Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet. Stephen may seem to have reversed here the order in which the divine command was given-which was before, not after, proclaiming who it was that spake to him from the bush (Exodus 3:5-6). The words of Stephen, however, simply are, 'But the Lord said to him х eipen (G2036) de (G1161) autoo (G846) ho (G3588) Kurios (G2962)], Put off,' etc. Moses recoiled from the spectacle as too awful in glory for him to gaze on; and when the Lord bade him not draw nigh, the meaning simply was, 'with covered feet,' implying a positive wish for his approach with shoes off.
For the place where thou standest, [ ef' (G1909 ) hoo (G3739 ) is preferable to en (G1722 ) hoo (G3739 )] is holy ground. The Oriental custom of uncovering the feet in token of reverence, whether in approaching royalty or in a temple drawing near to God, is well known, and prevails to this day. The priests ministered in the tabernacle (say the Rabbis) with uncovered feet.