Deuteronomy 10:7-17

7 1From there they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land with brooks of water.
8 At that time 2the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi 3to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD 4to stand before the LORD to minister to him and 5to bless in his name, to this day.
9 6Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers. The LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God said to him.)
10 7"I myself stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights, 8and the LORD listened to me that time also. The LORD was unwilling to destroy you.
11 9And the LORD said to me, 'Arise, go on your journey at the head of the people, so that they may go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give them.'

Circumcise Your Heart

12 "And now, Israel, 10what does the LORD your God require of you, but 11to fear the LORD your God, 12to walk in all his ways, 13to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
13 and 14to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today 15for your good?
14 Behold, 16to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, 17the earth with all that is in it.
15 Yet 18the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day.
16 Circumcise therefore 19the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer 20stubborn.
17 For the LORD your God is 21God of gods and 22Lord of lords, 23the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is 24not partial and takes no bribe.

Deuteronomy 10:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 10

In this chapter an account is given of an order to Moses to hew two tables of stone, on which the Lord would write the words that were on the first, and to make an ark and put them into it, all which was accordingly done, De 10:1-5 and of some of the journeys of the children of Israel, De 10:6,7 and of the separation of the tribe of Levi to the service of the sanctuary, De 10:8,9 and of Moses's stay in the mount forty days and nights, and his success there, and the direction he had to lead on the people of Israel towards Canaan's land, De 10:10,11 and who by various arguments are exhorted to fear the Lord, and serve him, and keep his commands, De 10:12-22.

Cross References 24

  • 1. Numbers 33:32, 33
  • 2. Numbers 3:6; Numbers 8:14; Numbers 16:9; [1 Chronicles 23:13]
  • 3. Numbers 4:5, 15
  • 4. Deuteronomy 17:12; Deuteronomy 18:5, 7
  • 5. Deuteronomy 21:5; Leviticus 9:22; See Numbers 6:23-26
  • 6. See Numbers 18:20
  • 7. Deuteronomy 9:18, 25
  • 8. Deuteronomy 9:19
  • 9. Exodus 32:34; Exodus 33:1
  • 10. [Micah 6:8]
  • 11. See Deuteronomy 6:2, 13
  • 12. See Deuteronomy 5:33
  • 13. See Deuteronomy 6:5
  • 14. Deuteronomy 7:11
  • 15. Deuteronomy 6:24
  • 16. 1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 6:18; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalms 115:16; Isaiah 66:1
  • 17. Exodus 19:5; Psalms 24:1
  • 18. Deuteronomy 4:37; [Deuteronomy 7:7]
  • 19. Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4; [Acts 7:51]
  • 20. See Deuteronomy 9:6
  • 21. Joshua 22:22; Psalms 136:2; Daniel 2:47; Daniel 11:36
  • 22. Revelation 17:14; Revelation 19:16
  • 23. Nehemiah 9:32; See Deuteronomy 7:21
  • 24. 2 Chronicles 19:7; Job 34:19; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; 1 Peter 1:17
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.