The Fifth Book of Moses, called Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 10
Chapter X · Vol. I, p. 496
1 God's mercy in restoring the two tables, 6 in continuing the priesthood, 8 in separating the tribe of Levi, 10 in hearkening unto Moses' suit for the people. 12 An exhortation to obedience.
1 AT that atime 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.
a ch. 9.25-29. Ex. 34.1,2; 25.10-16.
2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou breakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.
3 And bI made an ark of shittim-wood,1 and hewedc two tables of stone like unto the first, and dwent up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.
b Ex. 25.10-16; 37.1-9.
1 In Ex. xxxvii. the formation of the ark is ascribed to Bezaleel, here to Moses. But this is no contradiction, inasmuch as, in all languages, a man is said to do that which another does under his direction and authority. Thus Solomon is said to have built the temple, not by his own hands, but by the expenditure of his money, and the agency of his servants.—C.
c Ex. 34.4.
d Ex. 34.28. ch. 9.10.
4 And he wrote on the tables,2 according to the first writing, the ten commandments,3 which the LORD spake unto you in the mount, eout of the midst of the fire, in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.
2 The stone tablets were hewn and prepared by Moses; but the commandments were written upon them by Jehovah himself. This the Lord promised to do, as is stated in Ex. 34. 1: 'I will write upon these tables,' &c. From ver. 28 of the same chapter, it might at first sight appear that the words were written by Moses: 'And he wrote;' but a close examination shows that the pronoun refers to Jehovah.—P.
3 Heb. words.
e ch. 4.11,12,15,33,36; 5.22-26. Ex. 19.17,18. He. 12.19.
5 And fI turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, gas the LORD commanded me.
6 And4 the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: hthere Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead.
4 Why the Holy Ghost hath inserted this and the following verse here; or whether the places here mentioned are the same as Bene-jaakan, Moseroth, Hor-hagidgad and Jotbathah, mentioned Nu. 33. 31-33, or rather different, I scarcely dare determine.
h Nu. 20.22-28; 33.38.
7 From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.
8 At that time the LORD iseparated the tribe of Levi, to kbear 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.
9 Whereforel Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.5
l Nu. 18.20; 26.61. Eze. 44.28. ch. 12.12; 14.27,29; 18.1,2. Jos. 13.14,33; 14.9.
5 It seems probable that the reason for the insertion of the note of travel in ver. 6, 7, was the fixing of the exact time and place when the Levites were formally declared to have no allotted possessions because they were the Lord's ministers. The journey here noted was part of the final one from Kadesh to the plains of Moab. The route lay down the Arabah, and was consequently in or near that course which they had taken on a previous occasion (see note on Nu. 33. 36). Some of the stations are the same; Gudgodah is doubtless Hor-hagidgad. The whole narrative, however, is very obscure. It ought to be remembered that we have here only an outline of Moses' final address to Israel. Such isolated facts of history are mentioned as bore upon the object he had specially in view—to press upon them the necessity of full obedience to the law.—P.
10 And mI stayed in the mount, according to the first time,6 forty days and forty nights; and nthe LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee.
11 And the LORD said unto me, oArise, take thy journey7 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, pwhat 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,
p Mi. 6.8. ch. 6.5,13; 11.13,22. 1 Ti. 1.5. Mat. 22.37. Ps. 119.4. Je. 7.23. 1 Pe. 1.15,16. Tit. 2.11,12. Lu. 1.74,75.
13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day qfor thy good?
14 Behold, rthe heaven, and the heaven of heavens, is the LORD's thy God; the earth also, with all that therein is.
15 Only the LORD shad 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.
s ch. 7.7,8; 4.37. Ex. 33.18. Ro. 9.11-23. Ep. 2.4-8.
16 Circumciset therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.
t Je. 4.4,14. Ro. 2.28. Col. 2.11; 3.5. Ep. 4.21-24. ch. 30.6; 9.6.
17 For the LORD your God is uGod of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which xregardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.
u Ex. 18.11. ch. 7.21. Ps. 136.2-4. Jos. 22.22. Da. 2.47; 11.36. 1 Ch. 16.25,26. Re. 17.14; 19.16.
x 2 Ch. 19.7. Job 34.19. Ac. 10.34. Ro. 2.11. Ga. 2.6. Ep. 6.9. Col. 3.25. 1 Pe. 1.17.
18 He doth yexecute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
20 Thoua shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
21 He is thy bpraise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things which thine eyes have seen.
22 Thy fathers went down into Egypt cwith threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee das the stars of heaven for multitude.8
c Ge. 46.27. Ex. 1.5. Ac. 7.14.
d Ge. 15.5. ch. 1.10. Nu. 26.51,62. Ne. 9.23. He. 11.12.
8 This is mentioned as a miracle of divine mercy. Notwithstanding all the sufferings and persecutions they endured in Egypt, God blessed them with such increase as had never been known. Moses employs every art and power—threats, promises, entreaties, appeals to patriotism, gratitude—for the purpose of inciting the people to love and serve God.—P.
Notes
[Ver. 6. Mosera. Biblical critics generally concur in rejecting ver. 6-9 as an interpolation originating in the mistake of some transcriber. But this is a mode of solving a difficulty always to be regarded with much jealousy; and when, as in this case, it is unsupported by authority of Hebrew MSS., it is utterly to be rejected. The two itineraries stand thus: Nu. xxxiii., Moseroth, Bene-jaakan, Hor-hagidgad, Jotbathah. De. x., Beeroth of Bene-jaakan, that is, of the children of Jaakan, Mosera, Gudgodah, Jotbath. Now where in all this lies any insuperable difficulty? Let Bene-jaakan, as is common with other names, signify both a large district and a particular place, and the whole difficulty disappears. Thus, in the itinerary of Deuteronomy, they depart from Beeroth in the district of Bene-jaakan, and encamp at Moserah, another name of the place called Bene-jaakan; and in the itinerary of Numbers, they depart from Moseroth, another name for Beeroth, and encamp in the particular place called Bene-jaakan, another name for Mosera. The difficulty supposed to arise from the separation of the tribe of Levi at Mount Sinai, and not at Jotbath, as here asserted, will be solved by recollecting that the special separation of Levi here recounted refers to the disinheritance of the tribe, ver. 9. Upon the apparently different localities assigned to the death of Aaron no stress can be laid, inasmuch as we are totally ignorant of the exact geographical positions of the several stages of the journeyings, and of the extent of the districts designated by the different names. To account for the introduction of these four verses without any seeming connection—let it be recollected, that it is to account for the safe-keeping of the tables of the law and the ark, by the special appointment of Eleazar to succeed Aaron in the priesthood, and the whole tribe of Levi to attend upon the ordinances. C.]
Reflections.—What a mercy is it that the law, as a command, is fulfilled and hid in Christ, our gospel-ark! And what a sure token of divine favours yet in store for a people when God raises up faithful ministers and earnest wrestlers at a throne of grace! Marvellous indeed are God's returns of love for hatred—of mercies for rebellion and provocation; and inexcusable, therefore, is disobedience to a God so great and gracious! But it is honourable and becoming to walk in love, as God himself walketh. It is a most fearful proof of the corruption of our nature, and the necessity of a gracious change, that we need so much urging to that which is so remarkably at once our great duty and interest. But let me always retain in mind the wonderful character and the peculiar mercies of my God, the God of Israel; esteem it my glory to belong to him; and make him the only object of my fear, my praise, and joy.