Deuteronomy 10 4

Deuteronomy 10:4 kjv

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.

Deuteronomy 10:4 nkjv

And He wrote on the tablets according to the first writing, the Ten Commandments, which the LORD had spoken to you in the mountain from the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them to me.

Deuteronomy 10:4 niv

The LORD wrote on these tablets what he had written before, the Ten Commandments he had proclaimed to you on the mountain, out of the fire, on the day of the assembly. And the LORD gave them to me.

Deuteronomy 10:4 esv

And he wrote on the tablets, in the same writing as before, the Ten Commandments that the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. And the LORD gave them to me.

Deuteronomy 10:4 nlt

Once again the LORD wrote the Ten Commandments 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.

Deuteronomy 10 verses

Deuteronomy 10 4 Meaning

Deuteronomy 10:4 recounts God's benevolent act of rewriting the Ten Commandments onto new stone tablets. This occurred after the first set was shattered by Moses in response to Israel's idolatry with the golden calf. The verse emphasizes that the content of the renewed commandments was an exact replication of the original, affirming God's unchangeable character and the enduring nature of His Law. It explicitly states that these fundamental declarations were personally proclaimed by the Lord (YHWH) to the entire nation of Israel from the heart of the fiery manifestation on Mount Sinai, on the day when the nation was assembled. Moses is then highlighted as the direct recipient and mediator through whom these divine words were entrusted to the people.

Deuteronomy 10 4 Context

Deuteronomy 10:4 is situated within Moses' second discourse to the new generation of Israelites, who stand poised on the plains of Moab, about to enter the Promised Land. Chapters 9 and 10 serve as a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness and Israel's past failures, particularly the sin of the golden calf, which nearly jeopardized the covenant. After Moses broke the first set of tablets due to Israel's profound idolatry (Deut 9:15-17), God, in His astonishing grace, commanded Moses to prepare new tablets (Deut 10:1-2). Verse 4 then testifies to God's act of personally rewriting the original Ten Commandments upon these new stones. This event underscores God's steadfast commitment to His covenant, His unchangeable moral character despite human infidelity, and Moses' restored role as the mediator of His law. This renewal sets the stage for Moses' subsequent call for genuine heart obedience and devoted love towards God in the rest of Chapter 10 and beyond.

Deuteronomy 10 4 Word analysis

• And he wrote (וַיִּכְתֹּב֙ - vayyikhtov): The subject is explicitly God (Yahweh). This emphasizes direct divine authorship and action. God Himself inscribed His law, signifying ultimate authority and direct divine revelation, not a human construct or interpretation.
• on the tablets (עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֖ת - al-halluhot): Refers to the two stone tablets. Stone implies durability and permanence, fitting for an enduring covenant law. This specific detail reinforces the physical manifestation and tangible nature of God's divine words.
• according to the first writing (כַּכְּתָב֙ הָרִאשׁ֔וֹן - ka-k'tav ha-rishon): This critical phrase means "like the first inscription." It profoundly signifies continuity and immutability. The content of the re-written commandments was precisely the same as the original, emphasizing God's consistent nature and the unchanging validity of His fundamental moral requirements. No alterations or additions were made despite Israel's failure.
• the Ten Commandments (עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת הַדְּבָרִ֗ים - aseret ha-devarim): Literally "the ten words" or "the ten sayings." This Hebrew designation (often rendered "Decalogue") points to these as foundational declarations of God's will and ethical principles, rather than just isolated rules. They form the core summary of God's expectations for His covenant people.
• which the Lord spoke to you (אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֲלֵיכֶ֗ם - asher dibber YHWH aleikhem): Highlights the personal, audible, and direct communication of YHWH, the covenant God, to the entire congregation of Israel. It emphasizes that Israel collectively heard these commands, making them personally accountable and ensuring their undeniable divine origin.
• on the mountain (בָּהָר֙ - ba-har): Refers to Mount Sinai (also called Horeb). This designates the sacred, specific geographic location where God revealed Himself and His law in an extraordinary, awe-inspiring display of His presence.
• from the midst of the fire (מִתּוֹךְ֙ הָאֵ֔שׁ - mittoch ha-esh): A powerful depiction of God's presence, signifying His holiness, purity, and unapproachable glory. The imagery of fire (Exod 19:18, Deut 5:23-26) conveys the formidable power and awesome majesty accompanying divine revelation.
• on the day of the assembly (בְּיוֹם֙ הַקָּהָ֔ל - b'yom ha-kahal): "Qahal" denotes a formal, divinely-summoned congregation or gathering of Israel. This underlines that the covenant and the Law were given publicly, collectively binding the entire community of God's chosen people, forming them as His unique assembly (a foundational concept for the New Testament's "church" or "ekklesia").
• and the Lord gave them to me (וַיִּתְּנֵ֤ם יְהוָה֙ אֵלָ֔י - vayyitnem YHWH elay): Affirms Moses' indispensable role as the divinely appointed mediator. God personally entrusted the re-written tablets to Moses, confirming his authority and establishing the legitimate chain of transmission of God's Law to His people.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "And he wrote on the tablets, according to the first writing, the Ten Commandments": This sequence foregrounds divine authorship and the absolute fidelity of the second set of commandments to the first. It stresses God's commitment to His word and the enduring, immutable nature of His foundational moral law.
• "which the Lord spoke to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire, on the day of the assembly": This clause provides vital details about the delivery of the commandments. It underscores the personal, direct, and fearsome nature of God's communication with Israel, confirming the Law's divine origin, unparalleled authority, and the communal reception by the entire nation. It binds the "ten words" irrevocably to the covenant spectacle at Sinai.
• "and the Lord gave them to me": This concluding phrase validates Moses' unique and crucial position as the chosen intermediary through whom God's very words, re-affirmed and re-inscribed, were brought to His people. It ensures the authoritative and divinely sanctioned transmission of the Law.

Deuteronomy 10 4 Bonus section

The specific choice of "ten words" (aseret ha-devarim) over merely "ten laws" emphasizes their nature as direct divine utterances and fundamental principles, not just legal statutes. They are declarative statements reflecting God's nature and relationship with His people. The "day of the assembly" (yom ha-qahal) highlights the collective, communal reception of the Law. This signifies that God's covenant was made with the entire nation, not just individuals or leaders. This collective identity formed at Sinai, the "assembly of Israel," foreshadows the New Testament concept of the "ekklesia," the Church, as the summoned community of God. The restoration of the tablets, explicitly stated as being written by God, stands in contrast to the acts of sin. God is shown as actively re-engaging, not merely giving up on His people. This divine writing symbolizes that the law is engraved not just on stone, but meant to be written on the hearts of His people (Jer 31:33), signifying an internal transformation that Moses longed for them to fully grasp.

Deuteronomy 10 4 Commentary

Deuteronomy 10:4 stands as a profound testament to God's steadfast character and the unchanging nature of His Law, even in the face of human rebellion. The Lord's personal act of rewriting the Ten Commandments "according to the first writing" is a demonstration of His unwavering commitment to His covenant. It reveals His profound mercy in restoring what was broken due to Israel's severe sin of idolatry. This was not a re-negotiation or alteration of the Law, but a reaffirmation of His consistent righteous standards. The verse powerfully recalls the unique manner of this divine revelation: God Himself spoke these "ten words" from the awe-inspiring fire on Mount Sinai, a terrifying and unmistakable display of His holy presence to the gathered assembly. Moses' final statement, "and the Lord gave them to me," secures his divinely appointed role as the faithful mediator, ensuring the authoritative delivery of these foundational truths to the people. Ultimately, the verse serves as a bedrock for understanding God's grace in covenant renewal, the immutable authority of His word, and His demand for holiness from His people.

Examples:

• God's steadfastness: Like God reinstating His commands despite Israel's rebellion, He remains faithful to His promises and standards even when believers fall short.
• Law's endurance: Just as the "first writing" was exactly replicated, fundamental biblical principles of morality and righteousness do not change over time, even as societal norms shift.
• Divine origin: Emphasizing God's personal writing and speaking underscores that genuine truth and morality originate solely from Him, not human decree.