Deuteronomy 10:4
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Deuteronomy 10:4
4 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.
Chapter Context
Deuteronomy 10 is a sermonic and legal chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of discipleship, sacrifice, truth. 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 10:4
4 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.
Analysis
And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments. God personally inscribes the law with His own hand, emphasizing divine origin and absolute authority. This is not human wisdom but heaven's revelation.
The phrase according to the first writing stresses exact replication - not one jot or tittle differs from the original. God's moral law is unchanging and unchangeable, reflecting His eternal, immutable character. What He declared holy at Sinai remains holy throughout all generations.
The ten commandments (literally 'ten words' in Hebrew) summarize the entire moral law governing relationship with God and neighbor. These fundamental principles undergird all specific case laws and applications. Reformed theology affirms the perpetual validity of the Decalogue as expression of God's moral character.
That God writes these commands demonstrates they come with His full authority - they are not suggestions but sovereign decrees from the Creator to His creatures.
Historical Context
The Ten Commandments were originally spoken audibly by God from Mount Sinai (Exodus 20) then written by His finger on stone tablets. Their rewriting after the golden calf incident demonstrated God's commitment to covenant relationship despite human failure.
These commandments became the constitutional core of Israel's theocratic government and remain foundational moral teaching for believers.
Reflection
- What does it mean that God wrote the law with His own hand rather than dictating it?
- How does the exact replication of the original writing demonstrate God's unchanging standards?
- Why are the Ten Commandments called the summary of God's moral law?
- In what sense do Christians remain obligated to the moral law expressed in the Decalogue?
- How does the permanence of God's written law reflect His immutable character?
Word Studies
- Lord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai) H3068 - The LORD / Lord
Cross-References
- References Lord: Deuteronomy 18:16
- Word: Deuteronomy 9:10, Exodus 34:28