Deuteronomy — Chapter 10

Thereupon GOD said to me, “Carve out two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain; and make an ark of wood.

I will inscribe on the tablets the commandments that were on the first tablets that you smashed, and you shall deposit them in the ark.”

I made an ark of acacia wood and carved out two tablets of stone like the first; I took the two tablets with me and went up the mountain.

After inscribing on the tablets the same text as on the first—the Ten Commandments that GOD addressed to you on the mountain out of the fire on the day of the Assembly—GOD gave them to me.

Then I left and went down from the mountain, and I deposited the tablets in the ark that I had made, where they still are, as GOD had commanded me.

From Beeroth-bene-jaakanaBeeroth-bene-jaakan Lit. “wells of Bene-jaakan”; cf. Num. 33.31–32. the Israelites marched to Moserah. Aaron died there and was buried there; and his son Eleazar became priest in his stead.

From there they marched to Gudgod,bGudgod “Hor-haggidgad” in Num. 33.32–33. and from Gudgod to Jotbath, a region of running brooks.

At that time GOD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of GOD’s Covenant, to stand in attendance upon GOD, and to bless in God’s name, as is still the case.

That is why Levi has received no hereditary portion along with its kindred: GOD is its portion, as the ETERNAL your God spoke concerning it.

I had stayed on the mountain, as I did the first time, forty days and forty nights; and GOD heeded me once again: GOD agreed not to destroy you.

And GOD said to me, “Up, resume the march at the head of the people, that they may go in and possess the land that I swore to their fatherscfathers See note at 1.35. to give them.”

And now, O Israel, what does the ETERNAL your God demand of you? Only this: to revere the ETERNAL your God, to walk only in divine paths, to love and to serve the ETERNAL your God with all your heart and soul,

keeping GOD’s commandments and laws, which I enjoin upon you today, for your good.

Mark, the heavens to their uttermost reachesdto their uttermost reaches Lit. “and the heaven of heavens.” belong to the ETERNAL your God, the earth and all that is on it!

Yet it was to your ancestors that GOD was drawn out of love for them, so that you, their lineal descendants, were chosen from among all peoples—as is now the case.

Cut away, therefore, the thickening about your hearts and stiffen your necks no more.

For the ETERNAL your God is God supreme and Sovereign supreme,eGod supreme and Sovereign supreme Lit. “the God of gods and the Sovereign of sovereigns.” the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who shows no favor and takes no bribe,

but upholds the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and befriends the stranger, providing food and clothing.—

You too must befriend the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

You must revere the ETERNAL your God—whom you shall worship, to whom you shall hold fast, and by whose name you shall swear.

[The ETERNAL] is your glory and your God, who wrought for you those marvelous, awesome deeds that you saw with your own eyes.

Your ancestors went down to Egypt seventy persons; and now the ETERNAL your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.