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.
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.
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.
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.
1 At that time H6256 the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Hew H6458 thee two H8147 tables H3871 of stone H68 like unto the first, H7223 and come up H5927 unto me into the mount, H2022 and make H6213 thee an ark H727 of wood. H6086
2 And I will write H3789 on the tables H3871 the words H1697 that were in the first H7223 tables H3871 which thou brakest, H7665 and thou shalt put H7760 them in the ark. H727
3 And I made H6213 an ark H727 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and hewed H6458 two H8147 tables H3871 of stone H68 like unto the first, H7223 and went up H5927 into the mount, H2022 having the two H8147 tables H3871 in mine hand. H3027
4 And he wrote H3789 on the tables, H3871 according to the first H7223 writing, H4385 the ten H6235 commandments, H1697 which the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto you in the mount H2022 out of the midst H8432 of the fire H784 in the day H3117 of the assembly: H6951 and the LORD H3068 gave H5414 them unto me.
5 And I turned H6437 myself and came down H3381 from the mount, H2022 and put H7760 the tables H3871 in the ark H727 which I had made; H6213 and there they be, as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 me.
6 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 took their journey H5265 from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan H885 to Mosera: H4149 there Aaron H175 died, H4191 and there he was buried; H6912 and Eleazar H499 his son H1121 ministered in the priest's office H3547 in his stead.
7 From thence they journeyed H5265 unto Gudgodah; H1412 and from Gudgodah H1412 to Jotbath, H3193 a land H776 of rivers H5158 of waters. H4325
8 At that time H6256 the LORD H3068 separated H914 the tribe H7626 of Levi, H3878 to bear H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 to stand H5975 before H6440 the LORD H3068 to minister H8334 unto him, and to bless H1288 in his name, H8034 unto this day. H3117
9 Wherefore Levi H3878 hath no part H2506 nor inheritance H5159 with his brethren; H251 the LORD H3068 is his inheritance, H5159 according as the LORD H3068 thy God H430 promised H1696 him.
10 And I stayed H5975 in the mount, H2022 according to the first H7223 time, H3117 forty H705 days H3117 and forty H705 nights; H3915 and the LORD H3068 hearkened H8085 unto me at that time H6471 also, and the LORD H3068 would H14 not destroy H7843 thee.
11 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Arise, H6965 take H3212 thy journey H4550 before H6440 the people, H5971 that they may go in H935 and possess H3423 the land, H776 which I sware H7650 unto their fathers H1 to give H5414 unto them.
12 And now, Israel, H3478 what doth the LORD H3068 thy God H430 require H7592 of thee, but to fear H3372 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 to walk H3212 in all his ways, H1870 and to love H157 him, and to serve H5647 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 with all thy heart H3824 and with all thy soul, H5315
13 To keep H8104 the commandments H4687 of the LORD, H3068 and his statutes, H2708 which I command H6680 thee this day H3117 for thy good? H2896
14 Behold, the heaven H8064 and the heaven H8064 of heavens H8064 is the LORD'S H3068 thy God, H430 the earth H776 also, with all that therein is.
15 Only the LORD H3068 had a delight H2836 in thy fathers H1 to love H157 them, and he chose H977 their seed H2233 after H310 them, even you above all people, H5971 as it is this day. H3117
16 Circumcise H4135 therefore the foreskin H6190 of your heart, H3824 and be no more stiffnecked. H6203 H7185
17 For the LORD H3068 your God H430 is God H430 of gods, H430 and Lord H113 of lords, H113 a great H1419 God, H410 a mighty, H1368 and a terrible, H3372 which regardeth H5375 not persons, H6440 nor taketh H3947 reward: H7810
18 He doth execute H6213 the judgment H4941 of the fatherless H3490 and widow, H490 and loveth H157 the stranger, H1616 in giving H5414 him food H3899 and raiment. H8071
19 Love H157 ye therefore the stranger: H1616 for ye were strangers H1616 in the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
20 Thou shalt fear H3372 the LORD H3068 thy God; H430 him shalt thou serve, H5647 and to him shalt thou cleave, H1692 and swear H7650 by his name. H8034
21 He is thy praise, H8416 and he is thy God, H430 that hath done H6213 for thee these great H1419 and terrible things, H3372 which thine eyes H5869 have seen. H7200
22 Thy fathers H1 went down H3381 into Egypt H4714 with threescore and ten H7657 persons; H5315 and now the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath made H7760 thee as the stars H3556 of heaven H8064 for multitude. H7230
1 At 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.
2 And 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.
3 So 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.
4 And 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.
5 And 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.
7 From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water.
8 At 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.
9 Wherefore Levi hath no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; Jehovah is his inheritance, according as Jehovah thy God spake unto him.)
10 And 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.
11 And 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.
12 And 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,
13 to keep the commandments of Jehovah, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?
14 Behold, unto Jehovah thy God belongeth heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein.
15 Only 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.
16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
17 For 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.
18 He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the sojourner, in giving him food and raiment.
19 Love ye therefore the sojourner; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
20 Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God; him shalt thou serve; and to him shalt thou cleave, and by his name shalt thou swear.
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 Jehovah thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.
1 `At that time hath Jehovah said unto me, Grave for thee two tables of stone, like the first, and come up unto Me, into the mount, and thou hast made for thee an ark of wood,
2 and I write on the tables the words which were on the first tables, which thou hast broken, and thou hast placed them in the ark;
3 and I make an ark of shittim wood, and grave two tables of stone like the first, and go up to the mount, and the two tables in my hand.
4 `And He writeth on the tables, according to the first writing, the Ten Matters, which Jehovah hath spoken unto you in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, in the day of the assembly, and Jehovah giveth them unto me,
5 and I turn and come down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made, and they are there, as Jehovah commanded me.
6 `And the sons of Israel have journeyed from Beeroth of the sons of Jaakan to Mosera, there Aaron died, and he is buried there, and Eleazar his son doth act as priest in his stead;
7 thence they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water.
8 `At that time hath Jehovah separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, to stand before Jehovah, to serve Him, and to bless in His name, unto this day,
9 therefore there hath not been to Levi a portion and inheritance with his brethren; Jehovah Himself `is' his inheritance, as Jehovah thy God hath spoken to him.
10 `And I -- I have stood in the mount, as the former days, forty days and forty nights, and Jehovah hearkeneth unto me also at that time; Jehovah hath not willed to destroy thee.
11 `And Jehovah saith unto me, Rise, go to journey before the people, and they go in and possess the land which I have sworn to their fathers to give to them.
12 `And now, Israel, what is Jehovah thy God asking from thee, except 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,
13 to keep the commands of Jehovah, and His statutes which I am commanding thee to-day, for good to thee?
14 `Lo, to Jehovah thy God `are' the heavens and the heavens of the heavens, the earth and all that `is' in it;
15 only in thy fathers hath Jehovah delighted -- to love them, and He doth fix on their seed after them -- on you, out of all the peoples as `at' this day;
16 and ye have circumcised the foreskin of your heart, and your neck ye do not harden any more;
17 for Jehovah your God -- He `is' God of the gods, and Lord of the lords; God, the great, the mighty, and the fearful; who accepteth not persons, nor taketh a bribe;
18 He is doing the judgment of fatherless and widow, and loving the sojourner, to give to him bread and raiment.
19 `And ye have loved the sojourner, for sojourners ye were in the land of Egypt.
20 `Jehovah thy God thou dost fear, Him thou dost serve, and to Him thou dost cleave, and by His name thou dost swear.
21 He `is' thy praise, and He `is' thy God, who hath done with thee these great and fearful `things' which thine eyes have seen:
22 with seventy persons did thy fathers go down to Egypt, and now hath Jehovah thy God made thee as stars of the heavens for multitude.
1 At that time Jehovah said unto me, Hew for thyself two tables of stone like the first, and come up unto me into the mountain, and make thee an ark of wood;
2 and I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which thou didst break, and thou shalt lay them in the ark.
3 And I made an ark of acacia-wood, and hewed two tables of stone like the first, and went up the mountain with the two tables in my hand.
4 And he wrote on the tables, as the first writing, the ten words which Jehovah spoke unto you on the mountain, from the midst of the fire, on the day of the assembly, and Jehovah gave them unto me.
5 And I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; -- and they are there, as Jehovah commanded me.
6 (And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth-Bene-Jaakan to Moserah: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son exercised the priesthood in his stead.
7 From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of water-brooks.)
8 At that time Jehovah separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, to stand before Jehovah to do service unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
9 Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; Jehovah is his inheritance, according as Jehovah thy God told him.
10 But I stood upon the mountain according to the former days, forty days and forty nights; and Jehovah listened unto me also at that time: Jehovah would not destroy thee.
11 And Jehovah said unto me, Rise up, take thy journey before the people, that they may enter in and possess the land, which I swore unto their fathers to give unto them.
12 And 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,
13 to keep the commandments of Jehovah, and his statutes, which I command thee this day, for thy good?
14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to Jehovah thy God; the earth and all that is therein.
15 Only, Jehovah took pleasure in thy fathers, to love them, and he chose their seed after them, [even] you, out of all the peoples, as it is this day.
16 Circumcise then the foreskin of your heart, and stiffen your neck no more.
17 For Jehovah your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of lords, the great ùGod, the mighty and the terrible, who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward;
18 who executeth the judgment of the fatherless and the widow, and loveth the stranger, to give him food and clothing.
19 And ye shall love the stranger; for ye have been strangers in the land of Egypt.
20 Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God; him thou shalt serve, and unto him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
21 He is thy praise, and he is thy God, who hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.
22 With seventy souls thy fathers went down into Egypt; and now Jehovah thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.
1 At that time Yahweh said to me, Hew you two tables of stone like the first, and come up to me onto the mountain, and make an ark of wood.
2 I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark.
3 So I made an ark of acacia wood, and hewed two tables of stone like the first, and went up onto the mountain, having the two tables in my hand.
4 He wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which Yahweh spoke to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and Yahweh gave them to me.
5 I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tables 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.
7 From there they traveled to Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water.
8 At that time Yahweh set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, to stand before Yahweh to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day.
9 Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brothers; Yahweh is his inheritance, according as Yahweh your God spoke to him.)
10 I 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.
11 Yahweh 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.
12 Now, 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,
13 to keep the commandments of Yahweh, and his statutes, which I command you this day for your good?
14 Behold, to Yahweh your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein.
15 Only Yahweh had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day.
16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.
17 For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn't regard persons, nor takes reward.
18 He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing.
19 Therefore love the foreigner; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
20 You shall fear Yahweh your God; him shall you serve; and to him shall you cleave, and by his name shall you swear.
21 He is your praise, and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things, which your eyes have seen.
22 Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude.
1 At that time the Lord said to me, Make two other stones, cut like the first two, and come up to me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood.
2 And I will put on the stones the words which were on the first stones which were broken by you, and you are to put them into the ark.
3 So I made an ark of hard wood, and had two stones cut like the others, and went up the mountain with the stones in my hands.
4 And he put on the stones, as in the first writing, the ten rules which the Lord gave you on the mountain out of the fire on the day of the great meeting: and the Lord gave the stones to me.
5 And turning round I came down from the mountain and put the stones in the ark which I had made; and there they are as the Lord gave me orders.
6 (And the children of Israel went on from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah: there death came to Aaron and he was put to rest in the earth; and Eleazar, his son, took his place as priest.
7 From there they went on to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of streams of water.
8 At that time the Lord had the tribe of Levi marked out to take up the ark of the Lord's agreement, to be before the Lord and to do his work and to give blessings in his name, to this day.
9 For this reason Levi has no part or heritage for himself among his brothers: the Lord is his heritage, as the Lord your God said to him.)
10 And I was in the mountain, as at the first time, for forty days and forty nights; and again the ears of the Lord were open to my prayer, and he did not send destruction on you.
11 Then the Lord said to me, Get up and go on your journey before the people, so that they may go in and take the land which I said in my oath to their fathers that I would give them.
12 And now, Israel, what would the Lord your God have you do, but to go in the fear of the Lord your God, walking in all his ways and loving him and doing his pleasure with all your heart and all your soul,
13 Doing the orders of the Lord and keeping his laws which I give you this day for your good?
14 The Lord your God is ruler of heaven, of the heaven of heavens, and of the earth with everything in it.
15 But the Lord had delight in your fathers and love for them, marking out for himself their seed after them, even you, from all peoples, as at this day.
16 Let your circumcision be of the heart, and put away your pride.
17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, strong in power and greatly to be feared, who has no respect for any man's position and takes no rewards:
18 Judging uprightly in the cause of the widow and of the child who has no father, and giving food and clothing in his mercy to the man from a strange country.
19 So be kind to the man from a strange country who is living among you, for you yourselves were living in a strange country in the land of Egypt.
20 Let the fear of the Lord your God be before you, give him worship and be true to him at all times, taking your oaths in his name.
21 He is your God, the God of your praise, your God who has done for you all these works of power which your eyes have seen.
22 Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now the Lord your God has made you like the stars of heaven in number.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 10
Commentary on Deuteronomy 10 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 10
In this chapter an account is given of an order to Moses to hew two tables of stone, on which the Lord would write the words that were on the first, and to make an ark and put them into it, all which was accordingly done, Deuteronomy 10:1 and of some of the journeys of the children of Israel, Deuteronomy 10:6 and of the separation of the tribe of Levi to the service of the sanctuary, Deuteronomy 10:8 and of Moses's stay in the mount forty days and nights, and his success there, and the direction he had to lead on the people of Israel towards Canaan's land, Deuteronomy 10:10 and who by various arguments are exhorted to fear the Lord, and serve him, and keep his commands, Deuteronomy 10:12.
At that time the Lord said unto me,.... On the fortieth day, mentioned in the preceding chapter, as Aben Ezra, or at the end of forty days, as Jarchi; not of the first forty, for then were given him the first two tables of stone, with the law written on them, which he broke when he came down; but at the end of the second forty days, as some think, when he had fallen before the Lord, and entreated him for the people, and, as a token of his reconciliation to them, gave the following order:
hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, &c. Of the same sort of stone, of the same size and form with those God gave him in the mount the first time he was there, and which he broke in his descent from thence; they were the work of God, but these were to be hewed by Moses: the order seems to be given between the request Moses made to see the glory of the Lord, and the proclamation made of it, see Exodus 34:1, and come up unto me into the mount; Mount Sinai; this was certainly the third time of his going up there, and where he continued forty days and nights; but whether he continued there so long the second time may be a matter of question, though he certainly did the third time; see Exodus 32:30.
and make thee an ark of wood; Jarchi thinks this was not the ark Bezaleel made, but made after, and is that which went out to battle; and some take it to be a temporary ark, made for the present purpose till that was finished; but Aben Ezra is of opinion it is the same that Bezaleel made: and it may be said to be made by Moses, because he was not only ordered to make it, but it was by his orders and the direction he gave to Bezaleel that it was made; and this seems the more probable, because there the tables remained, Deuteronomy 10:5.
And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest,....F1See a Sermon of mine on this text, called, "The Law in the Hand of Christ." Though they were hewn by Moses, the writing on them was the Lord's; and the very same laws, in the same words, without any alteration or variation, were written by him on these as on the former; partly to show the authenticity of them, that they were of God and not Moses, of a divine original and not human; and partly to show the invariableness of them, that no change had been made in them, though they had been broken by the people; of which Moses's breaking the tables was a representation:
and thou shall put them in the ark; which being a type of Christ may signify the fulfilment of the law by him, who is the end, the fulfilling end of the law for righteousness to every believer; and that as this was in his heart to fulfil it, so it is in his hand as a rule of faith and conversation to his people.
And I made an ark of shittim wood,.... That is, ordered it to be made, and it was made by Bezaleel, and that of shittim wood: so the ark that was put into the holy of holies was made of this wood; see See Gill on Exodus 25:10; see Gill on Exodus 37:1,
and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; two marble ones, as the Targum of Jonathan; that is, he ordered them to be hewed, and took care that they should be exactly made as the former were, of which he had perfect knowledge, having received them of the Lord, and brought them with him down the mount:
and went up into the mount, having the two tables in my hand; in order to have the words of the law, the ten commands, written on them, these being only hewn stones, without anything on them: they were very probably marble, of which great quantities were near at hand.
And he wrote on the tables according to the first writing,.... The same laws, in the same letters:
the ten commandments which the Lord spake unto you in the mount; in Mount Sinai, on which he descended, and from whence he delivered the decalogue by word of mouth in an audible manner, that all the people could hear it:
out of the midst of the fire; in which he descended, and where he continued, and from whence he spake, so that it was indeed a fiery law:
in the day of the assembly; when all the people of Israel were assembled together at the bottom of the mount to hear it:
and the Lord gave them unto me; the two tables, when he had wrote upon them the ten commands.
And I turned myself,.... From the Lord, out of whose hands he had received the tables:
and came down from the mount; with the two tables in his hand as before, one in one hand, and the other in the other hand:
and put the tables in the ark which I had made; or ordered to be made:
and there they be, as the Lord commanded me; there they were when Moses rehearsed what is contained in this book, on the plains of Moab, about thirty eight years after the putting them, into it; and there they continued to be when the ark was brought into Solomon's temple, 1 Kings 8:9 and there they were as long as the ark was in being; which may denote the continuance of the law in the hands of Christ under the Gospel dispensation as a rule of walk and conversation to his people.
And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan,.... Not when or soon after they removed from Sinai; for if this place is the same with Benejaakan, as is generally supposed, they had a great many journeys, mansions, and stations before they came to it; see Numbers 33:31 and besides, since Aaron, according to this account, died at their next station from hence, that was thirty eight years after their departure from Mount Sinai; and it is hard to say what should be the reason of making mention of these two or three journeys here; and whereas they are here said to journey front the place here mentioned
to Mosera; on the contrary in Numbers 33:31 they are said to depart from Mosera, and pitch in Benejaakan; which is accounted for by their going backwards and forwards, and so both may be true. Aben Ezra is of opinion, that Beeroth Benejaakan, or the wells of the children of Jaakan, is not the same with Bene Jaakan, nor Mosera the same with Moseroth; but Beeroth is Kadesh, and Mosera is the name of the desert of Mount Hor; and it is certain that Moseroth was the twenty seventh station, and Mosera, or the desert of Mount Hor, where Aaron died, was the thirty fourth, and therefore must be distant; see Numbers 33:30, which seems to agree with what follows:
there Aaron died, and there he was buried; it is certain that Aaron died on Mount Hor, Numbers 20:23, or there died and was buried when in the desert of Mosera:
and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead; so that though the high priest died, the office continued, and the law of it remained in force, and the tribe of Levi was separated for the service of the sanctuary, as afterwards expressed.
From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah,.... Which Jarchi takes to be the same with Horhagidgad, and so do most; see Numbers 33:32, but Aben Ezra says it is not, but is a general name, including Zalmonah, Punon, and Oboth, places the Israelites came to after they removed from Mount Hor, where Aaron died; see Numbers 33:41.
and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters; which the above writer takes to be the same with Beer, the well, Numbers 21:16 and by this description of it, it was a place where there was much water.
At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi,.... Not at the time that Moses came down from the mount with the tables of the law, but some considerable time after, even after the tabernacle was erected; nor at the time that Aaron died, and Eleazar succeeded him, but many years before that; unless there was a fresh separation of them, or a renewal of it when Eleazar became high priest in his father's stead; and so that being mentioned is the reason of its being repeated here:
to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord; even that into which the law, sometimes called the covenant, was put, and therefore here called the ark of the covenant: when this was carried from place to place, as it was especially in the wilderness, it was the business of the Levites to bear it, particularly the Kohathites; Numbers 3:31,
to stand before the Lord to minister unto him; that is, to his priests, in the tabernacle, and to keep and guard that:
and to bless in his name unto this day; not to bless the people, which was the work of the priest, but to sing praise in the name of the Lord, to give thanks unto him, and bless and praise him.
Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren,.... In the division of the land of Canaan, because being separated to the service of the sanctuary, he had no leisure to plough and sow, as Jarchi observes:
the Lord is his inheritance, as the Lord thy God promised him; not in a spiritual sense, for so the Lord was an inheritance and portion of other Israelites; though these being taken off of worldly employments, and devoted to sanctuary service, might have more communion with God than others; but in a temporal sense, provision being made particularly by tithes, which were the Lord's, for their maintenance; and so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase the words;"gifts which the Lord gave him are his inheritance;'see Numbers 18:20.
And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights,.... Which is to be connected with Deuteronomy 10:6 and relates what passed before he came down from the mount with the two tables; as that he stayed there as long as he did when he received the first tables, and fasted also as long as he did then; see Exodus 34:28.
and the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also; to his prayer on the behalf of the people:
and the Lord would not destroy thee; though he had threatened it, and their sin had deserved it.
And the Lord said unto me, arise, take thy journey before the people,.... Here Moses goes on with his relation of things at Mount Sinai, how that upon his supplication for the people, on account of the destruction they were threatened with for their idolatry, the Lord was graciously pleased not only to hear him and forgive the people, but ordered him to go before them, and lead them on towards the land of Canaan he had promised them, Exodus 32:34,
that they may go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them; and which had it not been for their later murmurings and rebellions, they had been in the possession of it in a little time, especially after their departure from Sinai.
And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee,.... For all these favours bestowed upon them, the forgiveness of their sins, and a fresh intimation of their possession of the land of Canaan, and the renewal of the promise of it made to their fathers:
but to fear the Lord thy God; to fear him with a filial fear, to fear him and his goodness, and him for his goodness sake, and particularly for his pardoning grace and mercy vouchsafed to them; see Psalm 130:4,
to walk in all his ways; prescribed and directed to by him, every path of duty, whether moral, ceremonial, or judicial:
and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; for that is the best service which springs from love, and love constrains unto, and which is hearty and sincere, as that is, and is performed in the best manner such are capable of.
To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes,.... Both the ten commands and all others:
which I command thee this day for thy good; promises of temporal good things, introduction into the land of Canaan, possession of it, and continuance in it, being made to obedience to them.
Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, are the Lord's thy God,.... Made and possessed by him; the airy and starry heaven, the third heaven, which is the heaven of heavens, the seat of the divine Majesty, the habitation of angels and glorified saints:
the earth also, with all that therein is; that is his property, and at his disposal, being made by him, and all that is upon it, or contained in it, even whatsoever is on or in the whole terraqueous globe; see Psalm 115:15.
Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them,.... Though the heavens and the earth, and all the inhabitants of them are the Lord's by creation, yet he had a special regard unto, and a peculiar complacency in, the fathers of the Israelites, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; from whence arose some particular expressions of love to them, signified by various acts of kindness done them, and promises made unto them:
and he chose their seed after them, even you above all the people, as it is this day; to be a special people to him, to enjoy civil and religious privileges greater than any other; and particularly to have his law given to them, his tabernacle and worship set up among them, which were at this time, and which gave them the preference to all other nations; see Deuteronomy 4:7.
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart,.... Content not yourselves with, nor put your confidence in outward circumcision of the flesh, but be concerned for the circumcision of the heart; for removing from that whatever is disagreeable to the Lord, even all carnality, sensuality, hypocrisy, and superfluity of naughtiness, and for having that put there which is well pleasing in his sight; and which though it is the work of God, and he only can do it and has promised it, yet such an exhortation is made to bring men to a sense of their need of it, and of the importance of it, and to show how agreeable it is to the Lord, and so to stir them up to seek unto him for it; see Deuteronomy 30:6.
and be no more stiffnecked; froward, obstinate, and disobedient, as they had been hitherto; Deuteronomy 9:6.
For the Lord your God is God of gods,.... Of angels and civil magistrates, who are sometimes so called: these are his creatures, act for him and under him, and are accountable to him:
the Lord of lords; of the kings and princes of the earth, who have their crowns, sceptres, and kingdoms from him, and hold them of him, by and under whom they reign and decree judgment, and who are subject to his authority and control:
a great God; as the perfections of his nature, the works of his hands, the blessings of his providence and grace, and the extensiveness of his dominion in heaven, earth, and hell, show him to be:
a mighty and a terrible; mighty and powerful to help, protect, and defend his people; terrible to his and their enemies, even to the kings of the earth:
which regardeth not persons; but bestows his favours, whether in a way of providence or grace, according to his sovereign will and pleasure, without regard to the works and merits of men, their characters or circumstances:
nor taketh reward; or bribes, to avert threatened and deserved judgments; see Job 36:18.
He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow,.... Who have none to help them, and whose patron and defender he is, and will do them justice himself, and take care that it is done them by others, or avenge their injuries, for he is a Father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widow, in his holy habitation; Psalm 68:5.
and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment; one that is in a foreign country, at a distance from his native land, and destitute of friends; such God in his providence takes care of, and expresses his love and kindness to, by giving them the necessaries of life, food, and raiment.
Love ye therefore the stranger,.... Because the Lord loves him; and another reason follows, particularly binding on the Israelites:
for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt; and therefore should sympathize with such, and show them compassion, relieve them in distress, and afford them whatever they want, and is in the power of their hands to communicate to them; remembering their own condition in Egypt, and how welcome such a treatment would have been to them then, as well as the kind and careful providence of God towards them at that time.
Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God,.... Which includes the whole worship of him, external and internal:
him shalt thou serve; heartily and sincerely, according to his revealed will, and him only:
and to him shall thou cleave; and not turn aside to follow other gods, and worship them:
and swear by his name; and his only, whenever it is necessary to take an oath, which should not be done rashly or on trivial accounts; and never by any creature, but by the living God; see Deuteronomy 6:13.
He is thy praise,.... The object and matter of it, who deserves the praises of all his creatures, because of his perfections, works, and blessings of goodness; for all mercies temporal and spiritual come from him, and therefore he is greatly to be praised for them: praise is his due, and it is comely in his people to give it to him; see Jeremiah 17:14.
and he is thy God which hath done for thee these great and terrible things which thine eyes have seen; which were done upon the Egyptians for their sakes, both in the land of Egypt and at the Red sea; and also what he had done for them in the wilderness, to Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites, Psalm 106:22.
Thy fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons,.... That is, in all; for there were not seventy besides Jacob and the patriarchs his sons, but with them; see Genesis 46:26 and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude; as he promised they should be, Genesis 15:5.