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
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 10
Commentary on Deuteronomy 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
De 10:1-22. God's Mercy in Restoring the Two Tables.
1. At that time the Lord said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first—It was when God had been pacified through the intercessions of Moses with the people who had so greatly offended Him by the worship of the golden calf. The obedient leader executed the orders he had received as to the preparation both of the hewn stones, and the ark or chest in which those sacred archives were to be laid.
3. And I made an ark of shittim wood—It appears, however, from Ex 37:1, that the ark was not framed till his return from the mount, or most probably, he gave instructions to Bezaleel, the artist employed on the work, before he ascended the mount—that, on his descent, it might be finished, and ready to receive the precious deposit.
4, 5. he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing—that is, not Moses, who under the divine direction acted as amanuensis, but God Himself who made this inscription a second time with His own hand, to testify the importance He attached to the ten commandments. Different from other stone monuments of antiquity, which were made to stand upright and in the open air, those on which the divine law was engraven were portable, and designed to be kept as a treasure. Josephus says that each of the tables contained five precepts. But the tradition generally received, both among Jewish and Christian writers is, that one table contained four precepts, the other six.
5. I … put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the Lord commanded me—Here is another minute, but important circumstance, the public mention of which at the time attests the veracity of the sacred historian.
6-9. the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera—So sudden a change from a spoken discourse to a historical narrative has greatly puzzled the most eminent biblical scholars, some of whom reject the parenthesis as a manifest interpolation. But it is found in the most ancient Hebrew manuscripts, and, believing that all contained in this book was given by inspiration and is entitled to profound respect, we must receive it as it stands, although acknowledging our inability to explain the insertion of these encampment details in this place. There is another difficulty in the narrative itself. The stations which the Israelites are said successively to have occupied are enumerated here in a different order from Nu 33:31. That the names of the stations in both passages are the same there can be no doubt; but, in Numbers, they are probably mentioned in reference to the first visit of the Hebrews during the long wandering southwards, before their return to Kadesh the second time; while here they have a reference to the second passage of the Israelites, when they again marched south, in order to compass the land of Edom. It is easy to conceive that Mosera (Hor) and the wells of Jaakan might lie in such a direction that a nomadic horde might, in different years, at one time take the former first in their way, and at another time the latter [Robinson].
10-22. Moses here resumes his address, and having made a passing allusion to the principal events in their history, concludes by exhorting them to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully.
16. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart—Here he teaches them the true and spiritual meaning of that rite, as was afterwards more strongly urged by Paul (Ro 2:25, 29), and should be applied by us to our baptism, which is "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God" [1Pe 3:21].