King James Bible
"There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount."
God commands that anyone who touches Mount Sinai must be executed without physical contact—killed from a distance by stones or arrows. This underscores the mountain's extreme holiness during God's presence and the danger of approaching divine holiness in an unauthorized manner. The death penalty applies universally to any living creature, emphasizing that the boundary is absolute and non-negotiable. Even animals, which lack moral agency, must die if they violate the sacred space, highlighting the severity of God's holiness. A prolonged trumpet blast will signal when the prohibition lifts and the people may approach. This divine signal transforms the deadly boundary into an invitation, showing that access to God's presence comes only at His designated time and manner.