In this chapter an account is given of an order to Moses to hew two tables of stone, on which the Lord would write the words that were on the first, and to make an ark and put them into it, all which was accordingly done, Deut. 10:1–5 and of some of the journeys of the children of Israel, Deut.

At that time the Lord said unto me On the fortieth day, mentioned in the preceding chapter, as Aben Ezra, or at the end of forty days, as Jarchi; not of the first forty, for then were given him the first two tables of stone, with the law written on them, which he broke when he came down; but at the…

And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest [[0]] Though they were hewn by Moses, the writing on them was the Lord’s; and the very same laws, in the same words, without any alteration or variation, were written by him on these as on the former; partly…

And I made an ark of shittim wood That is, ordered it to be made, and it was made by Bezaleel, and that of shittim wood: so the ark that was put into the holy of holies was made of this wood; see (See Gill on Ex. 25:10), (See Gill on Ex.

And he wrote on the tables according to the first writing The same laws, in the same letters: the ten commandments which the Lord spake unto you in the mount; in Mount Sinai, on which he descended, and from whence he delivered the decalogue by word of mouth in an audible manner, that all the people…

And I turned myself From the Lord, out of whose hands he had received the tables: and came down from the mount; with the two tables in his hand as before, one in one hand, and the other in the other hand: and put the tables in the ark which I had made; or ordered to be made: and there they be, as…

And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan Not when or soon after they removed from Sinai; for if this place is the same with Benejaakan, as is generally supposed, they had a great many journeys, mansions, and stations before they came to it; see and…

From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah Which Jarchi takes to be the same with Horhagidgad, and so do most; see (Num. 33:32, Num. 33:33) , but Aben Ezra says it is not, but is a general name, including Zalmonah, Punon, and Oboth, places the Israelites came to after they removed from Mount Hor,…

At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi Not at the time that Moses came down from the mount with the tables of the law, but some considerable time after, even after the tabernacle was erected; nor at the time that Aaron died, and Eleazar succeeded him, but many years before that; unless…

Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren, &c.] In the division of the land of Canaan, because being separated to the service of the sanctuary, he had no leisure to plough and sow, as Jarchi observes: the Lord is his inheritance, as the Lord thy God promised him; not in a…

And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights Which is to be connected with and relates what passed before he came down from the mount with the two tables; as that he stayed there as long as he did when he received the first tables, and fasted also as long as…

And the Lord said unto me, arise, take thy journey before the people Here Moses goes on with his relation of things at Mount Sinai, how that upon his supplication for the people, on account of the destruction they were threatened with for their idolatry, the Lord was graciously pleased not only to…

And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, &c.] For all these favours bestowed upon them, the forgiveness of their sins, and a fresh intimation of their possession of the land of Canaan, and the renewal of the promise of it made to their fathers: but to fear the Lord thy God; to…

To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes Both the ten commands and all others: which I command thee this day for thy good; promises of temporal good things, introduction into the land of Canaan, possession of it, and continuance in it, being made to obedience to them.

Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, are the Lord’s thy God Made and possessed by him; the airy and starry heaven, the third heaven, which is the heaven of heavens, the seat of the divine Majesty, the habitation of angels and glorified saints: the earth also, with all that therein is;…

Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them Though the heavens and the earth, and all the inhabitants of them are the Lord’s by creation, yet he had a special regard unto, and a peculiar complacency in, the fathers of the Israelites, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; from whence arose some…

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart Content not yourselves with, nor put your confidence in outward circumcision of the flesh, but be concerned for the circumcision of the heart; for removing from that whatever is disagreeable to the Lord, even all carnality, sensuality, hypocrisy, and…

For the Lord your God is God of gods Of angels and civil magistrates, who are sometimes so called: these are his creatures, act for him and under him, and are accountable to him: the Lord of lords; of the kings and princes of the earth, who have their crowns, sceptres, and kingdoms from him, and…

He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow Who have none to help them, and whose patron and defender he is, and will do them justice himself, and take care that it is done them by others, or avenge their injuries, for he is a Father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widow, in his…

Love ye therefore the stranger Because the Lord loves him; and another reason follows, particularly binding on the Israelites: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt; and therefore should sympathize with such, and show them compassion, relieve them in distress, and afford them whatever they…

Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God Which includes the whole worship of him, external and internal: him shalt thou serve; heartily and sincerely, according to his revealed will, and him only: and to him shall thou cleave; and not turn aside to follow other gods, and worship them: and swear by his…

He is thy praise The object and matter of it, who deserves the praises of all his creatures, because of his perfections, works, and blessings of goodness; for all mercies temporal and spiritual come from him, and therefore he is greatly to be praised for them: praise is his due, and it is comely in…

Thy fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons That is, in all; for there were not seventy besides Jacob and the patriarchs his sons, but with them; see (Gen. 46:26, Gen. 46:27) and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude; as he promised they should be, .