Deuteronomy10

Moses recounts God's command to prepare new stone tablets and an ark, upon which the LORD rewrote the Ten Commandments. He then reminds Israel of the Levites' unique separation for service and his own intercession for the people. The chapter culminates in a profound exhortation for Israel to fear, love, and obey the LORD with all their heart, emphasizing His greatness and their chosen status.

Renewal of the Covenant Tablets

1
"At that time ADONAI said to me, 'Cut yourself two stone tablets like the first ones, come up to me on the mountain, and make yourself an ark of wood. ​
2
I will inscribe on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you are to put them in the ark.' ​
3
So I made an ark of acacia-wood and cut two stone tablets like the first, then climbed the mountain with the two tablets in my hand.
4
He inscribed the tablets with the same inscription as before, the Ten Words which ADONAI proclaimed to you from the fire on the mountain the day of the assembly; and ADONAI gave them to me. ​
5
I turned, came down the mountain and put the tablets in the ark I had made; and there they remain; as ADONAI ordered me.

Journey and the Death of Aaron

6
"The people of Isra'el traveled from the wells of B'nei-Ya'akan to Moserah, where Aharon died and was buried; and El'azar his son took his place, serving in the office of cohen. ​
7
From there they traveled to Gudgod, and from Gudgod to Yotvatah, a region with running streams.

The Separation of the Tribe of Levi

8
At that time ADONAI set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark for the covenant of ADONAI and to stand before ADONAI to serve him and to bless in his name, as they still do today. ​
9
This is why Levi has no share or inheritance with his brothers; ADONAI is his inheritance, as ADONAI your God had said to him. ​
10
"I stayed on the mountain forty days and nights, as previously; and ADONAI listened to me that time too -ADONAI would not destroy you. ​
11
Then ADONAI said to me, 'Get up, and go on your way at the head of the people, so that they can enter and take possession of the land I swore to their ancestors that I would give them.'

What God Requires: Fear, Love, and Justice

12
"So now, Isra'el, all that ADONAI your God asks from you is to fear ADONAI your God, follow all his ways, love him and serve ADONAI your God with all your heart and all your being; ​
13
to obey, for your own good, the mitzvot and regulations of ADONAI which I am giving you today. ​
14
See, the sky, the heaven beyond the sky, the earth and everything on it all belong to ADONAI your God. ​
15
Only ADONAI took enough pleasure in your ancestors to love them and choose their descendants after them -yourselves -above all peoples, as he still does today. ​
16
Therefore, circumcise the foreskin of your heart; and don't be stiffnecked any longer! ​
17
For ADONAI your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty and awesome God, who has no favorites and accepts no bribes. ​
18
He secures justice for the orphan and the widow; he loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing. ​
19
Therefore you are to love the foreigner, since you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. ​
20
You are to fear ADONAI your God, serve him, cling to him and swear by his name.
21
He is your praise, and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things, which you have seen with your own eyes. ​
22
Your ancestors went down into Egypt with only seventy people, but now ADONAI your God has made your numbers as many as the stars in the sky! ​

Study Notes for Deuteronomy 10

Verse 1

This passage links back to the events following the Golden Calf incident (Exodus 34), detailing God’s command to Moses to prepare a second set of tablets. The Ark of the Covenant, made of acacia (shittim) wood, was required to house the renewed law.

Verse 2

God’s willingness to rewrite the law demonstrates His grace and commitment to the covenant despite Israel’s immediate failure. The second set of tablets symbolizes the renewal of the relationship.

Verse 4

The Ten Commandments (Decalogue) were written by God Himself, confirming that the content of the law remained unchanged, even though the physical tablets were replaced.

Verse 6

This brief geographical interlude summarizes key stages of the wilderness journey, including the death of Aaron. While Numbers 20 places Aaron’s death at Mount Hor, 'Mosera' here may refer to the region surrounding the mountain.

Verse 8

This verse recalls the formal dedication of the Levites to specialized service shortly after the covenant renewal. Their primary roles included bearing the Ark, ministering to God in the sanctuary, and blessing the people in His name.

Verse 9

Because the Levites were separated for sacred duties, they were not allotted tribal territory in Canaan. God himself was designated as their inheritance, meaning they were supported by the tithes and offerings of the other tribes.

Verse 10

This second forty-day intercession (following the Golden Calf incident) was critical. Moses' successful pleading (the LORD hearkened unto me) secured God's pardon and prevented the destruction of the nation.

Verse 12

This is the central theological question and answer of Deuteronomy, defining true covenant obedience. God requires a holistic response involving reverence ('fear'), practical faithfulness ('walk'), deep affection ('love'), and committed action ('serve').

Verse 13

The law is presented not as a harsh burden but as something commanded 'for thy good.' Obedience is beneficial, designed to promote the well-being and flourishing of the covenant community.

Verse 14

The phrase 'heaven and the heaven of heavens' emphasizes Yahweh’s absolute sovereignty and transcendence over all creation. This universal dominion contrasts sharply with His intimate choice of Israel (v. 15).

Verse 15

Israel’s election is based entirely on God’s sovereign, initiating love for their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Their chosen status is a gift of grace, not a reward for merit.

Verse 16

Moses calls for internal, spiritual transformation rather than mere external ritual. To 'circumcise the foreskin of your heart' means removing spiritual stubbornness and opening oneself fully to God’s will.

Verse 17

God is defined as the supreme ruler ('God of gods, and Lord of lords') who acts with perfect justice. He is impartial and cannot be swayed by bribery or human rank.

Verse 18

God’s supreme power is manifested in His defense of the most vulnerable members of society: the fatherless, the widow, and the resident alien ('stranger'). Ethical action is inseparable from theological truth.

Verse 19

Israel is commanded to extend the same love and care to the stranger that God shows, rooted in their own historical experience of being oppressed strangers in Egypt.

Verse 21

Israel’s praise must be directed toward God because He personally intervened in their history, performing 'great and terrible things' (like the Exodus) to establish them as His people.

Verse 22

This verse contrasts the small origins of Israel (seventy persons under Jacob) with their massive present population. This demographic miracle serves as evidence of God’s faithfulness to the covenant promises.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Reading Width 45 chars

Options