Deuteronomy 10 is a chapter about what the LORD asks of Israel after the golden calf and the broken tablets, and why he asks it. Readers come to it looking for the meaning of its famous summary question, “what does the LORD your God require of you,” and for how its account of the second set of tablets fits into the larger story of the book. This explanation walks through the chapter in order, sets it in its historical setting, and draws out the themes that still speak to ordinary believers.
Deuteronomy 10 Summary
The chapter opens with Moses describing the making of the second pair of stone tablets, the ark, and his return to the mountain. He then pauses to record the journey of the people through several places in the wilderness, including the death of Aaron, and the setting apart of the tribe of Levi for service before the LORD. Moses returns to his own forty days on the mountain, where he says the LORD relented from destroying the people.
From there the chapter turns to the heart of the book. Moses calls Israel to fear the LORD, walk in his ways, love him, and serve him wholeheartedly. He reminds them that heaven and earth belong to God, that he set his affection on their fathers, and that he chose their descendants above all peoples. The chapter closes with a call to love the foreigner, grounded in Israel’s own memory of being foreigners in Egypt, and with a reminder of how small the family of Jacob was when it went down into Egypt and how numerous it has now become.
Background and Setting
Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Torah, presented as a series of speeches Moses gave to Israel on the plains of Moab just before they entered the promised land. Tradition attributes the book to Moses, though many scholars date its final form to a later period, often connected with the reforms of the seventh century BC, while still preserving Mosaic material. The book is addressed to a generation that had not witnessed the exodus at Sinai, so it renews the covenant rather than simply repeating the older law.
Chapter 10 sits in the second of Moses’ three speeches, within a section that recalls the sin at Horeb and the mercy that followed. It stands as a bridge between the account of the golden calf in chapter 9 and the broader exhortations to obedience in chapters 11 and following. Its mix of narrative, covenant renewal, and ethical instruction is typical of the book as a whole.
Deuteronomy 10 Section by Section
Verses 1-5: The Second Tablets and the Ark
1 At that time the LORD said to me, “Cut two stone tablets like the first, and come up to me onto the mountain, and make an ark of wood. 2 I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark.”
Deuteronomy 10:1-2 (WEB)
Moses recounts that the LORD commanded him to carve two new stone tablets and make an ark of wood to hold them. The first tablets had been shattered when Moses saw the people worshiping the calf, and God now promises to write again the same words. The passage shows that the covenant does not depend on Israel’s failure being the final word, because God restores what was broken.
The careful details of the ark and the tablets underline how seriously the LORD takes his law. The tablets are placed inside a sacred container, a visible sign that God’s words are kept close to his presence among the people. Later readers often connect this ark to the worship life of Israel and to the idea that God’s word is central to the community.
Verses 6-9: Journeys, Loss, and the Calling of Levi
8 At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the LORD’s covenant, to stand before the LORD to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day. 9 Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brothers; The LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD your God spoke to him.)
Deuteronomy 10:8-9 (WEB)
In the middle of the speech, Moses notes several stops along the wilderness route and records the death and burial of Aaron, with Eleazar taking up his priestly role. The narrative moves quickly, but it reminds readers that the journey of the people was marked by both loss and continuity in leadership. Life went on, and God’s service was carried forward by a new generation of priests.
The setting apart of the tribe of Levi for carrying the ark, standing before the LORD, and blessing in his name is presented as a gift of God’s own inheritance. Levi received no land among the tribes because the LORD himself was their portion. For believers today this points to the value of a life centered on God’s presence and service rather than on material security.
Verses 10-11: Mercy on the Mountain
10 I stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights: and the LORD listened to me that time also; The LORD would not destroy you. 11 The LORD said to me, “Arise, take your journey before the people; and they shall go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give to them.”
Deuteronomy 10:10-11 (WEB)
Moses returns to his forty days and nights on the mountain and reports that the LORD listened to him and chose not to destroy the people. The repetition of the forty days links this episode to his earlier time on Sinai, and the phrase about the LORD’s listening highlights how prayer and intercession shaped the course of the nation’s story. God’s patience is shown as a response to a mediator’s plea.
The LORD then sends Moses to lead the people forward into the land promised to their fathers. Even after serious sin, the purpose of God remains fixed, and the journey continues. The passage encourages readers to see that God’s commitments do not dissolve when people fail, though it never excuses the failure itself.
Verses 12-16: What the LORD Requires
12 Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 to keep the LORD’s commandments and statutes, which I command you today for your good?
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (WEB)
This is the chapter’s most quoted summary. Moses turns directly to Israel and asks what the LORD requires of them, and then answers with a pattern of fearing God, walking in his ways, loving him, and serving him with the whole heart and soul. The requirement is relational as well as practical, aimed at the full devotion of the person rather than a list of outward acts alone.
Moses then grounds this call in God’s ownership of all creation and his election of the fathers and their descendants. Verse 16 adds a vivid image: the people must circumcise the foreskin of their hearts and stop being stiff-necked. Circumcision of the heart becomes a recurring prophetic picture of inward renewal, pointing beyond outward ritual to a changed will and affection.
Verses 17-19: A Just and Loving God
18 He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing. 19 Therefore love the foreigner; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 10:18-19 (WEB)
Moses describes the LORD as God of gods and Lord of lords, awesome and impartial, who does not take bribes or show favoritism. He defends the fatherless and widow and loves the foreigner, providing food and clothing. Because God acts this way, Israel is commanded to love the foreigner in the same spirit, remembering that they themselves were once strangers in Egypt.
This section shows that the holiness of God shapes the social ethics of his people. The law is not only about worship but about how the vulnerable are treated in the community. The memory of past suffering becomes a motive for present compassion, a theme that readers across centuries have found deeply formative.
Verses 20-22: Fear, Praise, and Multiplication
20 You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve him; and you shall cling to him, and you shall swear by his name. 21 He is your praise, and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things, which your eyes have seen. 22 Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now the LORD your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude.
Deuteronomy 10:20-22 (WEB)
The chapter closes with a summary of the relationship Moses hopes Israel will live out: fearing and serving the LORD, clinging to him, and swearing only by his name. He is their praise and their God, the one who has done great and awesome things before their eyes. The fear of the LORD here is reverent trust rather than dread.
The final verse recalls how a small household of seventy persons went down to Egypt and has now grown like the stars of the sky. The story of multiplication is a reminder that God’s faithfulness has already been shown in history, and it gives the people a foundation of confidence as they face the promised land.
Key Themes in Deuteronomy 10
- Restored covenant: God renews the tablets after they were broken, showing that his promises stand even when his people fail.
- Whole-hearted devotion: The requirement to fear, love, and serve the LORD with heart and soul sums up what God asks of his people.
- Circumcision of the heart: Inward renewal matters more than outward form, and God calls for a softened will.
- Impartial justice and love: God cares for the fatherless, the widow, and the foreigner, and his people are to do the same.
- Remembered grace: Israel’s past in Egypt and its multiplication are recalled as reasons for gratitude and obedience.
Lessons From Deuteronomy 10 for Today
A parent who has just made a serious mistake with a child may feel the temptation to conclude that the relationship is finished. Deuteronomy 10 shows a God who carves new tablets after the old ones were shattered. Apologizing, rebuilding trust, and starting again are ways of living out the same pattern of restored commitment, even though human repair is always slower and more costly than God’s.
A busy professional who measures faithfulness by productivity alone may find the chapter’s summary a useful corrective. The question “what does the LORD require” is answered with a heart that fears, loves, and serves, and the practical outworking includes caring for those who have no advocate. Concrete acts, such as volunteering with a local food pantry or welcoming a new neighbor from another country, express that love in a visible way.
A family that has long been comfortable may read the reminder that Israel was once a stranger in Egypt and see a call to open the table to someone who is new to the community. Remembering one’s own past vulnerability can make generosity more natural, and it keeps gratitude from turning into self-satisfaction.
Questions for Reflection
- When have you experienced God restoring something you thought was lost for good?
- What would it look like to serve the LORD with your whole heart rather than with divided attention this week?
- Where in your daily routine could you show love to a foreigner, stranger, or someone vulnerable?
- How does remembering your own past need or dependence change the way you treat others?
A Prayer From Deuteronomy 10
Lord, you are the God of gods and the Lord of lords, and yet you are patient with a people who so often stumble. Thank you that you restore what has been broken and write again the words that give us life. Soften my heart where it has grown stiff, and give me a desire to fear you, walk in your ways, and serve you with all that I am. Teach me to see the fatherless, the widow, and the stranger the way you see them, and help me remember the mercy that brought me here. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main point of Deuteronomy 10?
The main point is that the LORD renews his covenant with Israel after their sin and calls them to a whole-hearted life of fearing, loving, and serving him. The chapter links this devotion to justice and care for the vulnerable. It also grounds these demands in God’s own character and past faithfulness.
Why does Moses talk about the second set of tablets?
The first tablets were broken after Israel worshiped the golden calf, and the second set shows that God’s law remains in force despite the failure. Moses presents the new tablets as a sign of restoration. The ark that holds them becomes a reminder of God’s presence among the people.
What does circumcision of the heart mean in Deuteronomy 10?
It refers to an inward change in which the person’s desires and will are turned toward God, rather than only an outward ritual. Moses uses the image to call for an end to stubbornness. Later biblical writers return to this picture of a changed heart.
