Bible Commentaries

Deuteronomy 10:1 At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.

Ver. 1. Like unto the first.] Which Moses had broken; to show how we in our nature had broken the law, and could not be saved by the keeping of it. This Christ, our true Moses, repairs again, writing the law, not in tables of stone, but in the heart of believers, and enabling them in some good measure to keep it, [John 1:17] walking, as Luther phraseth it, in the heaven of the promise, but in the earth of the law; that in respect of believing, this of obeying.

Deuteronomy 10:2 And 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.

Ver. 2. Which thou brakest.] {See Trapp on "Exodus 34:1"}

Deuteronomy 10:3 And I made an ark [of] shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.

Ver. 3. And I made an ark.] In its use far beyond that Persian casket embroidered with gold and pearl, which Alexander reserved for Homer’s Iliad.

Deuteronomy 10:4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.

Ver. 4. Out of the midst of the fire.] The law was given in fire; it is "a law of fire," [Deuteronomy 33:2] given by God, who is "a consuming fire," [Hebrews 12:29] and hath a tribunal of fire, [Ezekiel 1:27] and shall plead with transgressors in flames of fire; [Isaiah 66:15-16] the trial of our works shall be by fire. [1 Corinthians 3:13] "Let us therefore have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear." It is the apostle’s use. [Hebrews 12:28]

Deuteronomy 10:5 And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.

Ver. 5. And put the tables in the ark.] Which was thenceforth called "the ark of the testimony."

Deuteronomy 10:6 And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest’s office in his stead.

Ver. 6. And the children of Israel.] Here are some seeming contradictions betwixt this place and that of Numbers 33:31-32. But though they seem to be, as the accusers of Christ, never a one speaking like the other, yet, if we well observe the text, and consult with interpreters, we shall find them, like Nathan and Bathsheba, both speaking the same things.

Deuteronomy 10:7 From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.

Ver. 7. A land of rivers of water.] A rare thing in a dry desert. Lysimachus sold his crown for a less matter.

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

Ver. 8. At that time,] viz., While they were yet at Mount Sinai; for the two former verses are inserted by a parenthesis.

The Lord separated the tribe of Levi.] This setting up of the ministry amongst them is reckoned as a sign of God’s singular love to them. And so it is to us, no doubt, albeit a late pamphleteer ^(a) makes that sacred and tremendous function of the ministry to be as mere an imposture, as very a mystery of iniquity, as arrant a fruad, as the Papacy itself. Now the Lord rebuke thee, Satan.

To stand before the Lord.] As also the angels do. [Luke 1:19]

Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

Ver. 12. What doth the Lord thy God require of thee?] Beneficium postulat officium; mercy calls for duty.

Require of thee.] Or, as some render it, Request of thee; the word here used signifieth, petere more mendicorum, to crave as beggars do; and so it is used in Psalms 109:10.

But to fear the Lord.] This is the totum hominis [Ecclesiastes 12:13] the bonum hominis [Micah 6:8] the unum necessarium [Luke 10:42] the primum quaerendum [Matthew 6:33]

Deuteronomy 10:14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens [is] the LORD’S thy God, the earth [also], with all that therein [is].

Ver. 14. Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens.] Not the air and sky only, the visible heaven, but the third heaven, whereof no natural knowledge can be had, nor any help by human arts, geometry, optics, &c. For it is neither aspectable nor movable.

The earth also.] So that there was no necessity of pitching upon thee for his peculiar, since he had choice enough before him.

Deuteronomy 10:15 Only 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.

Ver. 15. To love them.] Because he loved them, as Deuteronomy 7:7-8. {See Trapp on "Deuteronomy 7:8"}

Deuteronomy 10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

Ver. 16. Circumcise therefore.] Deus iubendo iuvat. Set about this work in God’s strength, and pray that the heaven may answer the earth. [Hosea 2:21] For it is a work that must be done "without hands." [Colossians 2:11] Beg of God to thrust his holy hand into our bosom, and to pull off that filthy foreskin; urge him with his promise; [Deuteronomy 30:6] doubt not of his power: lex iubet, gratia iuvat, ^(a) &c.

Deuteronomy 10:17 For the LORD your God [is] God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:

Ver. 17. Is God of gods.] And will be served like himself.

Deuteronomy 10:19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Ver. 19. Love ye therefore the stranger.] And to show yourselves the friends of God. For idem velle et idem nolle, ea demum vera amictia est. ^(a) Friends are like-minded.

Deuteronomy 10:20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.

Ver. 20. To him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.] Cleaving will call for swearing. [Acts 11:23] Broken bones must have strong bands to close them fast again. A crazy piece of building must be crampt with iron bars, to keep it up from tottering.

Deuteronomy 10:21 He [is] thy praise, and he [is] thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

Ver. 21. He is thy praise.] Thy praised One, [Psalms 18:3] or, Thy praiseworthy One. He is also thy chief glory and praise amongst all nations, who shall admire thy happiness in such a God.