33 The Lord said to him, 'Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Because the place wherein. The Lord meant by this commendation which he giveth to the place, to lift up the mind of Moses into heaven, that he might not think upon any earthly thing. And if so be that Moses was to be pricked forward with so many pricks, that having forgotten the earth, he might hearken to God, must not we have our sides even, as it were, digged through, [1] seeing we are an hundred times more slow than he? Notwithstanding, here may a question be asked, how this place became so holy? for it was no more holy than other places before that day. I answer, that this honor is given to the presence of God, and not to the place, and that the holiness of the place is spoken of for man's sake. For if the presence of God do make the earth holy, how much more force thereof ought men to have? [2] Notwithstanding, we must also note, that the place was thus beautified only for a time, so that God did not fix his glory there, as Jacob erected an altar to God in Bethel, after that God had showed some token of his presence there, (Genesis 35:7.) When as his posterity did imitate the same afterward, it was such worship as was reproved. [3] Finally, the place is called holy for Moses' sake only, that he may the better address himself to fear God and to obey him. Forasmuch as God doth now show himself unto us everywhere in Christ, and that in no obscure figures, but in the full light and perfect truth, we must not only put off our shoes from our feet, but strip ourselves stark-naked of ourselves. [4]
1 - "Annon quasi fodiendi sumus," must not we be, as it were, stabbed.
2 - "Quanto majorem vim ab hominibus percipi aequium est," how much more forcibly ought man to feel it?
3 - "Perversus cultus fuit," it was perverted worship.
4 - "Sed nos totos exuere," but divest ourselves entirely.
Then said the Lord - In Exodus. 3 this is introduced in a different order, as being spoken "before" God said "I am the God," etc.
Put off thy shoes - Exodus 3:5. To put off the shoes; or sandals, was an act of reverence. The ancients were especially not permitted to enter a temple or holy place with their shoes on. Indeed, it was customary for the Jews to remove their shoes whenever they entered any house as a mere matter of civility. Compare the notes on John 13:5. See Joshua 5:15. "The same custom, growing out of the same feeling," says Prof. Hackett (Illustrations of Scripture, pp. 74, 75), "is observed among the Eastern nations at the present day. The Arabs and Turks never enter the mosques without putting off their shoes. They exact a compliance with this rule from those of a different faith who visit these sacred places. Though, until a recent period, the Muslims excluded Christians entirely from the mosques, they now permit foreigners to enter some of them, provided they leave their shoes at the door, or exchange them for others which have not been defiled by common use.
"A Samaritan from Nablus, who conducted Mr. Robinson and Mr. Smith to the summit of Gerizim, when he came within a certain distance of the spot, took off his shoes, saying it was unlawful for his people to tread with shoes upon this ground, it being holy."
Is holy ground - Is rendered sacred by the symbol of the divine presence. We should enter the sanctuary, the place set apart for divine worship, not only with reverence in our hearts, but with every "external" indication of veneration. Solemn awe and deep seriousness become the place set apart to the service of God. Compare Ecclesiastes 5:1.
Then said the Lord to him,.... To Moses, who through curiosity had made too near an approach:
put off thy shoes from thy feet; in token of humility, obedience, and reverence:
for the place where thou standest is holy ground; not really, but relatively, on account of the divine presence in it, and only so long as that continued.
Then said the Lord, Loose thy shoes - An ancient token of reverence; for the place is holy ground - The holiness of places depends on the peculiar presence of God there.
*More commentary available at chapter level.