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英文原文
Moses having, in the foregoing chapter, reminded them of their own sin, as a reason why they should not depend upon their own righteousness, in this chapter he sets before them God's great mercy to them, notwithstanding their provocations, as a reason why they should be more obedient for the future. I. He mentions divers tokens of God's favour and reconciliation to them, never to be forgotten. (1.) The renewing of the tables of the covenant, De 10:1-5. (2.) Giving orders for their progress towards Canaan, De 10:6,7. (3.) Choosing the tribe of Levi for his own, De 10:8,9. (4.) And continuing the priesthood after the death of Aaron, De 10:6. (5.) Owning and accepting the intercession of Moses for them, De 10:10,11. II. Hence he infers what obligations they lay under to fear, and love, and serve God, which he presses upon them with many motives, De 10:12-22, etc.
1-11
God's Great Kindness to Israel (1451 BC)
神向以色列所施的大恩（主前1451年）
¹ 那时耶和华对我说：『你要凿出两块石版，和先前的一样，上山到我这里来，又要用木做一柜。 ² 你先前摔碎的那版，其上的字我要写在这版上；你要将这版放在柜中。』 ³ 于是我用皂荚木做了一柜，又凿出两块石版，和先前的一样，手里拿这两块版上山去了。 ⁴ 耶和华将那大会之日、在山上从火中对你们所说话的十条诫，照先前所写的，写在这版上，交给了我。 ⁵ 我转身下山，将这版放在我所做的柜中，现今还在那里，正如耶和华所吩咐我的。 ⁶ （以色列人从比罗比尼亚干起行，到了摩西拉。亚伦死在那里，就葬在那里。他儿子以利亚撒接续他供祭司的职分。） ⁷ 他们从那里起行，到了谷歌大，又从谷歌大到了有溪水的约巴他。 ⁸ 那时耶和华将利未支派分别出来，抬耶和华的约柜，侍立在耶和华面前事奉他，奉他的名祝福，直到今日。 ⁹ 所以利未人在他弟兄中无分无业；耶和华是他的产业，正如耶和华你神所应许他的。 ¹⁰ 我又像从前在山上住了四十昼夜；那一次耶和华也应允我，不肯灭绝你。 ¹¹ 耶和华对我说：『你起来，引导百姓前行，使他们进去得我向他们列祖起誓应许给他们之地。』
神藉着四件事表明祂已与以色列和好，并使他们真正伟大而蒙福；在这四件事上，神的良善因他们的败坏反而更加彰显：——
I. 祂将律法赐给他们，以文字形式赐下，作为祂施恩的常存凭据。先前所写的版虽然摔碎了——因为以色列已经违犯了诫命，神本可以公义地废弃圣约——但当祂的怒气转消之后，法版便重新赐下，申10:1,2。注意：神将律法放在我们心中、写在我们里面，便为我们与神的和好提供了最确凿的证据，也是我们在祂里面蒙福的最佳凭据。摩西受命去凿出石版；因为律法藉着定罪与自卑预备人心领受神的恩典，但惟有恩典才能将律法写在人心里。摩西『用皂荚木做了一柜』（申10:3），是一个简朴的箱子，我想两版后来就是保存在其中的：但比撒列被称为这柜的制造者（出37:1），因为他后来将之完成并包上精金。或者说，摩西被称为制造者，是因为他第二次上山时吩咐比撒列在他下来之前预先做好。值得注意的是，正因如此，约柜是神首先下令制造的物件，出25:10。这给会众留下了一个凭据：这一次两版必不至像头一次那样遭损。神必将祂的律法与福音赐给那些心预备好了、如同约柜一般能以接纳的人。基督就是那约柜，如今我们的救恩在其中稳妥地保存着，不至于像在首先的亚当里那样失丧——那时他把救恩握在自己手中。请注意：1. 神在两块版上所写的是什么，就是十条诫命（申10:4），即『十句话』，表明其篇幅何等简短：不是十卷书，而是十句话；这第二次的写法与头一次完全相同，且与祂在山上所说的一模一样。这第二版无需任何更正或修订，祂所写的与祂所说的毫无二致。所写的道与神对众先知所说的道同样都是神真实的话语。2. 对此有何等谨慎的照管。这样刻好的两块版，被忠实地安放在约柜之中。『现今还在那里，』摩西说道，他可能手指着圣所指去，申10:5。那交托给他的善道，他原样传给了百姓，毫未玷污、完整无缺地留在他们手中；如今他们当冒着性命之危险来看守它。我们也可以这样对新一代说：『神把圣经、安息日、圣礼等交托我们，作为祂同在与施恩的记号，现今这些都还在；我们将之交付你们保管』，提后1:13,14。
II. 祂引领他们继续向迦南前行，尽管他们心里反倒倾向埃及，而祂本可以公义地任凭他们沉迷于自己的幻觉，申10:6,7。祂将他们领到一处『有溪水之地』，离开了干旱荒凉的旷野。神有时藉着寻常的自然运行来供给他们的需要；当此路不通时，便用神迹来供应；然而此后他们一旦遭遇些许困苦，便又怀疑神、发怨言，民20:3,4。
III. 神在他们中间设立了常设的圣职，为他们办理属圣之事。在摩西第二次上山的那个时候，或不久之后，他奉命将利未支派分别出来归于神，归于祂直接的事奉，因为他们因向拜金牛犊者大发热心而与众不同，申10:8,9。哥辖人抬约柜；他们与其余的利未人『侍立在耶和华面前』，在会幕各样职事上事奉祂；而属于那支派的祭司则要为民祝福。这是一项常设的条例，至今已持续了将近四十年，直到今日；并且因那支派有固定的供给，这条例得以延续——这供给使他们在工作上大得鼓励，也不致被生计所分心。『耶和华是他的产业。』注意：常设的圣职工对一个民族而言是极大的福气，也是神施恩的特殊记号。又因个别祭司因死亡不能延续，神就在确保继任之事上显出对百姓的眷顾——摩西在此特加记述，申10:6。当『亚伦死』时，祭司之职并未随之而死，而是『他儿子以利亚撒接续他供职』，并看管约柜——那两块石版（极其宝贵的宝石）便存放其中，不容丝毫损坏；它们现今还在，由他负责看守。在律法之下，圣职的继任是藉着将职任限定于某支派某家族而维持的。但如今在福音之下，圣灵的浇灌更加丰盛而大有能力，继任是藉着圣灵在人心中运行——使人有资格并使他们甘心倾向于这工——而维持的，每个世代都有这样的人，使以色列的名不至被涂抹。
IV. 神悦纳了摩西作他们的代求者或中保，因此设立他为他们的君王与领袖（申10:10,11）：『耶和华应允我，说：你起来，引导百姓前行。』他们能有这样一位朋友，既忠于那设立他的主，又忠于他所为之代求的百姓，这于他们实为怜悯。那曾以代求救他们脱离灭亡的，理当率领并统管他们。在此他乃是基督的预表——基督既永远活着为我们代求，也就『在天上地上执掌一切权柄』。
英文原文
God's Great Kindness to Israel (1451 BC)
¹ At 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.
² And 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.
³ And 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.
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.
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.
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.
⁷ From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.
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 unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
⁹ Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.
¹⁰ And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee.
¹¹ And the LORD said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them.
There were four things in and by which God showed himself reconciled to Israel and made them truly great and happy, and in which God's goodness took occasion from their badness to make him the more illustrious:—
I. He gave them his law, gave it to them in writing, as a standing pledge of his favour. Though the tables that were first written were broken, because Israel had broken the commandments, and God might justly break the covenant, yet when his anger was turned away the tables were renewed, De 10:1,2. Note, God's putting his law in our hearts, and writing it in our inward parts, furnish the surest evidence of our reconciliation to God and the best earnest of our happiness in him. Moses is told to hew the tables; for the law prepares the heart by conviction and humiliation for the grace of God, but it is only that grace that then writes the law in it. Moses made an ark of shittim-wood (De 10:3), a plain chest, the same, I suppose, in which the tables were afterwards preserved: but Bezaleel is said to make it (Ex 37:1), because he afterwards finished it up and overlaid it with gold. Or Moses is said to make it because, when he went up the second time into the mount, he ordered it to be made by Bezaleel against he came down. And it is observable that for this reason the ark was the first thing that God gave orders about, Ex 25:10. And this left an earnest to the congregation that the tables should not miscarry this second time, as they had done the first. God will send his law and gospel to those whose hearts are prepared as arks to receive them. Christ is the ark in which now our salvation is kept safely, that it may not be lost as it was in the first Adam, when he had it in his own hand. Observe, 1. What it was that God wrote on the two tables, the ten commandments (De 10:4), or ten words, intimating in how little a compass they were contained: they were not ten volumes, but ten words: it was the same with the first writing, and both the same that he spoke in the mount. The second edition needed no correction nor amendment, nor did what he wrote differ form what he spoke. The written word is as truly the word of God as that which he spoke to his servants the prophets. 2. What care was taken of it. These two tables, thus engraven, were faithfully laid up in the ark. And there they be, said Moses, pointing it is probable towards the sanctuary, De 10:5. That good thing which was committed to him he transmitted to them, and left it pure and entire in their hands; now let them look to it at their peril. Thus we may say to the rising generation, "God has entrusted us with Bibles, sabbaths, sacraments, etc., as tokens of his presence and favour, and there they be; we lodge them with you," 2Ti 1:13,14.
II. He led them forward towards Canaan, though they in their hearts turned back towards Egypt, and he might justly have chosen their delusions, De 10:6,7. He brought them to a land of rivers of waters, out of a dry and barren wilderness. Sometimes God supplied their wants by the ordinary course of nature: when that failed, then by miracles; and yet after this, when they were brought into a little distress, we find them distrusting God and murmuring, Nu 20:3,4.
III. He appointed a standing ministry among them, to deal for them in holy things. At that time when Moses went up a second time to the mount, or soon after, he had orders to separate the tribe of Levi to God, and to his immediate service, they having distinguished themselves by their zeal against the worshippers of the golden calf, De 10:8,9. The Kohathites carried the ark; they and the other Levites stood before the Lord, to minister to him in all the offices of the tabernacle; and the priests, who were of that tribe, were to bless the people. This was a standing ordinance, which had now continued almost forty years, even unto this day; and provision was made for the perpetuating of it by the settled maintenance of that tribe, which was such as gave them great encouragement in their work, and no diversion from it. The Lord is his inheritance. Note, A settled ministry is a great blessing to a people, and a special token of God's favour. And, since the particular priests could not continue by reason of death, God showed his care of the people in securing a succession, which Moses takes notice of here, De 10:6. When Aaron died, the priesthood did not die with him, but Eleazar his son ministered in his stead, and took care of the ark, in which the tables of stone, those precious stones, were deposited, that they should suffer no damage; there they be, and he has the custody of them. Under the law, a succession in the ministry was kept up, by an entail of the office on a certain tribe and family. But now, under the gospel, when the effusion of the Spirit is more plentiful and powerful, the succession is kept up by the Spirit's operation on men's hearts, qualifying men for, and inclining men to, that work, some in every age, that the name of Israel may not be blotted out.
IV. He accepted Moses as an advocate or intercessor for them, and therefore constituted him their prince and leader (De 10:10,11): The Lord hearkened to me and said, Arise, go before the people. It was a mercy to them that they had such a friend, so faithful both to him that appointed him and to those for whom he was appointed. It was fit that he who had saved them from ruin, by his intercession with heaven, should have the conduct and command of them. And herein he was a type of Christ, who, as he ever lives making intercession for us, so he has all power both in heaven and in earth.
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Exhortation to Obedience (1451 BC)
劝勉顺服（公元前1451年）
¹² 以色列啊，现在耶和华你的神向你所要的是什么呢？无非是要你敬畏耶和华你的神，遵行祂的一切道，爱祂，尽心尽性事奉耶和华你的神， ¹³ 遵守耶和华的诫命和律例，就是我今日所吩咐你的，为要叫你得福。 ¹⁴ 看哪，天和天上的天、地和地上所有的，都属耶和华你的神。 ¹⁵ 但耶和华喜悦你的列祖，爱他们，从万民中拣选他们的后裔，就是你们，像今日一样。 ¹⁶ 所以你们要将心里的污秽除掉，不可再硬着颈项。 ¹⁷ 因为耶和华你们的神，祂是万神之神、万主之主，至大的神，大有能力，大而可畏，不以貌取人，也不受贿赂。 ¹⁸ 祂为孤儿寡妇伸冤，又怜爱寄居的，赐给他衣食。 ¹⁹ 所以你们要怜爱寄居的，因为你们在埃及地也作过寄居的。 ²⁰ 你要敬畏耶和华你的神，事奉祂，专靠祂，也要指着祂的名起誓。 ²¹ 祂是你所赞美的，是你的神，为你作了那大而可畏的事，是你亲眼所看见的。 ²² 你的列祖下埃及时共计七十人；现在耶和华你的神使你如同天上的星那样多。
此处是一段极恳切的劝勉，从前文引申而出，并以极有力的论证和许多动人的修辞加以劝勉。摩西如演说家一般开口，向听众呼吁：以色列啊，现在耶和华你的神向你所要的是什么呢？（申10:12）。问问祂所要的是什么；正如大卫所说（诗116:12）：我拿什么报答祂？ 我们既从神领了怜悯，就当查问当向祂还报什么。请思量祂所求的是什么，就必发现所求的无非本身极其公义合理，且于我们有说不尽的益处和好处。请看此处祂究竟要求什么，以及我们当行祂所求的，有何充分的理由。
I. 此处极清楚地指明我们对神、对邻舍、对自己当尽的本分。
1. 此处教导我们对神当尽的本分，无论在心灵的性情情感上，或在生活的行为上，无论在原则上或在实践上。 (1.) 我们必须敬畏耶和华我们的神（申10:12，又申10:20）。我们当敬重祂的威严，承认祂的权柄，畏惧祂的大能，惧怕祂的烈怒。这是福音的本分（启14:6-7）。 (2.) 我们必须爱祂，因祂本为善而心满意足，愿祂属我们，并以默想祂并与祂相交为乐。敬畏祂为大神、为主；爱祂为良善的神、为我们的父和恩主。 (3.) 我们必须遵行祂的道，就是祂所指定我们当行的道。我们整个行事为人必须与祂圣洁的旨意相符。 (4.) 我们必须事奉祂（申10:20），尽心尽性事奉祂（申10:12），将自己奉献于祂的尊荣，将自己服在祂的治理之下，竭力促进祂在人中间国度的各样利益。我们必须在事奉上恳切火热，发动并运用我们里面的人来做祂的工，凡为祂所做的，都当甘心乐意而行。 (5.) 我们必须谨守祂的诫命和律例（申10:13）。既已献己于祂的事奉，就当以祂所启示的旨意作为凡事之准则，凡祂所吩咐的都遵行，凡祂所禁止的都禁戒不犯，坚信祂所命令的一切律例都是为了我们的益处。除了顺服的赏赐（这将是我们说不尽的得着）之外，顺服之中还有真正的尊荣与喜乐。温柔谦卑、贞洁节制、公义怜悯、忍耐知足，确实于我们现今有益；这些使我们安然、稳妥、快乐，并真正伟大。 (6.) 我们当以指着祂的名起誓来荣耀神（申10:20）；以此将祂无所不知、祂的主权、祂的公义，以及祂必然存在的尊荣归给祂。当指着祂的名起誓， 不可指着任何受造之物或假神的名起誓——每当需要起誓作证之时。 (7.) 我们当专靠祂（申10:20）。既已选祂为我们的神，就当忠心而恒常地倚靠祂，永不离开祂。当爱祂、以祂为乐、信靠祂、信赖祂，并因对祂大有指望而专靠祂。
2. 此处教导我们对邻舍当尽的本分（申10:19）：要怜爱寄居的； 若当怜爱寄居的，就更当爱弟兄如己。以色列人既是这样特别的子民，如此与万民有别，尚且当善待寄居的，我们不受这样的藩篱所围，更当如何行；我们当对凡与我们同有人性的人怀温柔的关切，并趁机（即按他们的需要和我们的力量）向众人行善。 此处提出两个理由来强化这本分： (1.) 神普遍的护理，普及万族的人——因为他们都是从一个本源所造。 神怜爱寄居的（申10:18），就是说，祂将生命、气息和万物赐给一切人，甚至赐给那些外邦人、作以色列国民以外的人、作以色列神以外之人的。祂完全认识那些我们一无所知的人。祂赐衣食给那些祂未曾赐其话语和律例的人。神赐给人类的普遍恩赐，使我们当敬重一切人。或者这说法指明护理对落难寄居者的特别看顾——我们当为此赞美祂（诗146:9：耶和华保护寄居的），并效法祂、事奉祂、与祂同工，甘愿作祂手中的器皿，向寄居的施恩。 (2.) 以色列人自己曾在埃及作寄居的所受的苦境。自己曾在困苦中蒙神怜悯的人，最当与处于同样困苦中的人深表同情，并乐意向他们施恩。犹太人虽有这些屡次的命令要善待寄居的，却对外邦人怀有根深蒂固的反感，视之为至为可鄙；这使他们嫉妒神的恩典和基督的福音，最终招致自身的毁灭。
3. 此处教导我们对自己当尽的本分（申10:16）：要将心里的污秽除掉（直译：你们要将心里的阳皮割去），就是说："你们当弃绝一切妨碍你们敬畏爱慕神的败坏情感和倾向。当治死肉体的邪情私欲。 当除去一切阻碍神的话自由进入你们心的污秽和盈余的邪恶。不可止于身上的割礼——那不过是记号——而要心里受割礼，这才是记号所指的实体。"（参罗2:29）基督的命令更进一层，不仅命我们割去心里容易放过的阳皮，更命我们砍下那绊跌我们的右手、剜出那绊跌我们的右眼；时代越属灵，我们就越当属灵，越当紧密地治死罪。又当不再硬着颈项，如他们素来所行的（申9:24）。"不可再抗拒神的命令和管教，而当乐意顺服神在这两方面的旨意。"心里的割礼使人心预备好向神顺服，负祂的轭。
II. 此处又极恳切地劝我们尽本分。只要理性掌权，信仰必通行。
1. 当思量神的伟大与荣耀，因此敬畏祂，并从这原则出发事奉顺服祂。世人看何事使人伟大？岂不是大尊荣、大权柄、大产业吗？那么请想耶和华我们的神何其伟大、大可敬畏。 (1.) 祂有大尊荣，有超乎万名之上的名。祂是万神之神、 万主之主（申10:17）。天使被称为神， 官长也被称为神， 外邦人有许多的神、许多的主， 都是自己想象出来的；但神无限地超越这一切有名无实的神祇。他们既已宣誓效忠的神是万神之神，再去敬拜别神，是何等荒谬！ (2.) 祂有大权柄。祂是大有能力、大而可畏的神（申10:17），不以貌取人。 祂有征服者的权能，所以对那些抵挡祂、背叛祂的人是大而可畏的。祂有审判官的权能，所以对一切向祂上诉或在祂面前出现的人都是公义的。审判官在公义上不偏待人、不收贿赂，与其尊严和尊荣相称，正如将军对敌人大而可畏相称一般。我们的神二者兼备。 (3.) 祂有大产业。天地都是祂的（申10:14），其中万象群星也都是祂的。所以祂能扶持我们事奉祂，并补偿我们在尽对祂的本分时所受的损失。也正因如此，祂并不需要我们，也不需要我们所有或所能行的任何事；我们没有祂就灭亡，但祂没有我们仍然有福。这使祂恩典的降卑——接纳我们和我们的事奉——真正可钦可敬。天地是祂的产业，然而耶和华的分，本是祂的百姓。
2. 当思量神的良善与恩典，因此爱祂，并从这原则出发事奉顺服祂。祂的良善与祂的伟大同样是祂的荣耀。 (1.) 祂向一切人行善。凡祂所见困苦的人，祂必向他显为怜悯：祂为孤儿寡妇伸冤（申10:18）。扶助无力之人、救助那些最需救济而人易于加害或至少易于轻看的人，这是祂的尊荣（参诗68:4-5，146:7-9）。 (2.) 但神实在向以色列格外施恩， 因此他们对祂负有特别的义务：祂是你所赞美的，祂是你的神（申10:21）。所以 当爱祂、事奉祂，因为祂与你的关系如此亲密。祂是你的神，是与你立约的神；既是如此，祂就是你所赞美的，意即： [1.] "祂将尊荣赐给你；祂就是你终日可以夸口的——你认识祂，又被祂所认识。祂若作你的神，祂就是你的荣耀。" [2.] "祂也指望从你得尊荣。祂是你所赞美的，" 就是说，"祂就是你所当赞美的神；祂若不从你得赞美，还能从谁指望呢？" 祂居住在以色列的赞美中。请思量： 第一， 神向以色列所施恩惠的拣选（申10:15）。"祂喜悦你的列祖，所以拣选他们的后裔。" 并非他们身上有什么配得祂恩惠或向祂推荐之处，乃是在祂眼中看为美。祂要恩待他们，虽然祂并不需要他们。 第二， 神为以色列所行的大事（申10:21-22）。摩西不仅提醒他们所曾耳闻、他们列祖所告诉他们的，也提醒他们亲眼所见、他们当告诉儿女的事——尤其是几代之间，七十个人（雅各下埃及时不过如此）繁衍成为大国，如同天上的星那样多。 他们人数越多，神就越指望从他们得更多的赞美和事奉；然而结果却如上古之世，他们一开始增多，就自己败坏了。
英文原文
Exhortation to Obedience (1451 BC)
¹² And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
¹³ To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?
¹⁴ Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.
¹⁵ Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
¹⁶ Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
¹⁷ For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:
¹⁸ He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
¹⁹ Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
²⁰ Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
²¹ He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.
²² Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.
Here is a most pathetic exhortation to obedience, inferred from the premises, and urged with very powerful arguments and a great deal of persuasive rhetoric. Moses brings it in like an orator, with an appeal to his auditors And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee? De 10:12. Ask what he requires; as David (Ps 116:12), What shall I render? When we have received mercy from God it becomes us to enquire what returns we shall make to him. Consider what he requires, and you will find it is nothing but what is highly just and reasonable in itself and of unspeakable benefit and advantage to you. Let us see here what he does require, and what abundant reason there is why we should do what he requires.
I. We are here most plainly directed in our duty to God, to our neighbour, and to ourselves.
1. We are here taught our duty to God, both in the dispositions and affections of our souls and in the actions of our lives, our principles and our practices. (1.) We must fear the Lord our God, De 10:12, and again De 10:20. We must adore his majesty, acknowledge his authority, stand in awe of his power, and dread his wrath. This is gospel duty, Re 14:6,7. (2.) We must love him, be well pleased that he is, desire that he may be ours, and delight in the contemplation of him and in communion with him. Fear him as a great God, and our Lord, love him as a good God, and our Father and benefactor. (3.) We must walk in his ways, that is, the ways which he has appointed us to walk in. The whole course of our conversation must be conformable to his holy will. (4.) We must serve him (De 10:20), serve him with all our heart and soul (De 10:12), devote ourselves to his honour, put ourselves under his government, and lay out ourselves to advance all the interests of his kingdom among men. And we must be hearty and zealous in his service, engage and employ our inward man in his work, and what we do for him we must do cheerfully and with a good will. (5.) We must keep his commandments and his statutes, De 10:13. Having given up ourselves to his service, we must make his revealed will our rule in every thing, perform all he prescribes, forbear all the forbids, firmly believing that all the statutes he commands us are for our good. Besides the reward of obedience, which will be our unspeakable gain, there are true honour and pleasure in obedience. It is really for our present good to be meek and humble, chaste and sober, just and charitable, patient and contented; these make us easy, and safe, and pleasant, and truly great. (6.) We must give honour to God, in swearing by his name (De 10:20); so give him the honour of his omniscience, his sovereignty, his justice, as well as of his necessary existence. Swear by his name, and not by the name of any creature, or false god, whenever an oath for confirmation is called for. (7.) To him we must cleave, De 10:20. Having chosen him for our God, we must faithfully and constantly abide with him and never forsake him. Cleave to him as one we love and delight in, trust and confide in, and from whom we have great expectations.
2. We are here taught our duty to our neighbour (De 10:19): Love the stranger; and, if the stranger, much more our brethren, as ourselves. If the Israelites that were such a peculiar people, so particularly distinguished from all people, must be kind to strangers, much more must we, that are not enclosed in such a pale; we must have a tender concern for all that share with us in the human nature, and as we have opportunity; (that is, according to their necessities and our abilities) we must do good to all men. Two arguments are here urged to enforce this duty:—(1.) God's common providence, which extends itself to all nations of men, they being all made of one blood. God loveth the stranger (De 10:18), that is, he gives to all life, and breath, and all things, even to those that are Gentiles, and strangers to the commonwealth of Israel and to Israel's God. He knows those perfectly whom we know nothing of. He gives food and raiment even to those to whom he has not shown his word and statutes. God's common gifts to mankind oblige us to honour all men. Or the expression denotes the particular care which Providence takes of strangers in distress, which we ought to praise him for (Ps 146:9, The Lord preserveth the strangers), and to imitate him, to serve him, and concur with him therein, being forward to make ourselves instruments in his hand of kindness to strangers. (2.) The afflicted condition which the Israelites themselves had been in, when they were strangers in Egypt. Those that have themselves been in distress, and have found mercy with God, should sympathize most feelingly with those that are in the like distress and be ready to show kindness to them. The people of the Jews, notwithstanding these repeated commands given them to be kind to strangers, conceived a rooted antipathy to the Gentiles, whom they looked upon with the utmost disdain, which made them envy the grace of God and the gospel of Christ, and this brought a final ruin upon themselves.
3. We are here taught our duty to ourselves (De 10:16): Circumcise the foreskin of your hearts. that is, "Cast away from you all corrupt affections and inclinations, which hinder you from fearing and loving God. Mortify the flesh with the lusts of it. Away with all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, which obstruct the free course of the word of God to your hearts. Rest not in the circumcision of the body, which was only the sign, but be circumcised in heart, which is the thing signified." See Ro 2:29. The command of Christ goes further than this, and obliges us not only to cut off the foreskin of the heart, which may easily be spared, but to cut off the right hand and to pluck out the right eye that is an offence to us; the more spiritual the dispensation is the more spiritual we are obliged to be, and to go the closer in mortifying sin. And be no more stiff-necked, as they had been hitherto, De 9:24. "Be not any longer obstinate against divine commands and corrections, but ready to comply with the will of God in both." The circumcision of the heart makes it ready to yield to God, and draw in his yoke.
II. We are here most pathetically persuaded to our duty. Let but reason rule us, and religion will.
1. Consider the greatness and glory of God, and therefore fear him, and from that principle serve and obey him. What is it that is thought to make a man great, but great honour, power, and possessions? Think then how great the Lord our God is, and greatly to be feared. (1.) He has great honour, a name above every name. He is God of gods, and Lord of lords, De 10:17. Angels are called gods, so are magistrates, and the Gentiles had gods many, and lords many, the creatures of their own fancy; but God is infinitely above all these nominal deities. What an absurdity would it be for them to worship other gods when the God to whom they had sworn allegiance was the God of gods! (2.) He has great power. He is a mighty God and terrible (De 10:17), who regardeth not persons. He has the power of a conqueror, and so he is terrible to those that resist him and rebel against him. He has the power of a judge, and so he is just to all those that appeal to him or appear before him. And it is as much the greatness and honour of a judge to be impartial in his justice, without respect to persons or bribes, as it is to a general to be terrible to the enemy. Our God is both. (3.) He has great possessions. Heaven and earth are his (De 10:14), and all the hosts and stars of both. Therefore he is able to bear us out in his service, and to make up the losses we sustain in discharging our duty to him. And yet therefore he has no need of us, nor any thing we have or can do; we are undone without him, but he is happy without us, which makes the condescensions of his grace, in accepting us and our services, truly admirable. Heaven and earth are his possession, and yet the Lord's portion is his people.
2. Consider the goodness and grace of God, and therefore love him, and from that principle serve and obey him. His goodness is his glory as much as his greatness. (1.) He is good to all. Whomsoever he finds miserable, to them he will be found merciful: He executes the judgment of the fatherless and widow, De 10:18. It is his honour to help the helpless, and to succour those that most need relief and that men are apt to do injury to, or at least to put a light upon. See Ps 68:4,5,146:7,9. (2.) But truly God is good to Israel in a special obligations to him: "He is thy praise, and he is thy God, De 10:21. Therefore love him and serve him, because of the relation wherein he stands to thee. He is thy God, a God in covenant with thee, and as such he is thy praise," that is [1.] "He puts honour upon thee; he is the God in whom, all the day long, thou mayest boast that thou knowest him, and art known of him. If he is thy God, he is thy glory." [2.] "He expects honour from thee. He is thy praise," that is "he is the God whom thou art bound to praise; if he has not praise from thee, whence may he expect it?" He inhabits the praises of Israel. Consider, First, The gracious choice he made of Israel, De 10:15. "He had a delight in thy fathers, and therefore chose their seed." Not that there was any thing in them to merit his favour, or to recommend them to it, but so it seemed good in his eyes. He would be kind to them, though he had no need of them. Secondly, The great things he had done for Israel, De 10:21,22. He reminds them not only of what they had heard with their ears, and which their fathers had told them of, but of what they had seen with their eyes, and which they must tell their children of, particularly that within a few generations seventy souls (for they were no more when Jacob went down into Egypt) increased to a great nation, as the stars of heaven for multitude. And the more they were in number the more praise and service God expected from them; yet it proved, as in the old world, that when they began to multiply they corrupted themselves.
摩西在前一章既已提起他们自己的罪，作为他们不可倚仗己义的原因，就在本章将神向他们所施的大怜悯摆在他们眼前——尽管他们屡次惹神发怒，神仍施恩——以此作为他们日后更当顺服的理由。I. 他举出神恩待他们、与他们和好的若干凭据，这些都是永远不可忘记的。(1.) 重造圣约的法版（申10:1-5）。(2.) 吩咐他们继续向迦南前行（申10:6,7）。(3.) 拣选利未支派归他自己（申10:8,9）。(4.) 在亚伦死后仍延续祭司的职任（申10:6）。(5.) 明确接纳并悦纳摩西为他们献上的代求（申10:10,11）。II. 由此他推论出，他们当尽何等本分去敬畏、爱慕并事奉神；他并以诸多动机向他们殷勤劝勉（申10:12-22等）。