Deuteronomy – Chapter 10

Old Testament22 Verses

Chapter Summary

"At that time the Lord said to me: Hew thee two tables of stone like the former, and come up to me into the mount: and thou shalt make an…" — so begins Deuteronomy 10. The chapter centers on Eleazar and Aaron. Across its 22 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and love and charity. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1At that time the Lord said to me: Hew thee two tables of stone like the former, and come up to me into the mount: and thou shalt make an ark of wood,

2And I will write on the tables the words that were in them, which thou brokest before, and thou shalt put them in the ark.

3And I made an ark of setim wood. And when I had hewn two tables of stone like the former, I went up into the mount, having them in my hands.

4And he wrote in the tables, according as he had written before, the ten words, which the Lord spoke to you in the mount from the midst of the fire, when the people were assembled: and he gave them to me.

5And returning from the mount, I came down, and put the tables into the ark, that I had made, and they are there till this present, as the Lord commanded me.

6And the children of Israel removed their camp from Beroth, of the children of Jacan into Mosera, where Aaron died and was buried, and Eleazar his son succeeded him in the priestly office.

7From thence they came to Gadgad, from which place they departed, and camped in Jetebatha, in a land of waters and torrents.

8At that time he separated the tribe of Levi, to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to stand before him in the ministry, and to bless in his name until this present day.

9Wherefore Levi hath no part nor possession with his brethren: because the Lord himself is his possession, as the Lord thy God promised him.

10And I stood in the mount, as before, forty days and nights: and the Lord heard me this time also, and would not destroy thee.

11And he said to me: Go, and walk before the people, that they may enter, and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers that I would give them.

12And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways, and love him, and serve the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul:

13And keep the commandments of the Lord, and his ceremonies, which I command thee this day, that it may be well with thee?

14Behold heaven is the Lord's thy God, and the heaven of heaven, the earth and all things that are therein.

15And yet the Lord hath been closely joined to thy fathers, and loved them and chose their seed after them, that is to say, you, out of all nations, as this day it is proved.

16Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and stiffen your neck no more.

17Because the Lord your God he is the God of gods, and the Lord of lords, a great God and mighty and terrible, who accepteth no person nor taketh bribes.

18He doth judgment to the fatherless and the widow, loveth the stranger, and giveth him food and raiment.

19And do you therefore love strangers, because you also were strangers in the land of Egypt.

20Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him only: to him thou shalt adhere, and shalt swear by his name.

21He is thy praise, and thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thy eyes have seen.

22In seventy souls thy fathers went down into Egypt: and behold now the Lord thy God hath multiplied thee as the stars of heaven.

Important Verses in Deuteronomy 10

At that time the Lord said to me: Hew thee two tables of stone like the former, and come up to me into the mount: and thou shalt make an ark of wood,

Deuteronomy 10:1

At that time he separated the tribe of Levi, to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to stand before him in the ministry, and to bless in his name until this present day.

Deuteronomy 10:8

And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways, and love him, and serve the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul:

Deuteronomy 10:12

In seventy souls thy fathers went down into Egypt: and behold now the Lord thy God hath multiplied thee as the stars of heaven.

Deuteronomy 10:22

Historical Context

Deuteronomy belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for the new generation of Israel about to cross the Jordan into Canaan. Chapter 10 of 34 belongs to the early movement of the book, where the narrative or argument is still unfolding. It is a legal and cultic instruction given to Israel regarding worship, holiness, and daily life with 22 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The chapter focuses on Eleazar and Aaron, whose actions and words drive the passage forward. The chapter begins: "At that time the Lord said to me: Hew thee two tables of stone like the former, and come up to me into the mount: and…" The final verse reads: "In seventy souls thy fathers went down into Egypt: and behold now the Lord thy God hath multiplied thee as the stars of…" Read against its original backdrop, Deuteronomy means 'second law': Moses' final sermons on the plains of Moab, renewing the Sinai covenant for the generation about to enter Canaan. Scholarly and ecclesial tradition places the composition of Deuteronomy around Traditions from Moses; book discovered in the Temple during King Josiah's reform around 622 BC.

Who Wrote It

Presented as Moses' farewell discourses; compiled and edited by inspired scribes, likely in the 7th century BC

When It Was Written

Traditions from Moses; book discovered in the Temple during King Josiah's reform around 622 BC

Catholic Commentary

The text sets forth laws and observances that distinguished Israel as a people consecrated to the Lord. A pivotal line is verse 1: "At that time the Lord said to me: Hew thee two tables of stone like the former, and come up to me into the mount: and thou shalt make an ark of wood," The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

Catholic exegesis reads Deuteronomy 10 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. Jesus cited Deuteronomy's command to love God as the greatest commandment (CIC 2083). St. Jerome and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 265).

Applied to the life of faith, the passage supports the Church's conviction that Love the Lord your God with all your heart. Whether read privately or heard in the liturgy, Deuteronomy 10 calls for a response of faith, repentance, and charity.

Main Teachings

  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • Love of God and love of neighbor sum up the whole law and reveal the very nature of God.
  • God binds Himself to His people by covenant, and He never breaks His word.

People in This Chapter

Eleazar1 mentionAaron1 mention

Reflection for Today

The early section of Deuteronomy—Chapter 10 of 34—opens a particular moment in the story of covenant renewal and the call to love God.

According to Catholic teaching, Jesus cited Deuteronomy's command to love God as the greatest commandment (CIC 2083). This chapter especially highlights the role of the sacraments in sanctification, a theme the Catechism develops in relation to the whole of revelation (CIC 1700).

May your reading of Deuteronomy Chapter 10 become true lectio divina: read the words, meditate on their meaning, respond in prayer, and rest in God's presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to show how Love the Lord your God with all your heart applies to your life today.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Deuteronomy Chapter 10 about?

Deuteronomy 10 contains 22 verses. It opens with "At that time the Lord said to me: Hew thee two tables of stone like the former, and come up to me into the mount: and…" and closes with "In seventy souls thy fathers went down into Egypt: and behold now the Lord thy God hath multiplied thee as the stars of…". The book as a whole is covenant discourses and law.

What is a key verse in Deuteronomy 10?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "At that time the Lord said to me: Hew thee two tables of stone like the former, and come up to me into the mount: and thou shalt make an ark of wood," It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Deuteronomy Chapter 10?

This chapter mentions Eleazar, Aaron.

Who wrote Deuteronomy and when?

Presented as Moses' farewell discourses; compiled and edited by inspired scribes, likely in the 7th century BC. Traditions from Moses; book discovered in the Temple during King Josiah's reform around 622 BC.

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