Deuteronomy 10:4
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.
Deuteronomy 10:4 (KJV)
Context
Deuteronomy records Moses’ speeches to Israel on the plains of Moab, just before they entered the Promised Land. In this verse, Moses recounts the renewal of the two stone tablets after the first set was broken.
Meaning
Moses recalls that the LORD wrote the Ten Commandments on the tablets, “according to the first writing.” This phrase shows that the second tablets bore the same words as the first, which Moses had broken after Israel’s sin with the golden calf (Exodus 32:19). The commandments were not revised or softened; God’s moral law is unchanging. The LORD Himself wrote them, and He spoke them audibly from the fire on “the day of the assembly,” when all Israel gathered at the mountain. Moses then received the tablets from the LORD, acting as the mediator of the covenant.
Biblical connections
The renewal of the tablets (Exodus 34:1) shows God’s mercy and the permanence of His law. The same divine writing points to the New Covenant, where God’s law is written on the hearts of believers (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3). This is fulfilled in Christ, who enables true obedience through the Spirit.
Application
This verse calls us to reverence for God’s Word and gratitude for His mercy in renewing the covenant after Israel’s sin. The Ten Commandments remain a guide for righteous living, showing our responsibilities toward God and others. We should align our actions and attitudes with these principles, not as a way to earn salvation, but as a response to God’s grace. Obedience flows from a heart transformed by His love.
Reflection
God’s standards are holy and unchanging, yet He is patient and willing to restore. As believers, we can trust that His commandments are good and that He gives us the strength to follow them. Let us honor His Word and live in grateful obedience.
