Deuteronomy 10

1 At that time the LORD said to me, Hew you two tables of stone like to the first, and come up to me into the mount, and make you an ark of wood.

“Then Yahweh said to me, ‘Cut two stone tablets like the first ones. And make a wooden chest to put them in. Then [bring the tablets] up to me on this mountain.

2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which you brake, and you shall put them in the ark.

I will write on those tablets the same words that I wrote on the first tablets, the ones that you broke. Then you can put them in the chest.’

3 And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like to the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in my hand.

“So I made a chest. I used wood from an acacia tree to make it. Then I cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I went up the mountain carrying the tablets.

4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spoke to you in the mount out of the middle of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them to me.

There Yahweh wrote on the tablets the [same] Ten Commandments [that he had written on the first tablet]. They are the commandments that he told to your ancestors from the middle of the fire on the mountain, when they were gathered [at the bottom of the mountain]. Then Yahweh gave the tablets to me,

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.

and I turned and went down the mountain. Then, just as he had commanded, I put them in the chest that I had made. And they are still there.”

6 And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest’s office in his stead.

(Then, from the wells that belonged to the people of Jaakan, the Israeli people traveled to Moserah. There Aaron died and was buried, and his son Eleazar took his place and became the Supreme Priest.

7 From there they journeyed to Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.

From there, the Israelis traveled to Gudgodah, and from there to Jotbathah, which was a place that had many streams.

8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day.

At that time, Yahweh (set apart/appointed) the tribe of Levi to carry the chest that contained [the tablets on which were written] the Ten Commandments, and to stand in Yahweh’s presence [in the sacred tent], to offer sacrifices, and to pray for Yahweh to bless [the people. They are still doing those things] at the present time.

9 Why Levi has no part nor inheritance with his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD your God promised him.

That is the reason that the tribe of Levi did not receive any land like the other tribes did. What they received was the work/privilege of being Yahweh’s [priests], which is what he said that they should do.)

10 And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD listened to me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy you.

“I stayed on the mountain 40 days and nights, just like I did the first time. [I prayed to] Yahweh, and he (answered my prayers/did what I requested) again and said that he would not destroy your ancestors.

11 And the LORD said to me, Arise, take your journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give to them.

Then Yahweh said to me, ‘Continue your journey, going in front of the people, to occupy the land that I vowed your ancestors that I would give to you.’”

12 And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

“Now, you Israeli people, [I will tell you] [RHQ] what Yahweh our God requires/demands that you do. He requires you to revere him, to conduct your lives as he wants you to, to love him, and to serve him wholeheartedly [DOU],

13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command you this day for your good?

and to obey all of his commandments [DOU] which I am giving to you today for your benefit.

14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’s your God, the earth also, with all that therein is.

“Do not forget that Yahweh our God owns even the sky and everything that is in it. He also owns the earth and everything that is on it.

15 Only the LORD had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.

But [in spite of owning all those things], Yahweh loved your ancestors, and from all the people-groups [on the earth] he chose us, their descendants, and we are still his people.

16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff necked.

So you must stop sinning [MET] and stop being stubborn [IDM]!

17 For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regards not persons, nor takes reward:

Yahweh our God is greater than all gods, and he is greater than all rulers. He is very powerful [DOU] and awesome. He (is impartial/does not do things that favor one (group/person) more than others), and he does not accept bribes.

18 He does execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loves the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.

He makes sure that orphans and widows are treated fairly. He loves even (foreigners/people from other countries) who live among us Israeli people, and he gives them food and clothes.

19 Love you therefore the stranger: for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

So you must love those foreigners too, because you were once foreigners when you were living in Egypt.

20 You shall fear the LORD your God; him shall you serve, and to him shall you hold, and swear by his name.

Revere Yahweh our God and worship only him. (Be faithful to/Have a close relationship with) him, and say that he should punish you if you do not do what you promise.

21 He is your praise, and he is your God, that has done for you these great and terrible things, which your eyes have seen.

He is the one whom you must praise. He is our God, and we have seen the great and amazing things that he has done for us.

22 Your fathers went down into Egypt with three score and ten persons; and now the LORD your God has made you as the stars of heaven for multitude.

When our ancestors, [Jacob and his family], went down to Egypt, there were only seventy of them. But now Yahweh our God has caused us to be as numerous as the stars in the sky.”