Exodus 20:26 (ASV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Exodus 20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in every place where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee.

Exodus 20:25 And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

Exodus 20:26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "neither", "shalt", "thou", "steps", "mine", "altar", "nakedness", and "uncovered". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "neither" and "shalt", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "And if thou make me an altar...", giving immediate footing for "neither" and "shalt". In Exodus context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "neither" and "shalt" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.