The Father Renews His Covenant
10 1 At that time our Father told me, 'Cut two stone tablets like the first, come up to me on the mountain, and make a wooden ark.' 2 I will write on the tablets the words on the first tablets you broke, and you are to put them in the ark."
3 So I made an ark of acacia wood, cut two stone tablets like the first, and climbed the mountain with the two tablets in hand. 4 He wrote on the tablets, as before, the ten commandments our Father had spoken to you on the mountain from within the fire, on the assembly day. And our Father gave them to me. 5 I turned, went down the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark I had made; there they've stayed, as our Father commanded me.
6 The Israelites traveled from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah, where Aaron died and was buried; his son Eleazar served as priest in his place. 7 From there they traveled to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of water streams. 8 At that time our Father set apart Levi's tribe to carry the covenant ark, to stand before him, to serve him, and to bless in his name, as they do to this day. 9 So Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers; our Father is his inheritance, as our Father promised him.
10 I stayed on the mountain, as the first time, forty days and forty nights; our Father listened to me again; our Father did not want to destroy you.
11 And our Father said to me, 'Get up, go ahead of the people, so they can enter and take the land I swore to their fathers to give them.'
What Our Father Asks of You
12 And now, Israel, what does our Father ask of you but to fear him, walk in all his ways, love him, and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul? 13 and to keep the commands of our Father and his statutes I'm commanding you today, for your good. 14 Look, to our Father belong the heavens, the highest heavens, the earth, and all in it. 15 Yet our Father loved your fathers, chose their offspring after them — you, above all peoples — as it is today. 16 So circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stubborn no longer. a a v16 "Circumcise the foreskin of your heart" pictures cutting away whatever makes the heart resistant and closed — opening it fully to our Father. 17 For our Father is God of gods, Lord of lords, the great, mighty, awesome God, who shows no partiality and takes no bribe. 18 He does justice for the orphan and widow, and loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing. 19 So you too must love the foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 20 Fear our Father, serve him, hold fast to him, and swear by his name. 21 He is your praise, your Father, who has done for you these great and awesome things your eyes have seen. 22 Your fathers went down to Egypt, seventy in number; now our Father has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.
