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 10:4KJV
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Deuteronomy 10:4 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 10:4 mean?

Deuteronomy 10:4 describes how God wrote the Ten Commandments on stone tablets for a second time, just as He did before, and gave them to Moses after speaking them to the people from the fire on the mountain. The verse emphasizes that these commandments were directly given by God during a special assembly.

Moses is speaking to the Israelites, reminding them of the moment when God renewed His covenant after the first tablets were broken. The setting is after Israel’s rebellion with the golden calf, and Moses is recounting how God graciously restored the law. This verse highlights the directness and seriousness of God’s communication, as well as the importance of the commandments for the community.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 10:4

  • "tables" (לֻחוֹת, luḥot): This word refers to the stone tablets, which were physical objects meant to last and be a permanent record of God’s words. The use of "tables" underlines the tangible, enduring nature of the commandments.
  • "commandments" (דְּבָרִים, devarim): Literally meaning "words" or "matters," this term shows that what was given were not just rules but significant words spoken by God Himself.
  • "assembly" (קָהָל, qahal): This word points to the gathered community of Israel, emphasizing that the commandments were given publicly, not in secret, and were meant for all the people.

Why Deuteronomy 10:4 matters

  • Deuteronomy 10:4 clarifies that the Ten Commandments were not Moses’ invention but were directly written and spoken by God, reinforcing their authority.
  • The verse connects the commandments to a specific historical event—God speaking from the fire on the mountain—reminding the people of the seriousness and awe of that moment.
  • By mentioning the "day of the assembly," the verse highlights the communal nature of God’s covenant, showing that these laws were meant for the entire nation, not just individuals.

Where else these words appear

“writing” Hebrew H4385 · used in 8 verses

  • Exodus 32:16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
  • 2 Chronicles 21:12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
  • 2 Chronicles 36:22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

“tables” Hebrew H3871 · used in 33 verses

  • Exodus 24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
  • Exodus 38:7 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.
  • 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.

“assembly” Hebrew H6951 · used in 116 verses

  • Genesis 28:3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
  • 1 Kings 8:55 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
  • Nehemiah 7:66 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,