Deuteronomy 10:1-5 Meaning: Why the Ark and New Tablets
1At that time Yahweh said to me, “Cut two stone tablets like the first, and come up to me onto the mountain, and make an ark of wood.
2I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark.”
3So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut two stone tablets like the first, and went up onto the mountain, having the two tablets in my hand.
4He wrote on the tablets, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which Yahweh spoke to you on the mountain out of the middle of the fire in the day of the assembly; and Yahweh gave them to me.
5I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are as Yahweh commanded me.
1At that time the Lord said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.
2And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.
3And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.
4And 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.
5And 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.
1At that time Jehovah said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.
2And I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.
3So I made an ark of acacia wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in my hand.
4And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which Jehovah spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and Jehovah gave them unto me.
5And I turned and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they are as Jehovah commanded me.
1`At that time hath Jehovah said unto me, Grave for thee two tables of stone, like the first, and come up unto Me, into the mount, and thou hast made for thee an ark of wood,
2and I write on the tables the words which were on the first tables, which thou hast broken, and thou hast placed them in the ark;
3and I make an ark of shittim wood, and grave two tables of stone like the first, and go up to the mount, and the two tables in my hand.
4`And He writeth on the tables, according to the first writing, the Ten Matters, which Jehovah hath spoken unto you in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, in the day of the assembly, and Jehovah giveth them unto me,
5and I turn and come down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made, and they are there, as Jehovah commanded me.
1At that time Jehovah said unto me, Hew for thyself two tables of stone like the first, and come up unto me into the mountain, and make thee an ark of wood;
2and I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which thou didst break, and thou shalt lay them in the ark.
3And I made an ark of acacia-wood, and hewed two tables of stone like the first, and went up the mountain with the two tables in my hand.
4And he wrote on the tables, as the first writing, the ten words which Jehovah spoke unto you on the mountain, from the midst of the fire, on the day of the assembly, and Jehovah gave them unto me.
5And I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; — and they are there, as Jehovah commanded me.
Meaning in one sentence
Moses recalls how God renewed the covenant after Israel's sin, commanding new tablets and an ark. A story of grace and preservation.
Context
This passage comes from Moses’ farewell speech to Israel, recorded in Deuteronomy. In the previous chapter, Moses reminded the people how they had broken the covenant by worshiping the golden calf, and how he had interceded for them, fasting forty days. Now he tells them what happened next. God did not abandon them. Instead, He gave a second set of stone tablets and commanded that an ark be made to hold them. Moses condenses events that unfolded over many months, pulling them together to make one point: though the people had shattered the covenant, God preserved it. The ark would become the place where the law was kept safe, a sign that God’s word would not be lost, even when His people proved faithless.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words carry the weight of this passage. First, pasal, translated “cut” or “hew.” It is the same verb used for carving stone out of a quarry. The first set of tablets had been made entirely by God (Exodus 32:16). Now Moses himself had to cut the stone, a reminder that human effort plays a part in restoration. Second, luach, “tablet.” These were not paper scrolls but slabs of stone, durable, meant to last. God wanted His words carved into something that would not fade. Third, shavar, “break, shatter.” Moses had thrown down the first tablets in anger when he saw the people’s sin. That word echoes the brokenness of the covenant. But here, the new tablets are placed in an aron, an ark, a chest, for safekeeping. What was shattered is now preserved. The same God who wrote the law the first time wrote it again, and provided a home for it among His people.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this passage as a portrait of grace. Many Protestant commentators (Matthew Henry, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) emphasize that God renewed the covenant despite Israel’s apostasy, a free gift won through Moses’ intercession. Keil and Delitzsch note that Moses arranged the events not in strict chronological order but according to their spiritual significance: the ark and the tablets belong together because the covenant must be both written and preserved. Catholic and Orthodox readers have seen the ark as a type of Christ or of Mary, who “kept all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:51). The specifics differ, but all traditions agree: God did not discard His people after their worst failure. He gave them a second chance, and a place to keep His word.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume that Moses wrote the Ten Commandments on the second set of tablets himself. In fact, the text is clear: “He wrote on the tablets, according to the first writing, the ten commandments” (v.4). The Hebrew verb is katav, to inscribe, and its subject is God, not Moses. Moses cut the stone, but God did the writing. The same divine hand that gave the law the first time gave it again. Forgiveness does not mean a watered-down standard, it means the same holy words, offered a second time.
Living This Out
This week, you might find yourself carrying the weight of a failure that feels final, a promise you broke, a relationship you damaged, a habit you thought you had overcome. The passage invites you to see that God does not walk away. He writes His word again. But notice: Moses had to hew the stones. There is work for you to do too, perhaps a hard conversation, a change of pattern, a step of obedience. You prepare the stone. God writes the Word. And then He gives you a place to keep it safe: the community of His people, the practices of prayer and Scripture, the quiet assurance that He has not given up. The ark held the law for centuries. Your heart can hold His promise just as long.
Main takeaway: God graciously renews His covenant after our worst failures, and He gives us a safe place to keep His words close.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Moses broke the first stone tablets because the people had sinned. But God did not get mad forever. He told Moses to make new tablets and a special box to keep them safe. That box was called the ark.
For ages 9, 12
The people had made a golden calf and broken God’s command. But when Moses prayed, God gave a second chance. He had Moses carve new stone tablets, and this time He told him to build a wooden chest, the Ark of the Covenant, to hold them. The ark would travel with Israel everywhere, a constant reminder that God’s word was not lost. Even when we mess up badly, God still wants to be close to us.
Questions People Ask
Did Moses write the Ten Commandments on the second set of tablets himself?
No, the text says God wrote them. Moses cut the stone tablets, but the writing was done by God, just like the first time. This shows that the law’s authority comes from God, not from any human leader.
Why does Moses mention the ark here when it was not built until later?
Moses is not giving a strict timeline. He is condensing events to make a point: the new tablets were placed in the ark for safekeeping. The ark was commanded earlier (Exodus 25), and Moses brings it in here to show that the covenant would be preserved among the people.
What is the significance of acacia wood for the ark?
Acacia wood is a hard, durable wood that grows in the desert. It does not rot easily. Using it for the ark meant the chest would last a long time, a fitting container for God’s enduring word. Also, acacia was readily available in the wilderness and was used for many parts of the tabernacle.
How is this passage different from the account in Exodus 34?
Exodus 34 gives a fuller narrative, including Moses’ instructions before going up the mountain and his face shining afterward. Deuteronomy 10:1-5 is a shorter summary, focused on the results of Moses’ intercession. Moses adds the detail about putting the tablets in the ark, which Exodus mentions later (Exodus 40:20). His purpose is to show the people that God’s covenant was restored and preserved.
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