Deuteronomy 10

The Covenant Renewed

1 "The Lord said to me at that time, 'Cut two stone tablets like the first ones and come to Me on the mountain and make a wooden ark.

2 I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets you broke, and you are to place them in the ark.'

3 So I made an ark of acacia wood, cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and climbed the mountain with the two tablets in my hand.

4 Then, on the day of the assembly, the Lord wrote on the tablets what had been written previously, the Ten Commandments that He had spoken to you on the mountain from the fire. The Lord gave them to me,

5 and I went back down the mountain and placed the tablets in the ark I had made. And they have remained there, as the Lord commanded me."

6 The Israelites traveled from Beeroth Bene-jaakan^[a] to Moserah.^[b] Aaron died and was buried there, and Eleazar his son became priest in his place.^[c]

7 They traveled from there to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land with streams of water.

8 "At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi^[d] to carry the ark of the Lord's covenant, to stand before the Lord to serve Him, and to bless in His name, as it is today.

9 For this reason, Levi does not have a portion or inheritance like his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance, as the Lord your God told him.^[e]

10 "I stayed on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights like the first time. The Lord also listened to me on this occasion; He agreed not to annihilate you.

11 Then the Lord said to me, 'Get up. Continue your journey ahead of the people, so that they may enter and possess the land I swore to give their fathers.'

What God Requires

12 "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul?

13 Keep the Lord's commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good.

14 The heavens, indeed the highest heavens, belong to the Lord your God, as does the earth and everything in it.

15 Yet the Lord was devoted to your fathers and loved them. He chose their descendants after them-[He chose] you out of all the peoples, as it is today.

16 Therefore, circumcise your hearts^[f] and don't be stiff-necked any longer.

17 For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe.

18 He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreign resident, giving him food and clothing.

19 You also must love the foreigner, since you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

20 You are to fear the Lord your God and worship Him. Remain faithful^[g] to Him and take oaths in His name.

21 He is your praise and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome works your eyes have seen.

22 Your fathers went down to Egypt, 70 people in all,^[h] and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of the sky.^[i]

Deuteronomy 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

God's mercies to Israel after their rebellion. (1-11) An exhortation to obedience. (12-22)

Verses 1-11 Moses reminded the Israelites of God's great mercy to them, notwithstanding their provocations. There were four things in and by which the Lord showed himself reconciled to Israel. God gave them his law. Thus God has intrusted us with Bibles, sabbaths, and sacraments, as tokens of his presence and favour. God led them forward toward Canaan. He appointed a standing ministry among them for holy things. And now, under the gospel, when the pouring forth of the Spirit is more plentiful and powerful, the succession is kept up by the Spirit's work on men's hearts, qualifying and making some willing for that work in every age. God accepted Moses as an advocate or intercessor for them, and therefore appointed him to be their prince and leader. Moses was a type of Christ, who ever lives, pleading for us, and has all power in heaven and in earth.

Verses 12-22 We are here taught our duty to God in our principles and our practices. We must fear the Lord our God. We must love him, and delight in communion with him. We must walk in the ways in which he has appointed us to walk. We must serve him with all our heart and soul. What we do in his service we must do cheerfully, and with good will. We must keep his commandments. There is true honour and pleasure in obedience. We must give honour to God; and to him we must cleave, as one we love and delight in, trust in, and from whom we have great expectations. We are here taught our duty to our neighbour. God's common gifts to mankind oblige us to honour all men. And those who have themselves been in distress, and have found mercy with God, should be ready to show kindness to those who are in the like distress. We are here taught our duty to ourselves. Circumcise your hearts. Cast away all corrupt affections and inclinations, which hinder you from fearing and loving God. By nature we do not love God. This is original sin, the source whence our wickedness proceeds; and the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be; so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God, Ro. 8:5-9 . Let us, without delay or reserve, come and cleave to our reconciled God in Jesus Christ, that we may love, serve, and obey him acceptably, and be daily changed into his image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord. Consider the greatness and glory of God; and his goodness and grace; these persuade us to our duty. Blessed Spirit! Oh for thy purifying, persevering, and renewing influences, that being called out of the state of strangers, such as our fathers were, we may be found among the number of the children of God, and that our lot may be among the saints.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or from the wells of Bene-jaakan, or from the wells of the Jaakanites
• [b]. Nm 33:31
• [c]. Nm 20:22-29
• [d]. Ex 32:26-29
• [e]. Nm 18:20
• [f]. Jr 4:4; Rm 2:29
• [g]. Lit Hold on
• [h]. Gn 46:27; Ex 1:5
• [i]. Gn 15:5; 22:17; 26:4

Chapter Summary

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.