Deuteronomy 10:2 - The New Tablets of Stone

Audio Bible

Context

The New Tablets of Stone
1At that time the LORD said to me, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the originals, come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood. 2And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you are to place them in the ark.” 3So I made an ark of acacia wood, chiseled out two stone tablets like the originals, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hands.…

Cross References

Exodus 34:1
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the originals, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.Exodus 34:28
So Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.Exodus 31:18
When the LORD had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.Exodus 32:15-16
Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. / The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.Exodus 32:19
As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he burned with anger and threw the tablets out of his hands, shattering them at the base of the mountain.Exodus 32:1-4
Now when the people saw that Moses was delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!” / So Aaron told them, “Take off the gold earrings that are on your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.” / Then all the people took off their gold earrings and brought them to Aaron. ...Exodus 24:12
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, so that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”Exodus 25:16
And place inside the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.Exodus 25:21
Set the mercy seat atop the ark and put the Testimony that I will give you into the ark.1 Kings 8:9
There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of the land of Egypt.2 Chronicles 5:10
There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of Egypt.Hebrews 9:4
containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.Hebrews 8:5
The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”Hebrews 9:1-5
Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. / A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place. / Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, ...Acts 7:38
He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.

Deuteronomy 10:5
And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.

Exodus 25:16-22
And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee…

Exodus 40:20
And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:

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Deuteronomy 10

And I will write on the tablets
This phrase indicates God's direct involvement in the creation of the tablets, emphasizing divine authority and the importance of the Law. The act of writing by God Himself signifies the sacredness and permanence of His commandments. This mirrors the initial giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, where God inscribed the Ten Commandments with His own finger (Exodus 31:18).

the words that were on the first tablets,
The reference to the "first tablets" recalls the original set of tablets given to Moses, which contained the Ten Commandments. These commandments are foundational to the covenant between God and Israel, representing God's moral and ethical standards. The repetition of the same words underscores the unchanging nature of God's Law, despite human failure.

which you broke;
This phrase refers to the incident in Exodus 32:19, where Moses broke the first tablets in anger upon witnessing the Israelites worshiping the golden calf. This act symbolizes the breaking of the covenant by the people through idolatry. It serves as a reminder of human sinfulness and the need for repentance and restoration.

and you are to place them in the ark.”
The ark mentioned here is the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred chest that held the tablets of the Law. The placement of the tablets in the ark signifies the centrality of God's Law in the life of Israel. The ark itself is a type of Christ, representing God's presence among His people and foreshadowing the New Covenant through Jesus, who perfectly fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17). The ark's location in the Holy of Holies further emphasizes the holiness and reverence due to God's commandments.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who received the Ten Commandments from God. He is instructed to make new tablets after breaking the first set.

2. God
The divine author of the commandments, who instructs Moses to create new tablets and promises to inscribe them with the same words.

3. The Tablets
Stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed. The first set was broken by Moses in anger, and a second set is to be made.

4. The Ark of the Covenant
A sacred chest where the tablets of the covenant are to be placed, symbolizing God's presence and covenant with Israel.

5. Mount Sinai
The place where Moses received the original tablets from God.

Teaching Points

The Importance of God's Law
God's law is central to His covenant with His people. The re-inscription of the commandments signifies their enduring importance.

God's Mercy and Restoration
Despite Moses breaking the first tablets, God provides a second chance, demonstrating His mercy and willingness to restore His covenant with His people.

Symbolism of the Ark
The Ark of the Covenant represents God's presence and His faithfulness to His promises. Placing the tablets inside signifies the centrality of God's law in the life of His people.

Obedience and Reverence
The act of placing the tablets in the Ark underscores the need for reverence and obedience to God's commands as foundational to a relationship with Him.

Continuity of God's Word
The same words are inscribed on the new tablets, emphasizing the unchanging nature of God's Word and its relevance across generations.

Lists and Questions

Top 10 Lessons from Deuteronomy 10Why does God kill Uzzah instantly for touching the Ark to prevent it from falling (2 Samuel 6:7)?2 Chronicles 5:10 – Why does this verse say only the tablets were in the Ark when Hebrews 9:4 mentions additional items, creating a seeming contradiction? How do we reconcile Deuteronomy 10:1–2’s account of carving new tablets with the lack of any archaeological evidence for either set of tablets? How can we reconcile Exodus 20:1-17, declaring divine authorship of the Ten Commandments, with the lack of archaeological or historical evidence supporting a miraculous event on Mount Sinai?

(2) And I will write on the tables.--It is a common error to suppose that Moses wrote the Law the second time. The mistake arises from the change of person in Exodus 34:28, where the same pronoun "he" refers first to Moses, and then to Jehovah. But there is no doubt as to the fact or its spiritual meaning. The tables of stone represent the "fleshy tables of the heart" as St. Paul teaches us in 2Corinthians 3:3. The first pair of tables were like the heart of Adam, which came fresh from the hand of his Maker, with the word of the Law written on them. But this perished by the fall, beneath the mountain of the Law. The humanity which ascended to receive the Spirit for us was prepared by the Mediator on earth. The "second man" receive "the new covenant," "not the letter, but the Spirit," which puts God's laws in men's minds, and writes them in their hearts, making them God's temple. Thus the ark and the tabernacle which received the Law are a figure of God's human temple, and of the renewed heart of man.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

And I will write
וְאֶכְתֹּב֙ (wə·’eḵ·tōḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3789: To grave, to write

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the tablets
הַלֻּחֹ֔ת (hal·lu·ḥōṯ)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3871: To glisten, a tablet, of stone, wood, metal

the words
הַדְּבָרִ֔ים (had·də·ḇā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

that
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

were
הָי֛וּ (hā·yū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the first
הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים (hā·ri·šō·nîm)
Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7223: First, in place, time, rank

tablets,
הַלֻּחֹ֥ת (hal·lu·ḥōṯ)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3871: To glisten, a tablet, of stone, wood, metal

which
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you broke;
שִׁבַּ֑רְתָּ (šib·bar·tā)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

and you are to place
וְשַׂמְתָּ֖ם (wə·śam·tām)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

them in the ark.”
בָּאָרֽוֹן׃ (bā·’ā·rō·wn)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

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