Chapter Ten

A reminder about the second tablets of the covenant and about the election of the tribe of Levi for service to God at the tabernacle. A clarification to the people of the spirit of the requirements of the divinely given law.

Deuteronomy 10:1. At that time the Lord said to me: Cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and come up to Me on the mountain, and make yourself a wooden ark; Deuteronomy 10:2. and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you shall put them in the ark. Deuteronomy 10:3. And I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and went up the mountain; and the two tablets were in my hands. Deuteronomy 10:4. And He wrote on the tablets, as He had written before, the ten words 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. Deuteronomy 10:5. And I turned and came down from the mountain, and placed the tablets in the ark that I had made, so that they would remain there, as the Lord had commanded me. Exod 25:10-22.

Deuteronomy 10:6. And the sons of Israel journeyed from Beeroth-bene-jaakan to Moserah; there Aaron died and was buried there, and his son Eleazar served as priest in his place. Deuteronomy 10:7. From there they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land with streams of water. See the note to Num 11:34-35 and to Num 33:1-49.

Deuteronomy 10:8. 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 serve Him [and to pray] and to bless in His name, as it continues to this day; Deuteronomy 10:9. therefore the Levite has no portion or inheritance with his brothers: the Lord Himself is his inheritance, as the Lord your God said to him. directly follow Deut 10:1-5. The expression “at that time” cannot refer to the moment when the Hebrews were standing in the places mentioned in Deut 10:6-7: the appointment of the tribe of Levi for service at the tabernacle came before the departure from Sinai and before the death of Aaron.

Deuteronomy 10:10. And I remained on the mountain as at the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the Lord listened to me this time also, [and] the Lord was not willing to destroy you; Deuteronomy 10:11. and the Lord said to me: Arise, go on your way before the people [these]; let them go and take possession of the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Exod 32:31-34.

Deuteronomy 10:16. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart and be no longer stiff-necked; The expression “to circumcise the foreskin of the heart” signifies the virtue of the inner, voluntary self-restraint of a person with regard to his unworthy thoughts (Matt 15:19), feelings, and actions (Lev 26:41; Jer 4:4; Ezek 44:9; Acts 7:51).

Deuteronomy 10:20. You shall fear the Lord your God; serve Him [alone] and hold fast to Him, and swear by His name; See the note to Deut 6:13.

Deuteronomy 10:22. Your fathers went down to Egypt with seventy [five] persons, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven. Exod 1:1-5; Num 1:46.