Deuteronomy 10

At that time the LORD said to me, “Cut two stone tablets like the first, and come up to me onto the mountain, and make an ark of wood.

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.”

So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut two stone tablets like the first, and went up onto the mountain, having the two tablets in my hand.

He wrote on the tablets, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spoke to you on the mountain out of the middle of the fire in the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them to me.

I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are as the LORD commanded me.

(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.

From there they traveled to Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water.

At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the LORD’s covenant, to stand before the LORD to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day.

Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD your God spoke to him.)

I stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD listened to me that time also. The LORD would not destroy you.

The LORD 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.”

Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

to keep the LORD’s commandments and statutes, which I command you today for your good?

Behold, to the LORD your God belongs heaven, the heaven of heavens, and the earth, with all that is therein.

Only the LORD had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their offspring after them, even you above all peoples, as it is today.

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.

For the LORD your God, he is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons or take bribes.

He executes justice for the fatherless and widow and loves the foreigner in giving him food and clothing.

Therefore love the foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him. You shall cling to him, and you shall swear by his name.

He is your praise, and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.

Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now the LORD your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude.

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter recounts the renewal of the covenant after Israel’s idolatry with the golden calf, focusing on God’s faithful restoration of the broken relationship, the reestablishment of the ark and priesthood, and a powerful call to wholehearted devotion. It transitions from historical narrative to ethical exhortation, grounding Israel’s obligations in the character of God and his merciful actions on their behalf.

Flow.

The LORD commands Moses to prepare new stone tablets and an ark, mirroring the original covenant setup before the nation’s rebellion.
Moses narrates the renewal of the tablets with the ten commandments and the institution of the Levites’ service, linking sacred duties to the restored covenant.
The focus shifts to theological reflection: what God requires of Israel—not ceremonial performance, but inward transformation and exclusive loyalty rooted in his greatness and grace.
The chapter closes with an emphasis on God’s sovereign election and faithfulness, demonstrated in multiplying Israel as the stars, despite their small beginnings.

Connections.
Following chapter 9, which exposed Israel’s persistent sinfulness and the danger of self-righteousness, chapter 10 grounds hope not in human merit but in divine restoration—the re-creation of the tablets and the continued presence of the ark signal God’s enduring commitment. The appointment of Moses as intercessor and the setting apart of Levi provide structural stability amid judgment. This theme of gracious restoration prepares for chapter 11, which will press the implications of God’s love and faithfulness into a more extended call to obedience, grounded in remembrance and reverence for his mighty works.

What it teaches.
The chapter teaches that covenant relationship with God rests on his grace, not human perfection. Though Israel broke the law, God graciously rewrote the commandments and restored mediation through Moses and the Levites (WCF 7.1; 19.1). The heart must be spiritually circumcised—transformed inwardly—because external compliance is insufficient before a God who sees the heart (Rom. 2:29; cf. HC LD 9). Service to the LORD is to be total, motivated by awe at his sovereignty (Creator and Judge), his justice for the vulnerable (WCF 21.4), and his electing love for Israel (CD I.7). The command to love the foreigner reflects God’s own character, who loves the outsider and calls his people to mirror that compassion (WCF 19.5).

Apply.
Hold fast to God’s mercy when conscience condemns, remembering that he renews what sin has broken and calls you to live from a heart transformed by his undeserved love.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.