Deuteronomy 5
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6 Here Moses begins his recitation of the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20:2 and comment).
7–21 See Exodus 20:3–17 and comment.
22 After the Lord had proclaimed the Ten Commandments, He wrote them down on two stone tablets (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 4:13).
23–27 In these verses, Moses relates how the people asked him to be the mediator between them and God (see verses 4–5 and comment). They were amazed that they were still alive after God had spoken to them (verse 24); it was widely believed that no one could get that close to God and live (Genesis 32:30; Exodus 20:19; 33:20). However, they remained fearful that they would die if the Lord continued speaking to them directly (verses 25–26), and so they asked Moses to relay the Lord’s words to them. And they made a promise to Moses and to God: We will listen and obey (verse 27). They had made this promise more than once, but sadly they had failed to keep it (Exodus 19:8; 24:3,7).
28–29 Here in these verses Moses reveals the Lord’s deep love for His people: “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me . . . so that it might go well with them” (verse 29). If they would only keep His commands, then they would be blessed; His commands were for their benefit.14 But keeping God’s commands requires hearts that are inclined to Him; indeed, His commands need to be written not only on tablets of stone but on our hearts as well (Jeremiah 31:31–33; 32:38–40; Hebrews 8:8–10). We are powerless to obey God’s law unless it is written on our hearts by the HOLY SPIRIT (Romans 8:1–4; 2 Corinthians 3:3).
30–33 The Lord agreed to the people’s request to have Moses act as their mediator (verse 31). Therefore, Moses had the authority to exhort the people to follow the Lord’s commands exactly: they must not deviate to the right or to the left (verse 32), but they must walk in all the way the Lord had commanded them.15
The chapter ends with Moses revealing once again the Lord’s love for His people: all these laws, all these commands, were for one main purpose—that the people might live and prosper and prolong [their] days (verse 33).