His creation. Following the monumental failure of the golden calf, these strict prohibitions on Mount Sinai re-establish the sanctity of God's presence and the severity of disobedience. The command for Moses' solitary ascent underlines his unique mediatorial role—a theme that ultimately points to Jesus Christ as the singular mediator between God and humanity (1 Tim 2:5). The exclusion of all, human and animal alike, from even the vicinity of the mount signifies that proximity to the divine requires an utter absence of impurity and a profound acknowledgment of God's unapproachable glory apart from His express invitation and provision. This served as a stern reminder of the people's broken covenant and the necessary distance between their sin and God's perfect holiness. It also demonstrated God's enduring commitment to maintaining His distinct sacred space even as He renewed the covenant, emphasizing His unchanging character despite human sinfulness.