Deuteronomy 10:20
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Deuteronomy 10:20
20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
Chapter Context
Deuteronomy 10 is a sermonic and legal chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of obedience, discipleship, love. Written during the end of the wilderness wandering (c. 1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Moses delivered these speeches as Israel prepared to enter a land filled with different Canaanite city-states.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-22: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it illustrates divine judgment and mercy in response to human actions. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Deuteronomy and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Deuteronomy 10:20
20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
Analysis
Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God—The Hebrew yare (fear) combines reverential awe and obedient submission, not servile terror. This fear is relational, grounded in God's covenant character (v. 17-19). Him shalt thou serve (avad, serve/worship) demands exclusive allegiance. To him shalt thou cleave uses dabaq (cleave/cling), the same word for marital union (Genesis 2:24), depicting covenant intimacy and loyalty.
Swear by his name means invoking Yahweh as witness to oaths, affirming He alone is the ultimate authority and truth. Jesus's 'You cannot serve two masters' (Matthew 6:24) and His identification as the bridegroom (John 3:29) echo this covenantal exclusivity. Paul commands us to 'cleave' to Christ (Romans 12:9, using the Greek equivalent). The trilogy—fear, serve, cleave—defines total devotion that prefigures union with Christ.
Historical Context
Moses preached this on Moab's plains as Israel prepared to enter a land saturated with Baal worship and fertility cults. The command to 'cleave' to Yahweh alone anticipated the constant temptation toward syncretism that would plague Israel throughout the Judges and monarchy periods.
Reflection
- What competing allegiances (career, comfort, popularity) tempt you to divide your loyalty from 'cleaving' exclusively to Christ?
- How does the marital imagery of 'cleaving' to God deepen your understanding of covenantal relationship with Christ?
Word Studies
- God: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) H430 - God (plural of majesty)
Cross-References
- References God: Deuteronomy 6:13, 11:22, 13:4, Psalms 63:11, Matthew 4:10, Luke 4:8