Deuteronomy 10 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Deuteronomy 10

New Tablets of Stone

10:1 “At that time the LORD said to me, ‘Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to me on the mountain and make an ark of wood. 2 And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets that you broke, and you shall put them in the ark.’ 3 So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut two tablets of stone like the first, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. 4 And he wrote on the tablets, in the same writing as before, the Ten Commandments¹ that the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. And the LORD gave them to me. 5 Then I turned and came down from the mountain and put the tablets in the ark that I had made. And there they are, as the LORD commanded me.”

6 (The people of Israel journeyed from Beeroth Bene-jaakan² to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried. And his son Eleazar ministered as priest in his place. 7 From there they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land with brooks of water. 8 At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD to stand before the LORD to minister to him and to bless in his name, to this day. 9 Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers. The LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God said to him.)

10 “I myself stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights, and the LORD listened to me that time also. The LORD was unwilling to destroy you. 11 And 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, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good? 14 Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. 15 Yet the 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 the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. 18 He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. 19 Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 20 You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. 21 He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen. 22 Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.

Footnotes

[1] 10:4 Hebrew the ten words
[2] 10:6 Or the wells of the Bene-jaakan

Commentary

v1-2: After Moses had smashed the first pair of stone tablets (9.17), the people made a second pair (see Ex 34); this was perhaps an indication that the people did want to enter into Covenant with God.

v3-5: The second pair of tablets were made by men, but the words were written (engraved) by God. The words were the same, for God's standards do not change.

v6-7: A reference to the journey from Kadesh, Num 33.33-39.

v8-9: Moses' reference to Levi is brief; they would have no inheritance in the land, for "the Lord is their inheritance;" so no one can say they missed out!

v10: God chose not to destroy the people; prayer does not force God's hand, nor convince Him to act against His character. In all things, mercy and faithfulness towards His people characterise what He does.

v11: The Lord's instructions for Moses were clear, that he should lead the people towards Canaan.

v12: "And now", Moses closed his summary of their journeys with a fresh challenge to put the Lord God first; this includes ch 11.

As the people understood what God had done, in delivering them from Egypt, and bringing them through the wilderness, their proper response was to fear God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, and to serve Him; and with all their heart and soul. Can we expect anything less of those whom God has redeemed? Should we expect anything less of ourselves?

v13: Obedience is an essential part of true faith; and obedience is for our good. We invite problems into our lives when we choose not to obey.

v14: God is great; these words cannot describe any local "god", but only the unique God of all creation. One of the themes here (v14-22) is of the uniqueness of the people whom God had chosen.

v15: The Israelites should have been amazed that God had chosen them above all other peoples. This fact alone should have inspired love and devotion from the people. He set His affection upon them, and loved them, and chose them; the same is true for those who are in Christ.

v16: Put away the rebellion of the past, and the stiff-necked attitudes that produced that rebellion. Even here, God is looking for something beyond obedience to the law through duty.

v17-19: God is great and holy; He therefore demands justice and righteousness from His people. The fact that other nations were not just in their dealings was irrelevant. The fact that their ancestors had been mistreated in Egypt was actually a reason to treat foreigners well.

It is striking that the declaration that God is "the great God, mighty and awesome," is linked with His concern for the fatherless and the widow.

v20: Devotion to God; fear Him, hold fast to Him, and takes oaths in His Name. The life of the Israelite was to be totally wrapped up in God.

v21: He is your praise; for He had done all these wonderful things for His people.

v22: A particular evidence, that the people had expanded from 70 to 600,000 men, plus women and children.