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Chapter 10

(A)At that time the Lord said to me, Cut two stone tablets like the first ones(B) and come up the mountain to me. Also make an ark out of wood. I will write upon the tablets the words that were on the tablets that you broke, and you shall place them in the ark. So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hand.(C) (D)The Lord then wrote on the tablets, as he had written before, the ten words[a] that the Lord had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly; and the Lord gave them to me. Then I turned and came down from the mountain, and placed the tablets in the ark I had made.(E) There they have remained, as the Lord commanded me.

(F)The Israelites set out from Beeroth Bene-jaakan for Moserah; Aaron died there and was buried. His son Eleazar succeeded him as priest.(G) From there they set out for Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah for Jotbathah, a region where there is water in the wadies. At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord,(H) to stand before the Lord to minister to him, and to bless in his name, as they have done to this day. For this reason, Levi has no hereditary portion with his relatives;(I) the Lord himself is his portion, as the Lord, your God, promised him.

10 Meanwhile I stayed on the mountain as I did before, forty days and forty nights, and once again the Lord listened to me. The Lord was unwilling to destroy you. 11 The Lord said to me, Go now and set out at the head of the people,(J) that they may enter in and possess the land that I swore to their ancestors I would give them.

The Lord’s Majesty and Compassion. 12 (K)Now, therefore, Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you but to fear the Lord, your God, to follow in all his ways, to love and serve the Lord, your God, with your whole heart and with your whole being,(L) 13 to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord that I am commanding you today for your own well-being?(M) 14 Look, the heavens, even the highest heavens, belong to the Lord, your God, as well as the earth and everything on it.(N) 15 Yet only on your ancestors did the Lord set his heart to love them. He chose you, their descendants, from all the peoples, as it is today.(O) 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskins of your hearts,[b] and be stiff-necked no longer. 17 For the Lord, your God, is the God of gods, the Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who has no favorites, accepts no bribes,(P) 18 who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and loves the resident alien, giving them food and clothing.(Q) 19 So you too should love the resident alien, for that is what you were in the land of Egypt.(R) 20 The Lord, your God, shall you fear, and him shall you serve; to him hold fast and by his name shall you swear.(S) 21 He is your praise; he is your God, who has done for you those great and awesome things that your own eyes have seen.(T) 22 Seventy strong your ancestors went down to Egypt,(U) and now the Lord, your God, has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.

Footnotes

  1. 10:4 Ten words: the ten commandments (cf. 4:13).
  2. 10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskins of your hearts: cf. 30:6; Jer 4:4; Rom 2:29. The “uncircumcised heart” (Lv 26:41; Jer 9:25; Ez 44:7, 9) is closed and unreceptive to God, just as “uncircumcised ears” (Jer 6:10) are closed to the word of the Lord, and “uncircumcised lips” (Ex 6:12, 30) are a hindrance to speaking on behalf of the Lord.

The Second Pair of Tablets

10 At that time the Lord said to me, “Carve out two tablets of stone like the former ones, and come up to me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood. I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets, which you smashed, and you shall put them in the ark.” So I made an ark of acacia wood, cut two tablets of stone like the former ones, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. Then he wrote on the tablets the same words as before, the ten commandments[a] that the Lord had spoken to you on the mountain out of the fire on the day of the assembly; and the Lord gave them to me. So 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.

(The Israelites journeyed from Beeroth-bene-jaakan[b] to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried; his son Eleazar succeeded him as priest. From there they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land with flowing streams. 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. Therefore Levi has no allotment or inheritance with his kindred; the Lord is his inheritance, as the Lord your God promised him.)

10 I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights, as I had done the first time. And once again the Lord listened to me. The Lord was unwilling to destroy you. 11 The Lord said to me, “Get up, go on your journey at the head of the people, that they may go in and occupy the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them.”

The Essence of the Law

12 So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only 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 of the Lord your God[c] and his decrees that I am commanding you today, for your own well-being. 14 Although heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord your God, the earth with all that is in it, 15 yet the Lord set his heart in love on your ancestors alone and chose you, their descendants after them, out of all the peoples, as it is today. 16 Circumcise, then, the foreskin of your heart, and do not be stubborn any longer. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, 18 who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing. 19 You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 20 You shall fear the Lord your God; him alone you shall worship; to him you shall hold fast, and by his name you shall swear. 21 He is your praise; he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things that your own eyes have seen. 22 Your ancestors went down to Egypt seventy persons; and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in heaven.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 10:4 Heb the ten words
  2. Deuteronomy 10:6 Or the wells of the Bene-jaakan
  3. Deuteronomy 10:13 Q Ms Gk Syr: MT lacks your God

Moses Receives the Commandments Again(A)

10 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Cut two stone tablets like the first ones and make a wooden Box to put them in. Come up to me on the mountain, and I will write on those tablets what I wrote on the tablets that you broke, and then you are to put them in the Box.’

“So I made a Box of acacia wood and cut two stone tablets like the first ones and took them up the mountain. Then the Lord wrote on those tablets the same words that he had written the first time, the Ten Commandments that he gave you when he spoke from the fire on the day you were gathered at the mountain. The Lord gave me the tablets, and I turned and went down the mountain. Then, just as the Lord had commanded, I put them in the Box that I had made—and they have been there ever since.”

((B)The Israelites set out from the wells that belonged to the people of Jaakan, and went to Moserah. There Aaron died and was buried, and his son Eleazar succeeded him as priest. From there they went to Gudgodah and then on to Jotbathah, a well-watered place. (C)At that time the Lord appointed the men of the tribe of Levi to be in charge of the Covenant Box, to serve him as priests, and to pronounce blessings in his name. And these are still their duties. That is why the tribe of Levi received no land as the other tribes did; what they received was the privilege of being the Lord's priests, as the Lord your God promised.)

10 (D)“I stayed on the mountain forty days and nights, as I did the first time. The Lord listened to me once more and agreed not to destroy you. 11 Then he told me to go and lead you, so that you could take possession of the land that he had promised to give to your ancestors.

What God Demands

12 “Now, people of Israel, listen to what the Lord your God demands of you: Worship the Lord and do all that he commands. Love him, serve him with all your heart, 13 and obey all his laws. I am giving them to you today for your benefit. 14 To the Lord belong even the highest heavens; the earth is his also, and everything on it. 15 But the Lord's love for your ancestors was so strong that he chose you instead of any other people, and you are still his chosen people. 16 So then, from now on be obedient to the Lord and stop being stubborn. 17 (E)The Lord your God is supreme over all gods and over all powers. He is great and mighty, and he is to be obeyed. He does not show partiality, and he does not accept bribes. 18 (F)He makes sure that orphans and widows are treated fairly; he loves the foreigners who live with our people, and gives them food and clothes. 19 So then, show love for those foreigners, because you were once foreigners in Egypt. 20 Have reverence for the Lord your God and worship only him. Be faithful to him and make your promises in his name alone. 21 Praise him—he is your God, and you have seen with your own eyes the great and astounding things that he has done for you. 22 (G)When your ancestors went to Egypt, there were only seventy of them. But now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

The Tablets Rewritten

10 “At that time the Lord said to me, ‘(A)Cut out for yourself two tablets of stone like the first two, and come up to Me on the mountain, and (B)make an [a]ark of wood for yourself. Then (C)I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you smashed to pieces, and (D)you shall put them in the ark.’ So (E)I made an ark of acacia wood and (F)cut out two tablets of stone like the first two, and I went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. Then He wrote on the tablets, like the first writing, (G)the Ten [b]Commandments (H)which the Lord had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire (I)on the day of the assembly; and the Lord gave them to me. Then I turned and (J)came down from the mountain, and I (K)put the tablets in the ark which I had made; (L)and they are there, just as the Lord commanded me.”

(Now the sons of Israel set out from [c]Beeroth (M)Bene-jaakan to Moserah. (N)There Aaron died and there he was buried, and his son Eleazar served as priest in his place. (O)From there they set out to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of streams of water. (P)At that time the Lord singled out the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord (Q)to serve Him and to bless in His name, until this day. (R)Therefore, Levi does not have a portion or inheritance with his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance, just as the Lord your God spoke to him.)

10 (S)I, moreover, stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights like the first time, and the Lord listened to me that time also; the Lord was not willing to destroy you. 11 Then the Lord said to me, ‘Arise, proceed on your journey ahead of the people, so that they may go in and take possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.’

12 (T)And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to [d]fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and (U)love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with (V)all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the Lords commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? 14 Behold, (W)to the Lord your God belong heaven and the [e]highest heavens, (X)the earth and all that is in it. 15 (Y)Yet the Lord set His affection on your fathers, to love them, and He chose their [f]descendants after them, you over all the other peoples, as it is this day. 16 (Z)So circumcise [g]your heart, and do not (AA)stiffen your neck any longer. 17 (AB)For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the (AC)Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, (AD)who does not show partiality, nor (AE)take a bribe. 18 He executes justice for (AF)the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the stranger by giving him food and clothing. 19 (AG)So show your love for the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 20 You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and (AH)cling to Him, and (AI)you shall swear by His name. 21 He is (AJ)your glory and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. 22 (AK)Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons in all, (AL)and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 10:1 I.e., sacred chest
  2. Deuteronomy 10:4 Lit Words
  3. Deuteronomy 10:6 Or the wells of the sons of Jaakan
  4. Deuteronomy 10:12 Or revere
  5. Deuteronomy 10:14 Lit heaven of heavens
  6. Deuteronomy 10:15 Lit seed
  7. Deuteronomy 10:16 Lit the foreskin of your heart,

Tablets Like the First Ones

10 At that time the Lord said to me, “Chisel out two stone tablets(A) like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain. Also make a wooden ark.[a] I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you are to put them in the ark.”(B)

So I made the ark out of acacia wood(C) and chiseled(D) out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. The Lord wrote on these tablets what he had written before, the Ten Commandments(E) he had proclaimed(F) to you on the mountain, out of the fire, on the day of the assembly.(G) And the Lord gave them to me. Then I came back down the mountain(H) and put the tablets in the ark(I) I had made,(J) as the Lord commanded me, and they are there now.(K)

(The Israelites traveled from the wells of Bene Jaakan to Moserah.(L) There Aaron died(M) and was buried, and Eleazar(N) his son succeeded him as priest.(O) From there they traveled to Gudgodah and on to Jotbathah, a land with streams of water.(P) At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi(Q) to carry the ark of the covenant(R) of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister(S) and to pronounce blessings(T) in his name, as they still do today.(U) That is why the Levites have no share or inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance,(V) as the Lord your God told them.)

10 Now I had stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights, as I did the first time, and the Lord listened to me at this time also. It was not his will to destroy you.(W) 11 “Go,” the Lord said to me, “and lead the people on their way, so that they may enter and possess the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.”

Fear the Lord

12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you(X) but to fear(Y) the Lord your God, to walk(Z) in obedience to him, to love him,(AA) to serve the Lord(AB) your God with all your heart(AC) and with all your soul,(AD) 13 and to observe the Lord’s commands(AE) and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?(AF)

14 To the Lord your God belong the heavens,(AG) even the highest heavens,(AH) the earth and everything in it.(AI) 15 Yet the Lord set his affection on your ancestors and loved(AJ) them, and he chose you,(AK) their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today.(AL) 16 Circumcise(AM) your hearts,(AN) therefore, and do not be stiff-necked(AO) any longer. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods(AP) and Lord of lords,(AQ) the great God, mighty and awesome,(AR) who shows no partiality(AS) and accepts no bribes.(AT) 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow,(AU) and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.(AV) 19 And you are to love(AW) those who are foreigners,(AX) for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.(AY) 20 Fear the Lord your God and serve him.(AZ) Hold fast(BA) to him and take your oaths in his name.(BB) 21 He is the one you praise;(BC) he is your God, who performed for you those great(BD) and awesome wonders(BE) you saw with your own eyes. 22 Your ancestors who went down into Egypt were seventy in all,(BF) and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.(BG)

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 10:1 That is, a chest