KJV ORIGINAL
And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
And he said, 'Don't come any closer. Take off your sandals from your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy ground.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is telling Moses to show reverence and respect because he is standing in a sacred place where God's presence makes the ground holy.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush on Mount Horeb (also called Mount Sinai) while Moses was tending his father-in-law's sheep. In ancient Near Eastern culture, removing shoes was a common sign of respect and humility when entering sacred spaces or coming before someone of great authority. God's presence had made this ordinary desert location into holy ground.
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