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.
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Renewal of the Covenant Tablets

1
At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood. ​
2
And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark. ​
3
And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.
4
And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me. ​
5
And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.

Journey and the Death of Aaron

6
And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead. ​
7
From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.

The Separation of the Tribe of Levi

8
At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. ​
9
Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him. ​
10
And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee. ​
11
And the LORD said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them.

What God Requires: Fear, Love, and Justice

12
And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, ​
13
To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? ​
14
Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. ​
15
Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. ​
16
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. ​
17
For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: ​
18
He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. ​
19
Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. ​
20
Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
21
He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. ​
22
Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude. ​

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.

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