King James Bible
"And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:"
God commands Moses to establish physical boundaries around Mount Sinai, creating a sacred perimeter. This reflects ancient Near Eastern concepts of holy space where divine presence required separation from the common, emphasizing God's transcendent holiness as He prepares to give the law. The warning extends beyond mere ascent to include any contact with the mountain's edge, underscoring the extreme danger of approaching God's manifest presence unprepared. This total prohibition highlights the radical otherness of the holy God about to covenant with Israel. The death penalty for violation demonstrates the lethal nature of unholy contact with divine holiness, a principle that runs throughout Levitical law. This severe consequence establishes the gravity of the upcoming theophany and the necessity of approaching God only on His prescribed terms.