เฉลยธรรมบัญญัติ 10:22 วิจารณ์

Moses having, in the foregoing chapter, reminded them of their own sin, as a reason why they should not depend upon their own righteousness, in this chapter he sets before them God's great mercy to them, notwithstanding their provocations, as a reason why they should be more obedient for the future. I. He mentions divers tokens of God's favour and reconciliation to them, never to be forgotten. (1.) The renewing of the tables of the covenant (Deu 10:1-5). (2.) Giving orders for their progress towards Canaan (Deu 10:6, Deu 10:7). (3.) Choosing the tribe of Levi for his own (Deu 10:8, Deu 10:9). (4.) And continuing the priesthood after the death of Aaron (Deu 10:6). (5.) Owning and accepting the intercession of Moses for them (Deu 10:10, Deu 10:11). II. Hence he infers what obligations they lay under to fear, and love, and serve God, which he presses upon them with many motives (Deu 10:12, etc.).

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 10 In this chapter an account is given of an order to Moses to hew two tables of stone, on which the Lord would write the words that were on the first, and to make an ark and put them into it, all which was accordingly done, Deu 10:1 and of some of the journeys of the children of Israel, Deu 10:6 and of the separation of the tribe of Levi to the service of the sanctuary, Deu 10:8 and of Moses's stay in the mount forty days and nights, and his success there, and the direction he had to lead on the people of Israel towards Canaan's land, Deu 10:10 and who by various arguments are exhorted to fear the Lord, and serve him, and keep his commands, Deu 10:12.

Thy fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons,.... That is, in all; for there were not seventy besides Jacob and the patriarchs his sons, but with them; see Gen 46:26 and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude; as he promised they should be, Gen 15:5. Next: Deuteronomy Chapter 11

When we read in sacred history that Jacob went down into Egypt with seventy-five souls, we understand the flesh also to be intended together with the souls. So then the Word, when he became flesh, took with the flesh the whole of human nature. And hence it was possible that hunger and thirst, fear and dread, desire and sleep, tears and trouble of spirit, and all such things, were in him. For the Godhead, in its proper nature, admits no such affections, nor is the flesh by itself involved in them, if the soul is not affected coordinately with the body.

GOD'S MERCY IN RESTORING THE TWO TABLES. (Deu. 10:1-22) At that time the Lord said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first--It was when God had been pacified through the intercessions of Moses with the people who had so greatly offended Him by the worship of the golden calf. The obedient leader executed the orders he had received as to the preparation both of the hewn stones, and the ark or chest in which those sacred archives were to be laid.

In Deu 10:1-5 Moses briefly relates the success of his earnest intercession. "At that time," of his intercession, God commanded him to hew out new tables, and prepare an ark in which to keep them (cf. Exo 34:1.). Here again Moses links together such things as were substantially connected, without strictly confining himself to the chronological order, which was already well known from the historical account, inasmuch as this was not required by the general object of his address. God had already given directions for the preparation of the ark of the covenant, before the apostasy of the nation (Exo 25:10.); but it was not made till after the tabernacle had been built, and the tables were only deposited in the ark when the tabernacle was consecrated (Exo 40:20).

One marvel among these great and terrible acts of the Lord as to be seen in Israel itself, which had gone down to Egypt in the persons of its fathers as a family consisting of seventy souls, and now, notwithstanding the oppression it suffered there, had grown into an innumerable nation. So marvellously had the Lord fulfilled His promise in Gen 15:5. By referring to this promise, Moses intended no doubt to recall to the recollection of the people the fact that the bondage of Israel in a foreign land for 400 years had also been foretold (Gen 15:13.). On the seventy souls, see at Gen 46:26-27.