Deuteronomy 10:1 kjv
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.
Deuteronomy 10:1 nkjv
"At that time the LORD said to me, 'Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain and make yourself an ark of wood.
Deuteronomy 10:1 niv
At that time the LORD said to me, "Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain. Also make a wooden ark.
Deuteronomy 10:1 esv
"At that time the LORD said to me, 'Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to me on the mountain and make an ark of wood.
Deuteronomy 10:1 nlt
"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,
Deuteronomy 10 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 32:19 | And it came to pass…he cast the tablets out of his hands…he broke them. | Breaking of the first tablets due to sin. |
| Exod 34:1-4 | The Lord said to Moses, "Cut for yourself two tablets of stone... write on the tablets the words..." | God's command to make new tablets, just as in Deut 10:1. |
| Exod 34:28 | So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words... | God Himself writes the Ten Commandments again. |
| Exod 25:10-16 | “They shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits shall be its length... you shall put into the ark the testimony which I will give you.” | Divine instruction for building the Ark, to hold the covenant tablets. |
| Deut 9:18-19 | “And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first... For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure..." | Moses’ fervent intercession for Israel after their idolatry, leading to renewal. |
| Num 14:18-20 | 'The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression...' So the Lord said, “I have pardoned, according to your word.” | God’s character of mercy and readiness to forgive and restore covenant. |
| Ps 103:8-10 | The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love… He does not deal with us according to our sins. | Echoes God's patient and merciful nature in renewing covenant. |
| Neh 9:17 | ...You are God, a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love... | Affirms God's enduring grace in the face of human rebellion. |
| Joel 2:13 | ...return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from disaster. | Calls for repentance based on God’s character, as seen in Deut 10. |
| Rom 5:20-21 | ...but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign... | Highlights how God’s grace supersedes and restores even in great sin. |
| Tit 3:5 | He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy... | Emphasizes divine mercy and initiative in salvation and restoration. |
| 2 Cor 3:3 | You show that you are a letter from Christ... written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. | Contrasts the stone tablets with the New Covenant's inner law. |
| Heb 8:10 | For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel... I will put My laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts... | Prophecy of the New Covenant fulfilling the Law's intent. |
| Deut 6:6-9 | These words that I command you today shall be on your heart... You shall teach them diligently to your children... | Emphasizes the centrality and personal responsibility towards the Law given on the tablets. |
| Ps 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. | Describes the enduring guidance and illumination provided by God’s Law. |
| Rom 7:12 | So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. | Affirms the intrinsic goodness and divine origin of the Law, despite human failure. |
| Deut 29:1 | These are the words of the covenant that the Lord commanded Moses to make with the people of Israel in the land of Moab... | Points to subsequent covenant renewals, building on God’s ongoing faithfulness. |
| Josh 24:25 | So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. | Example of a later covenant renewal ceremony with the people. |
| Exod 25:22 | There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you... | Reveals the Ark’s purpose as the meeting place for God and His people. |
| Heb 9:4 | ...which had the golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant... | Confirms the contents of the Ark of the Covenant, central to its sacred role. |
| Mal 3:6 | For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. | God's unchanging nature ensures His faithfulness in covenant restoration. |
Deuteronomy 10 verses
Deuteronomy 10 1 Meaning
Deuteronomy 10:1 recalls the pivotal moment after Israel's great sin of the golden calf, where the Lord commanded Moses to cut two new stone tablets, identical to the first, and ascend Mount Horeb (Sinai) again. Additionally, Moses was instructed to construct an Ark of wood. This verse signifies God's gracious initiative to renew the broken covenant with His people and re-establish His Law, emphasizing His faithfulness despite their disobedience. It also links the divine Law directly with its intended resting place within the Ark, essential for Israel's future journey and relationship with God.
Deuteronomy 10 1 Context
Deuteronomy 10:1 is part of Moses’ second great address to Israel, delivered on the plains of Moab before entering the promised land. This verse directly follows Moses' detailed recount of Israel's grave sin with the golden calf (Deut 9), their near annihilation, and his desperate intercession for them. The narrative flow from severe transgression and potential destruction to God's command for renewed tablets highlights divine mercy and grace. Chronologically, this event follows the instructions given for the Tabernacle and its components in Exodus, but in Deuteronomy, Moses reorganizes the events to underscore the primacy of the Law and the Ark as the dwelling for that Law, preceding a restatement of the covenant's requirements and the call to love and obey God.
Deuteronomy 10 1 Word analysis
- At that time: (ba
eth hahi- בָּעֵת הַהִוא). This temporal phrase serves as a link to the immediately preceding narrative in Deut 9, which describes the aftermath of the golden calf incident and Moses’ intercession. It emphasizes that God's command for restoration came directly and immediately after the judgment and forgiveness. - the Lord: (YHWH - יְהוָה). This is the covenant name of God, highlighting His personal relationship and enduring commitment to Israel despite their apostasy. It underscores that the initiative for renewal came from God Himself, not human effort. It also stands as a polemic against the numerous idols Israel encountered; YHWH is the active, covenant-making God, unlike inert deities.
- said to me: This identifies Moses as the sole recipient of this direct divine instruction. It reaffirms his unique role as mediator between God and Israel, underscoring the authority of the covenant revelation he brings.
- ‘Cut for yourself: (pesol leka - פְּסָל לְךָ). The verb pasal means "to hew" or "to carve." The command emphasizes Moses' active, laborious involvement in the preparation. This implies a measure of human responsibility in receiving and preserving the divine word, though guided by God. Unlike the first set, which God uniquely prepared, here Moses participates.
- two tablets of stone: (shenei luḥoth `avanim - שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים). The material "stone" denotes durability and permanence, signifying the enduring nature of God’s covenant and Law, which remains unchanged despite Israel's changeable obedience. This parallels the first tablets, reinforcing continuity.
- like the first: (kārishonim - כָּרִאשֹׁנִים). This phrase is crucial. It asserts that the new tablets were to be identical to the broken ones in form, size, and content (implying the Ten Commandments would be rewritten on them). It powerfully signifies that God’s standard and the terms of His covenant remain unwavering, unaffected by human sin. God does not lower His requirements due to Israel's failure but graciously allows for a re-affirmation of the original terms.
- and come up to Me on the mountain: This refers to Mount Horeb (Sinai), the sacred site of covenant-making and divine revelation. It signals a re-entry into God's presence, indicating restoration of fellowship and communion that was threatened by sin.
- and make an ark of wood: (
asa lekā 'aroneṣ - עֲשֵׂה לְךָ אֲרוֹן עֵץ). The Hebrew word for ark here (aron) specifically refers to the Ark of the Covenant, distinct from Noah's ark. The instruction to build it is directly linked to the command to prepare new tablets. The "wood" specified (likely acacia,shiṭṭim, though not explicitly mentioned here) highlights that the Ark, though holy, was to be a crafted object made from common, durable material, not a divine substance. This contrasts with idolatrous images of the surrounding cultures that depicted deities or were themselves worshiped. The Ark was a container for the Law, not an image of God. This immediate instruction underscores the centrality of safeguarding the Law and ensuring God's portable dwelling place among His people. - Word group: "Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me... and make an ark of wood.": This entire instruction demonstrates God’s merciful initiation of covenant renewal. Despite Israel’s grievous sin, God provided a path back to Himself. The dual command—preparing the Law (tablets) and its dwelling place (Ark)—shows God's intention to restore His relationship and continue His presence with Israel through His revealed word, even allowing for human participation in this restoration process.
Deuteronomy 10 1 Bonus section
The juxtaposition of the renewed tablets and the building of the Ark of the Covenant in this verse is highly significant. While Exodus presents the commands for the Tabernacle and its furnishings (including the Ark) before the second giving of the Law, Moses, in Deuteronomy, intentionally places the command for the Ark directly with the renewed tablets. This highlights a theological truth: God desires to dwell with His people primarily through His Law, which serves as the core of their relationship with Him. The Ark's function as a repository for the divine covenant reinforces the sanctity and enduring importance of God's commands as the basis for Israel’s identity and their communion with YHWH. This divine act showcases a God who not only forgives but also proactively rebuilds the framework for a holy relationship.
Deuteronomy 10 1 Commentary
Deuteronomy 10:1 stands as a powerful testament to God's profound grace and unyielding commitment to His covenant. Immediately following the catastrophic idolatry of the golden calf, the Lord’s directive to Moses to prepare new stone tablets and construct the Ark speaks volumes of divine forgiveness and restorative power. The instruction "like the first" emphatically underscores that God's holy standard remains unchanged despite human sin; He doesn't lower the bar, but provides a way for a fallen people to walk according to His eternal decrees. The simultaneous command to build the Ark—a portable sanctuary for the Law and a symbol of God’s dwelling presence—underscores that God's desire for fellowship and the upholding of His word are inextricably linked. This passage teaches that divine grace often precedes renewed responsibility, providing the foundation for reconciliation and continued faithfulness even after grave failures.
Examples:
- A person who has failed repeatedly in an area of life, feeling disqualified, can be reminded that God often calls for a renewed commitment, providing the means to begin again according to His established standards.
- Just as the Ark was built to contain the Law, our lives are meant to be vessels that uphold and live out God's word, making His presence known to the world around us.