THE FIFTH BOOK OF

MOSES,
called
D E U T E R O N O M Y

Deuteronomy 10

1Moses proceedeth to relate the mercy of God in restoring the two tables, 6continuing the priesthood, 8separating the tribe of Levi, 10and hearkening unto his suit for the people. 12He exhorteth to obedience.


1AT1 that time the LORD said unto me, Hewa thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an 2ark of wood.

1 When the LORD’S wrath was now appeased after my intercession, which is related in the end of the previous chapter.

a Exod. 34:1.

2 Or, chest. This may be understood of a chest wherein Moses was to lay the tables until such a time that the ark of the covenant (Exod. 25:21) would be made; or, of the ark of the covenant itself, which God here commanded to be made afterwards.

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 3shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.

3 See Exod. 25 on verse 5.

4And 4he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the 5ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire 6in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.

4 Namely, the LORD.

5 Or, ten words.

6 As Deut. 9:10.

5And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there 7they be, as the LORD commanded me.

7 Or, they were.

6¶And the children of Israel tookb their journey from 8Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died,c and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead.

b Num. 33:30.

8 Or, Beeroth-Bene-jaakan and Mosera. Some are of the opinion that two journeys are here joined together; albeit they first journeyed from Moseroth and then next from Bene-jaakan. See Num. 33:31, 32. Yet it may be that there was a place at mount Hor (where Aaron died), that was called Moser or Mosera. Between the journey from Bene-jaakan and Aaron’s death upon mount Hor there are several journeys and campings recorded in Numbers 33. See at that place so that this Beeroth-Bene-jaakan may have been perhaps another place than Bene-jaakan, simply so called, which the attentive reader may take into consideration.

c Num. 20:28; 33:38.

7From thence they journeyed unto 9Gudgodah;d and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.

9 Num. 33:32, 33. Hor-hagidgad.

d Num. 33:32, 33.

8¶At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, 10to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless 11in his name, unto this day.

10 That is, to minister unto Him (as the following words declare) in the performance of the worship service in His holy habitation. Compare Deut. 17:12; 18:5, 7; Judges 20:28; 1 Kings 17:1; Psalm 134:1; 135:2; Ezek. 44:15, 16.

11 To pronounce by warrant and authority from Him the blessing of God in His Name upon the people at the parting of the congregation. See Lev. 9 on verse 23.

9Wherefore 12Levi hath noe part nor inheritance with his brethren; 13the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.

12 That is, the tribe of Levi, or the Levites.

e Num. 18:20, 21, etc.; Deut. 18:1; Ezek. 44:28.

13 That is, that which is offered unto the LORD by the other tribes, from which they are to live, according to the ordinance of the Lord given concerning it. See Num. 18:20, 21, 22, 23, etc.

10And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, fortyf days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkenedg unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee.

f Deut. 9:18.

g Deut. 9:19.

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.

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 14ways, and to love him, and toh serve the LORD thy God 15with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

14 See Gen. 18 on verse 19.

h Deut. 6:5; Mat. 22:37; Luke 10:27.

15 As Deut. 6:5.

13To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day 16for thy good?

16 See Deut. 6:25.

14Behold, the heaven and the heaven 17of heavens is the LORD's thy God, the earthialso, with all that therein is.

17 That is, the highest heaven, as also in 1 Kings 8:27, which is called the third heaven in 2 Cor. 12:2. Heaven of heavens is said, as in the Song of Solomon the song of songs, vanity of vanities, king of kings, servant of servants.

i Gen. 14:19; Psalm 24:1; 115:16.

1518Only 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.

18 Moses intimates that there was no cause of the election of Israel and of their fathers, but the mere good pleasure and the free grace of God; for, all His creatures, in regard of creation, were equally nigh unto Him; He stood not in need of any, and it was free for Him to leave Israel and their fathers in their sinful state and condition as other nations or to choose (them), and to show mercy to whom and to what people He pleased. Compare Exod. 33:19; Deut. 9:4, 5, 6, etc.; Joshua 24:2, 3; Mat. 11:26; Acts 13:17; 14:16; Rom. 9:15; 11:35; Eph. 1:5, 9, 11, etc.

1619Circumcise therefore the foreskin of yourj heart, and be no more stiffnecked.k

19 That is, put away from your heart all that opposes the holy will of the LORD, and crucify your flesh. Compare Jer. 4:4; Rom. 2:28, 29; Col. 2:11. Of the word stiffnecked see Exod. 32 on verse 9.

j Jer. 4:4.

k Exod. 32:9; 33:3; 34:9; Deut. 9:13.

17For the LORD your God is God of 20gods, and Lordl of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth notm21persons, nor taketh reward:

20 That is, idols are nothing, but This (One) is the only, true, most high God, Who also rules over all angels and persons, who, in respect of some Divine office or ministry, are called gods. Also in Psalm 50:1. Compare 1 Cor. 8:5, 6; Rev. 17:14; 19:16.

l Rev. 17:14.

m 2 Chron. 19:6, 7; Job 34:19; Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11; Gal. 2:6; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25; 1 Peter 1:17.

21 That is, Who hath no respect to any outward difference or distinction of persons, whether any be rich or poor, native or strangers, Jew or pagan, etc. See also Lev. 19 on verse 15.

18He 22doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.

22 Or, Who doth.

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

20Thou shalt fearn the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve,o and to him shalt thou cleave, and 23swear by his name.

n Deut. 6:13; Mat. 4:10; Luke 4:8.

o Deut. 13:4.

23 See Deut. 6 on verse 13.

21He is thy 24praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

24 That is, Who by His grace and mercy giveth thee occasion to praise Him and in Whom thou hast cause to glory, and Whose praise thou oughtest continually to bear in thy heart and mouth. Compare Jer. 17:14.

22Thy fathers went down into 25Egypt with threescore and tenp26persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee asq the 27stars of heaven for multitude.

25 See Gen. 12 on verse 10.

p Gen. 46:27; Exod. 1:5; Acts 7:14.

26 That is, they were no more than seventy persons.

q Gen. 15:5.

27 See Gen. 13 on verse 16; Gen. 15:5.