Deuteronomy 10
Chapter 10
A New Copy of the Covenant
1 “At that time the LORD said to me, ‘Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones. Also make a wooden Ark—a sacred chest to store them in. Come up to me on the mountain,
2 and I will write on the tablets the same words that were on the ones you smashed. Then place the tablets in the Ark.’
3 “So I made an Ark of acacia wood and cut two stone tablets like the first two. Then I went up the mountain with the tablets in my hand.4 Once again the LORD wrote the Ten Commandmentst on the tablets and gave them to me. They were the same words the LORD had spoken to you from the heart of the fire on the day you were assembled at the foot of the mountain.
5 Then I turned and came down the mountain and placed the tablets in the Ark of the Covenant, which I had made, just as the LORD commanded me. And the tablets are still there in the Ark.”
6 (The people of Israel set out from the wells of the people of Jaakant and traveled to Moserah, where Aaron died and was buried. His son Eleazar ministered as high priest in his place.7 Then they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from there to Jotbathah, a land with many brooks and streams.8 At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant, and to stand before the LORD as his ministers, and to pronounce blessings in his name. These are their duties to this day.
9 That is why the Levites have no share of property or possession of land among the other Israelite tribes. The LORD himself is their special possession, as the LORD your God told them.)
10 “As for me, I stayed on the mountain in the LORD’s presence for forty days and nights, as I had done the first time. And once again the LORD listened to my pleas and agreed not to destroy you.
11 Then the LORD said to me, ‘Get up and resume the journey, and lead the people to the land I swore to give to their ancestors, so they may take possession of it.’
A Call to Love and Obedience
12 “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the LORD your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.
13 And you must always obey the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.
14 “Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the LORD your God.15 Yet the LORD chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above all other nations, as is evident today.
16 Therefore, change your heartst and stop being stubborn.
17 “For the LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed.18 He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.19 So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.20 You must fear the LORD your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone.21 He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes.
22 When your ancestors went down into Egypt, there were only seventy of them. But now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky!
DEUTERONOMY 10
The Second Set //of Commandments
(Exodus 34.1-10)
Moses said to the people:
1 The [Lord] told me to chisel out two flat stones, just like the ones he had given me earlier. He also commanded me to make a wooden chest, then come up the mountain and meet with him.
2 He told me that he would write on the new stones the same words he had written on the ones I broke, and that I could put these stones in this sacred chest.
3 So I made a chest out of acacia wood, and I chiseled two flat stones like the ones I broke. Then I carried the stones up the mountain,
4 where the [Lord] wrote the Ten Commandments on them, just as he had done the first time. The commandments were exactly what he had announced from the fire, when you were gathered at the mountain.
After the [Lord] returned the stones to me,
5 I took them down the mountainside and put them in the chest, just as he had commanded. And they are still there.Aaron Died
(Numbers 20.22-29)
Moses said to Israel:
6 t Later we set up camp at the wells belonging to the descendants of Jaakan.t Then we moved on and camped at Moserah, where Aaron died and was buried, and his son Eleazar became the priest.
7 Next, we camped at Gudgodah and then at Jotbathah, where there are flowing streams.The Levites Were Appointed //To Carry the Chest
Moses said to Israel:
8 t After I put the two stones in the sacred chest, t the [Lord] chose the tribe of Levi, not only to carry the chest, but also to serve as his priests at the place of worship and to bless the other tribes in his name. And they still do these things.
9 The [Lord] promised that he would always provide for the tribe of Levi, and that's why he won't give them any land, when he divides it among the other tribes.The [Lord] Answered //the Prayers of Moses
(Exodus 34.9,10, 27-29)
Moses said to Israel:
10 t When I had taken the second set of stones up the mountain, I spent 40 days and nights there, just as I had done before. Once again, the [Lord] answered my prayer and did not destroy you.
11 Instead, he told me, “Moses, get ready to lead the people into the land that I promised their ancestors.”tWhat the [Lord] Wants
Moses said:
12 People of Israel, what does the [Lord] your God want from you? The [Lord] wants you to respect and follow him, to love and serve him with all your heart and soul,
13 and to obey his laws and teachings that I am giving you today. Do this, and all will go well for you.
14 Everything belongs to the [Lord] your God, not only the earth and everything on it, but also the sky and the highest heavens.
15 Yet the [Lord] loved your ancestors and wanted them to belong to him. So he chose them and their descendants rather than any other nation, and today you are still his people.
16 Remember your agreement with the [Lord] and stop being so stubborn. 17 t The [Lord] your God is more powerful than all other gods and lords, and his tremendous power is to be feared. His decisions are always fair, and you cannot bribe him to change his mind. 18 t The [Lord] defends the rights of orphans and widows. He cares for foreigners and gives them food and clothing.
19 And you should also care for them, because you were foreigners in Egypt.
20 Respect the [Lord] your God, be faithful, and serve only him, making promises in his name.
21 Offer your praises to him, because you have seen him work such terrifying miracles for you.
22 t When your ancestors went to live in Egypt, there were only 70 of them. But the [Lord] has blessed you, and now there are more of you than there are stars in the sky.
