Deuteronomy — Chapter 10

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1At that time the LORD said to me, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the originals, come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood.

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

3So I made an ark of acacia wood, chiseled out two stone tablets like the originals, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hands.

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

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

6The Israelites traveled from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah, where Aaron died and was buried, and Eleazar his son succeeded him as priest.

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

8At 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 serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.

9That is why Levi has no portion or inheritance among his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God promised him.

10I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights, like the first time, and that time the LORD again listened to me and agreed not to destroy you.

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

12And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

13and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD that I am giving you this day for your own good?

14Behold, to the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, and the earth and everything in it.

15Yet the LORD has set His affection on your fathers and loved them. And He has chosen you, their descendants after them, above all the peoples, even to this day.

16Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.

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

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

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

20You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.

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

22Your fathers went down to Egypt, seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

1At 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.

2And 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.

3And 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.

4And 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.

5And 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.

6And 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.

7From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.

8At 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.

9Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.

10And 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.

11And 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.

12And 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,

13To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

14Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.

15Only 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.

16Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

17For 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:

18He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.

19Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

20Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.

21He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

22Thy 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.

1At that time Jehovah 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.

2And I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.

3So I made an ark of acacia wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in my hand.

4And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which Jehovah spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and Jehovah gave them unto me.

5And I turned and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they are as Jehovah commanded me.

6(And the children of Israel journeyed from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest`s office in his stead.

7From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water.

8At that time Jehovah set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, to stand before Jehovah to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

9Wherefore Levi hath no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; Jehovah is his inheritance, according as Jehovah thy God spake unto him.)

10And I stayed in the mount, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights: and Jehovah hearkened unto me that time also; Jehovah would not destroy thee.

11And Jehovah said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the people; and they shall go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them.

12And now, Israel, what doth Jehovah thy God require of thee, but to fear Jehovah thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Jehovah thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

13to keep the commandments of Jehovah, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

14Behold, unto Jehovah thy God belongeth heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein.

15Only Jehovah had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day.

16Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

17For Jehovah your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the terrible, who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.

18He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the sojourner, in giving him food and raiment.

19Love ye therefore the sojourner; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

20Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God; him shalt thou serve; and to him shalt thou cleave, and by his name shalt thou swear.

21He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

22Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now Jehovah thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.

1At that same time the Lord said to me, “Carve out for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones and come up the mountain to me; also make for yourself a wooden ark.

2I will write on the tablets the same words that were on the first tablets you broke, and you must put them into the ark.”

3So I made an ark of acacia wood and carved out two stone tablets just like the first ones. Then I went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hands.

4The Lord then wrote on the tablets the same words, the Ten Commandments, which he had spoken to you at the mountain from the middle of the fire at the time of that assembly, and he gave them to me.

5Then I turned, went down the mountain, and placed the tablets into the ark I had made—they are still there, just as the Lord commanded me.

6During those days the Israelites traveled from Beeroth Bene Jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died and was buried, and his son Eleazar became priest in his place.

7From there they traveled to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a place of flowing streams.

8At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, to stand before the Lord to serve him, and to formulate blessings in his name, as they do to this very day.

9Therefore Levi has no allotment or inheritance among his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance just as the Lord your God told him.

10As for me, I stayed at the mountain as I did the first time, 40 days and nights. The Lord listened to me that time as well and decided not to destroy you.

11Then he said to me, “Get up, set out leading the people so they may go and possess the land I promised to give to their ancestors.”

12Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you except to revere him, to obey all his commandments, to love him, to serve him with all your mind and being,

13and to keep the Lord’s commandments and statutes that I am giving you today for your own good?

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

15However, only to your ancestors did he show his loving favor, and he chose you, their descendants, from all peoples—as is apparent today.

16Therefore, cleanse your hearts and stop being so stubborn!

17For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe,

18who justly treats the orphan and widow, and who loves resident foreigners, giving them food and clothing.

19So you must love the resident foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

20Revere the Lord your God, serve him, be loyal to him, and take oaths only in his name.

21He is the one you should praise; he is your God, the one who has done these great and awesome things for you that you have seen.

22When your ancestors went down to Egypt, they numbered only seventy, but now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of the sky.

1At that time Yahweh said to me, “Cut two stone tablets like the first, and come up to me onto the mountain, and make an ark of wood.

2I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark.”

3So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut two stone tablets like the first, and went up onto the mountain, having the two tablets in my hand.

4He wrote on the tablets, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which Yahweh spoke to you on the mountain out of the middle of the fire in the day of the assembly: and Yahweh gave them to me.

5I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are as Yahweh commanded me.

6(The children of Israel traveled from Beeroth Bene Jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest’s office in his place.

7From there they traveled to Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water.

8At that time Yahweh set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, to stand before Yahweh to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day.

9Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brothers; Yahweh is his inheritance, according as Yahweh your God spoke to him.)

10I stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights: and Yahweh listened to me that time also; Yahweh would not destroy you.

11Yahweh said to me, “Arise, take your journey before the people; and they shall go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give to them.”

12Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

13to keep Yahweh’s commandments and statutes, which I command you today for your good?

14Behold, to Yahweh your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein.

15Only Yahweh had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their offspring after them, even you above all peoples, as it is today.

16Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.

17For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons, nor takes reward.

18He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing.

19Therefore love the foreigner; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

20You shall fear Yahweh your God; you shall serve him; and you shall cling to him, and you shall swear by his name.

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

22Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Articles
Reflection

Summary

Moses recalls being told to cut two new stone tablets and build an ark, after which God rewrote the Ten Commandments on them (vv. 1-5). He notes that the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark, minister before Him, and bless in His name, receiving no land inheritance since the LORD Himself is their inheritance (vv. 6-9). Moses then draws a broad conclusion from all he has recounted: circumcise your hearts and stop being stubborn, for the LORD, who shows no partiality and loves the foreigner, requires Israel simply to fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him, and serve Him with all their heart and soul (vv. 12-22).

Authorship & Background

Author: Moses. Deuteronomy is the fifth and final book of the Pentateuch, written at the end of the 40 years of wilderness wandering (approximately 1406 BC). Hebrew title: "Devarim" — "Words/Things." Greek title: "Deuteronomion" — "Second Law" (a repetition/expansion of the Law for the new generation). The book consists of Moses' farewell speeches to Israel on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the Promised Land. Moses will not enter with them — these are his final words to the nation he has led for 40 years.
Historical Context: Chapter 10 follows the devastating recital of Israel's rebellion (chapter 9) with a message of restoration and renewed demand. After the golden calf, God did not abandon Israel — He gave new tablets, commanded the ark to be built, set apart the Levites, and continued to lead His people forward. The chapter then pivots to one of the most beautiful summaries of what God requires: "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" (v.12). This is Deuteronomy's equivalent of Micah 6:8. Moses then calls for heart circumcision (v.16) — not merely external compliance but internal transformation. The chapter reveals God's character: He is God of gods, impartial, just, lover of the fatherless, widow, and stranger. And it ends with wonder: from seventy persons in Egypt to "as the stars of heaven for multitude" (v.22).
Classification: Historical Narrative
Key Themes: new tablets cut and carried up the mountain a second time after Moses himself broke the first pair, Levi set apart at this point in the story specifically to carry the ark rather than to inherit land, five requirements condensed into a single rhetorical question, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, a demand to circumcise the heart itself rather than only the flesh, and God's own impartiality toward the fatherless, the widow and the stranger offered as the direct model for how Israel is to treat the stranger among them
The New Tablets and the Ark (vv.1-5): After the golden calf, God commands Moses: cut two new tablets and make an ark of wood (v.1). God will rewrite the same words (v.2). Moses made the ark of "shittim wood" (KJV) / "acacia wood" (ESV), cut the tablets, and went up the mountain (v.3). God wrote the Ten Commandments again — "according to the first writing" (v.4). Moses placed them in the ark (v.5). The covenant is restored. God's grace gives second chances — new tablets after the old were broken.
Historical Parenthetical (vv.6-9): A brief itinerary note: Israel journeyed from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah, where Aaron died and Eleazar succeeded him as priest (v.6). They continued to Gudgodah and Jotbath (v.7). "At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi" (v.8) — to carry the ark, to stand before God, to minister, and to bless in His name. Therefore Levi has no land inheritance — "the LORD is his inheritance" (v.9).
Moses' Intercession Successful (vv.10-11): Moses stayed on the mountain forty days and nights again. "The LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee" (v.10). Then God said: "Arise, take thy journey before the people" (v.11) — the mission continues. Despite their sin, God moves forward with His plan.
What Does God Require? (vv.12-13): "And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee?" (v.12). Five things: (1) Fear the LORD — reverence and awe. (2) Walk in all His ways — daily conduct. (3) Love Him — heart devotion. (4) Serve Him with all heart and soul — wholehearted service. (5) Keep His commandments and statutes (v.13). And the purpose: "for thy good" — God's requirements are for human flourishing, not divine ego.
God's Greatness and Grace (vv.14-15): "The heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is" (v.14) — God owns everything. Yet — "only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them" (v.15). The God who owns the universe set His heart on Israel. Infinite greatness chose to love the small.
Circumcise Your Heart (v.16): "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked." Physical circumcision was the sign of the covenant (Genesis 17). But Moses demands more: heart circumcision — the removal of spiritual hardness, the opening of the inner person to God. This anticipates Deuteronomy 30:6 ("the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart") and the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26).
God's Character (vv.17-19): "The LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords" (v.17) — supreme over all powers. He is great, mighty, and "terrible" (KJV) / "awesome" (ESV). He "regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward" (KJV) / "is not partial and takes no bribe" (ESV) (v.17) — perfectly impartial. He executes justice for the fatherless and widow (v.18). He "loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment" (v.18). Therefore: "Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt" (v.19). God's character becomes the model for Israel's conduct.
The Call to Total Devotion (vv.20-22): Fear God, serve Him, cleave to Him, swear by His name (v.20). "He is thy praise, and he is thy God" (v.21) — God Himself is the object of praise and the source of identity. From seventy persons to stars of heaven (v.22) — God's faithfulness to His promise demonstrated in multiplication.

Map & Geography

  • Moses speaks from the plains of Moab. He recounts the second set of tablets made at Horeb and the Levites' inheritance: "The LORD is his inheritance" (v.9).

Places on this map

  • Moabwest-central JordanThe plateau east of the Dead Sea, cut off from Israel by the rift valley and from Ammon by the Arnon gorge. High enough to farm grain, which is why Naomi's family went there in a famine. Wikipedia
  • Mount SinaiJebel Musa, Sinai Peninsula, EgyptTraditionally Jebel Musa in the granite mountains of the southern Sinai peninsula, about 7,500 feet high. The identification dates from Christian monastic tradition rather than from the text, and other candidates have been proposed, but this has been the pilgrimage site since the fourth century. Wikipedia

Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes that verse 12 is not a minimizing of God's demands ("merely" five things) but a summary of total devotion. He notes that heart circumcision is the Old Testament's clearest call for internal transformation — anticipating the new covenant. He highlights God's care for the vulnerable (vv.17-19) as a model for His people.
  • Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
  • Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.

Videos

Deuteronomy 10 Summary: 5 Minute Bible Study
2BeLikeChrist

Deuteronomy 9-11 | Circumcise Your Hearts | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

Articles

  • GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Deuteronomy -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.

Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.

Reflection

  • Second Chances After Failure (vv.1-5) — After the golden calf disaster, God has Moses cut new tablets so the covenant can be restored. What failure are you still carrying as if God's mercy toward you had run out?
  • What God Actually Requires (v.12) — Moses summarizes God's demand as fearing Him, walking in His ways, loving Him, and serving Him wholeheartedly. Is your relationship with God simple and total in this way, or fragmented into obligations you juggle?
  • Infinite Greatness, Personal Love (v.14) — Moses marvels that the God who owns the heavens and the earth still set His heart specifically on Israel's ancestors. Do you fully grasp that the God of the universe is personally invested in you?
  • A Heart Change, Not Just Outward Compliance (v.16) — Moses calls Israel to circumcise their hearts, not merely keep the external sign of the covenant. Where in your life is your outward religious practice ahead of what is actually happening in your heart?
  • Loving as You Have Been Loved (v.18) — God's care for the vulnerable stranger becomes the model for how Israel, once strangers themselves, should treat outsiders. Who in your life needs the same compassion you once needed when you were in a vulnerable place?
  • God as Your Praise (v.21) — Moses tells Israel that God Himself is their praise and their glory, not merely someone they praise. If someone asked what you are most proud of, would God be the honest answer?