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Moses · Traditional Attribution

Deuteronomy · Chapter 10דְּבָרִים

Moses recounts God's covenant renewal and calls Israel to wholehearted obedience and justice.

Grace follows judgment. After Israel's catastrophic sin with the golden calf, God demonstrates His covenant faithfulness by renewing the tablets of the law and reaffirming His choice of the Levites for sacred service. Moses uses this history of divine mercy to press upon Israel what God truly requires: reverence, obedience, love, and justice—especially toward the vulnerable. The chapter moves from recounting God's gracious acts to declaring the proper human response of devoted worship and ethical living.

Deuteronomy 10:1-11

The Renewed Covenant and Ark of the Testimony

LSB Text
1"At that time Yahweh said to me, 'Cut out for yourself two tablets of stone like the former ones and come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood for yourself. 2And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered, and you shall put them in the ark.' 3So I made an ark of acacia wood and cut out two tablets of stone like the former ones, and I went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. 4And He wrote on the tablets, like the former writing, the Ten Words which Yahweh had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly; and Yahweh gave them to me. 5Then I turned and came down from the mountain and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and they are there, as Yahweh commanded me." 6Now the sons of Israel set out from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died and there he was buried and Eleazar his son ministered as priest in his place. 7From there they set out to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water. 8At that time Yahweh set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, to stand before Yahweh to serve Him and to bless in His name until this day. 9Therefore, Levi does not have a portion or inheritance with his brothers; Yahweh is his inheritance, just as Yahweh your God spoke to him. 10Now I stayed on the mountain like the former days, forty days and forty nights; and Yahweh listened to me that time also. Yahweh was not willing to bring you to ruin. 11Then Yahweh said to me, 'Arise, go on your journey ahead of the people, that they may go in and possess the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.'
Greek Text
1בָּעֵ֨ת הַהִ֜וא אָמַ֧ר יְהוָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י פְּסָל־לְךָ֞ שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֤ת אֲבָנִים֙ כָּרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים וַעֲלֵ֥ה אֵלַ֖י הָהָ֑רָה וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ לְּךָ֖ אֲרֹ֥ון עֵֽץ׃ 2וְאֶכְתֹּב֙ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֛ו עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֥ת הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר שִׁבַּ֑רְתָּ וְשַׂמְתָּ֖ם בָּאָרֹֽון׃ 3וָאַ֤עַשׂ אֲרֹון֙ עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֔ים וָאֶפְסֹ֛ל שְׁנֵי־לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִ֖ים כָּרִאשֹׁנִ֑ים וָאַ֣עַל הָהָ֔רָה וּשְׁנֵ֥י הַלֻּחֹ֖ת בְּיָדִֽי׃ 4וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב עַֽל־הַלֻּחֹ֜ת כַּמִּכְתָּ֣ב הָרִאשֹׁ֗ון אֵ֚ת עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֲלֵיכֶ֥ם בָּהָ֛ר מִתֹּ֥וךְ הָאֵ֖שׁ בְּיֹ֣ום הַקָּהָ֑ל וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה אֵלָֽי׃ 5וָאֵ֗פֶן וָאֵרֵד֙ מִן־הָהָ֔ר וָֽאָשִׂם֙ אֶת־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת בָּאָרֹ֖ון אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֑יתִי וַיִּ֣הְיוּ שָׁ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוַּ֖נִי יְהוָֽה׃ 6וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל נָֽסְע֛וּ מִבְּאֵרֹ֥ת בְּנֵי־יַעֲקָ֖ן מֹוסֵרָ֑ה שָׁ֣ם מֵ֤ת אַהֲרֹן֙ וַיִּקָּבֵ֣ר שָׁ֔ם וַיְכַהֵ֛ן אֶלְעָזָ֥ר בְּנֹ֖ו תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ 7מִשָּׁ֥ם נָסְע֖וּ הַגֻּדְגֹּ֑דָה וּמִן־הַגֻּדְגֹּ֣דָה יָטְבָ֔תָה אֶ֖רֶץ נַֽחֲלֵי מָֽיִם׃ 8בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗וא הִבְדִּ֤יל יְהוָה֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣בֶט הַלֵּוִ֔י לָשֵׂ֖את אֶת־אֲרֹ֣ון בְּרִית־יְהוָ֑ה לַעֲמֹד֩ לִפְנֵ֨י יְהוָ֤ה לְשָֽׁרְתֹו֙ וּלְבָרֵ֣ךְ בִּשְׁמֹ֔ו עַ֖ד הַיֹּ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃ 9עַל־כֵּ֞ן לֹֽא־הָיָ֧ה לְלֵוִ֛י חֵ֥לֶק וְנַחֲלָ֖ה עִם־אֶחָ֑יו יְהוָה֙ ה֣וּא נַחֲלָתֹ֔ו כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לֹֽו׃ 10וְאָנֹכִ֞י עָמַ֣דְתִּי בָהָ֗ר כַּיָּמִים֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים אַרְבָּעִ֣ים יֹ֔ום וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָ֑יְלָה וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י גַּ֚ם בַּפַּ֣עַם הַהִ֔וא לֹֽא־אָבָ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה הַשְׁחִיתֶֽךָ׃ 11וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י ק֛וּם לֵ֥ךְ לְמַסַּ֖ע לִפְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְיָבֹ֙אוּ֙ וְיִֽרְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָ֖ם לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם׃
1bāʿēt hahîʾ ʾāmar yhwh ʾēlay pəsol-ləkā šənê-luḥōt ʾăbānîm kārišōnîm waʿălēh ʾēlay hāhārâ wəʿāśîtā ləkā ʾărôn ʿēṣ. 2wəʾektōb ʿal-halluḥōt ʾet-haddəbārîm ʾăšer hāyû ʿal-halluḥōt hārišōnîm ʾăšer šibbartā wəśamtām bāʾārôn. 3wāʾaʿaś ʾărôn ʿăṣê šiṭṭîm wāʾepsōl šənê-luḥōt ʾăbānîm kārišōnîm wāʾaʿal hāhārâ ûšənê halluḥōt bəyādî. 4wayyiktōb ʿal-halluḥōt kammiḵtāb hārišôn ʾēt ʿăśeret haddəbārîm ʾăšer dibber yhwh ʾălêkem bāhār mittôḵ hāʾēš bəyôm haqqāhāl wayyittənēm yhwh ʾēlāy. 5wāʾēpen wāʾērēd min-hāhār wāʾāśim ʾet-halluḥōt bāʾārôn ʾăšer ʿāśîtî wayyihyû šām kaʾăšer ṣiwwanî yhwh. 6ûḇənê yiśrāʾēl nāsəʿû mibbəʾērōt bənê-yaʿăqān môsērâ šām mēt ʾahărōn wayyiqqābēr šām wayəḵahēn ʾelʿāzār bənô taḥtāw. 7miššām nāsəʿû haggudgōdâ ûmin-haggudgōdâ yāṭəḇātâ ʾereṣ naḥălê māyim. 8bāʿēt hahîʾ hiḇdîl yhwh ʾet-šēḇeṭ hallēwî lāśēʾt ʾet-ʾărôn bərît-yhwh laʿămōd lipnê yhwh ləšārətô ûləḇārēḵ bišmô ʿad hayyôm hazzeh. 9ʿal-kēn lōʾ-hāyâ ləlēwî ḥēleq wənaḥălâ ʿim-ʾeḥāyw yhwh hûʾ naḥălātô kaʾăšer dibber yhwh ʾĕlōheykā lô. 10wəʾānōḵî ʿāmaḏtî ḇāhār kayyāmîm hārišōnîm ʾarbaʿîm yôm wəʾarbaʿîm lāyəlâ wayyišmaʿ yhwh ʾēlay gam bappaʿam hahîʾ lōʾ-ʾāḇâ yhwh hašḥîteḵā. 11wayyōʾmer yhwh ʾēlay qûm lēḵ ləmassaʿ lipnê hāʿām wəyāḇōʾû wəyirəšû ʾet-hāʾāreṣ ʾăšer-nišbaʿtî laʾăḇōtām lātēt lāhem.
Key Words
לוּחֹת luḥōt tablets / stone tablets
The plural of לוּחַ (lûaḥ), meaning a flat surface or tablet, typically of stone. These tablets served as the physical medium for the divine covenant, inscribed by the finger of God Himself (Exodus 31:18). The breaking of the first tablets (Exodus 32:19) symbolized the shattering of covenant fidelity through idolatry, while the replacement tablets in Deuteronomy 10 represent covenant renewal and divine mercy. The tablets housed in the ark became the central witness to Israel's covenant relationship with Yahweh, and their preservation "until this day" (v. 5) testifies to the enduring nature of God's word.
אָרוֹן ʾārôn ark / chest / box
A container or chest, from a root possibly meaning "to gather" or "to collect." The ark of the covenant was not merely furniture but the throne-footstool of Yahweh's presence among His people (1 Chronicles 28:2). Moses constructs this ark of acacia wood (עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים, ʿăṣê šiṭṭîm), a durable desert hardwood, symbolizing the permanence of God's covenant. The ark's function as repository for the tablets underscores that Israel's relationship with God is fundamentally word-based—founded on divine revelation, not human intuition. The New Testament echoes this when Hebrews 9:4 describes the ark containing the tablets of the covenant.
עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים ʿăśeret haddəbārîm the Ten Words / Decalogue
Literally "the ten words" or "ten utterances," this phrase designates what Christian tradition calls the Ten Commandments. The Hebrew דָּבָר (dāḇār) means both "word" and "thing," emphasizing that God's speech is performative—His words create reality and establish covenant order. The phrase appears in Exodus 34:28 and here in Deuteronomy 10:4, always stressing the verbal, spoken nature of the covenant. These are not merely laws but divine speech-acts that constitute Israel as Yahweh's people. Jesus later summarizes these ten words in two great commandments (Matthew 22:37-40), showing their enduring theological architecture.
הִבְדִּיל hiḇdîl set apart / separated / consecrated
The Hiphil (causative) form of בָּדַל (bāḏal), meaning "to divide" or "to separate." This verb appears in Genesis 1:4 when God separates light from darkness, establishing the pattern of holy distinction that runs through Scripture. In verse 8, Yahweh sets apart the tribe of Levi for sacred service—carrying the ark, standing before Him, serving, and blessing in His name. This separation is not isolation but consecration for proximity to the divine presence. The Levites' unique calling foreshadows the New Testament priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9), who are likewise set apart for service and blessing.
נַחֲלָה naḥălâ inheritance / possession / heritage
From the root נָחַל (nāḥal), meaning "to inherit" or "to possess." This term denotes property passed down through family lines, carrying connotations of permanence and identity. In verse 9, Moses declares that Levi has no territorial inheritance among his brothers because "Yahweh is his inheritance." This radical statement redefines wealth and security—the Levites' portion is not land but God Himself. Numbers 18:20 makes this explicit: "I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel." This theology of God as inheritance reaches its New Testament fulfillment in Ephesians 1:18, where believers discover "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints."
פָּסַל pāsal cut out / hew / carve
A verb meaning to cut, hew, or shape stone or wood. In verse 1, Yahweh commands Moses to "cut out" (פְּסָל, pəsol) two tablets of stone like the former ones. The same root yields פֶּסֶל (pesel), meaning "graven image" or "idol" (Exodus 20:4), creating a profound irony: the verb used for shaping covenant tablets is also used for carving forbidden idols. This linguistic connection highlights the contrast between legitimate divine representation (God's own words on stone) and illeg
Grammar & Argument

Deuteronomy 10:12-22

What the LORD Requires: Fear, Love, and Obedience

LSB Text
12"And now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require from you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13and to keep Yahweh's commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? 14Behold, to Yahweh your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. 15Yet on your fathers Yahweh set His affection to love them, and He chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day. 16So circumcise your heart, and do not stiffen your neck anymore. 17For Yahweh your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. 18He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. 19So you shall love the sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 20You shall fear Yahweh your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name. 21He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. 22Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons in all, and now Yahweh your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.
Greek Text
12וְעַתָּ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מָ֚ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ שֹׁאֵ֖ל מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ כִּ֣י אִם־לְ֠יִרְאָה אֶת־יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לָלֶ֤כֶת בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו֙ וּלְאַהֲבָ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ וְלַעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ 13לִשְׁמֹ֞ר אֶת־מִצְוֺ֤ת יְהוָה֙ וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לְט֖וֹב לָֽךְ׃ 14הֵ֚ן לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּשְׁמֵ֣י הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּֽהּ׃ 15רַ֧ק בַּאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ חָשַׁ֥ק יְהוָ֖ה לְאַהֲבָ֣ה אוֹתָ֑ם וַיִּבְחַ֞ר בְּזַרְעָ֣ם אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם בָּכֶ֛ם מִכָּל־הָעַמִּ֖ים כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ 16וּמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת עָרְלַ֣ת לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וְעָ֨רְפְּכֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תַקְשׁ֖וּ עֽוֹד׃ 17כִּ֚י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם ה֚וּא אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַאֲדֹנֵ֖י הָאֲדֹנִ֑ים הָאֵ֨ל הַגָּדֹ֤ל הַגִּבֹּר֙ וְהַנּוֹרָ֔א אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹא־יִשָּׂ֣א פָנִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יִקַּ֖ח שֹֽׁחַד׃ 18עֹשֶׂ֛ה מִשְׁפַּ֥ט יָת֖וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֑ה וְאֹהֵ֣ב גֵּ֔ר לָ֥תֶת ל֖וֹ לֶ֥חֶם וְשִׂמְלָֽה׃ 19וַאֲהַבְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־הַגֵּ֑ר כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ 20אֶת־יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ תִּירָ֖א אֹת֣וֹ תַעֲבֹ֑ד וּב֣וֹ תִדְבָּ֔ק וּבִשְׁמ֖וֹ תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ׃ 21ה֥וּא תְהִלָּתְךָ֖ וְה֣וּא אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה אִתְּךָ֗ אֶת־הַגְּדֹלֹ֤ת וְאֶת־הַנּֽוֹרָאֹת֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָא֖וּ עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ 22בְּשִׁבְעִ֣ים נֶ֔פֶשׁ יָרְד֥וּ אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וְעַתָּ֗ה שָֽׂמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָרֹֽב׃
12wĕʿattâ yiśrāʾēl mâ yhwh ʾĕlōheykā šōʾēl mēʿimmāk kî ʾim-lĕyirʾâ ʾet-yhwh ʾĕlōheykā lāleket bĕkol-dĕrākāyw ûlĕʾahăbâ ʾōtô wĕlaʿăbōd ʾet-yhwh ʾĕlōheykā bĕkol-lĕbābĕkā ûbĕkol-napšekā. 13lišmōr ʾet-miṣwōt yhwh wĕʾet-ḥuqqōtāyw ʾăšer ʾānōkî mĕṣawwĕkā hayyôm lĕṭôb lāk. 14hēn layhwh ʾĕlōheykā haššāmayim ûšĕmê haššāmāyim hāʾāreṣ wĕkol-ʾăšer-bāh. 15raq baʾăbōteykā ḥāšaq yhwh lĕʾahăbâ ʾôtām wayyibḥar bĕzarʿām ʾaḥărêhem bākem mikkol-hāʿammîm kayyôm hazzeh. 16ûmaltem ʾēt ʿorlat lĕbabkem wĕʿorpĕkem lōʾ taqšû ʿôd. 17kî yhwh ʾĕlōhêkem hûʾ ʾĕlōhê hāʾĕlōhîm waʾădōnê hāʾădōnîm hāʾēl haggādōl haggibōr wĕhannôrāʾ ʾăšer lōʾ-yiśśāʾ pānîm wĕlōʾ yiqqaḥ šōḥad. 18ʿōśeh mišpaṭ yātôm wĕʾalmānâ wĕʾōhēb gēr lātet lô leḥem wĕśimlâ. 19waʾăhabtem ʾet-haggēr kî-gērîm hĕyîtem bĕʾereṣ miṣrāyim. 20ʾet-yhwh ʾĕlōheykā tîrāʾ ʾōtô taʿăbōd ûbô tidbāq ûbišmô tiššābēaʿ. 21hûʾ tĕhillātĕkā wĕhûʾ ʾĕlōheykā ʾăšer-ʿāśâ ʾittĕkā ʾet-haggĕdōlōt wĕʾet-hannôrāʾōt hāʾēlleh ʾăšer rāʾû ʿêneykā. 22bĕšibʿîm nepeš yārĕdû ʾăbōteykā miṣrāyĕmâ wĕʿattâ śāmĕkā yhwh ʾĕlōheykā kĕkôkĕbê haššāmayim lārōb.
Key Words
יָרֵא yārēʾ to fear / revere
The verb yārēʾ carries a semantic range from terror to reverent awe. In covenant contexts, it denotes not cowering dread but the proper posture of a creature before the Creator—a fear that includes trust, obedience, and worship. Moses uses this term five times in Deuteronomy 10 alone, establishing fear of Yahweh as the foundation of Israel's relationship with God. The New Testament echoes this concept in the "fear of the Lord" that is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and Paul's exhortation to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). This fear is not incompatible with love; rather, it is love's necessary counterpart, ensuring that affection never devolves into presumption.
אָהַב ʾāhab to love
The Hebrew ʾāhab encompasses both emotional attachment and volitional commitment. In Deuteronomy, love for God is never merely sentimental but is expressed through concrete obedience to His commandments. The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:5) commands Israel to love Yahweh with totality—heart, soul, and strength. Here in chapter 10, Moses links love directly to walking in God's ways and serving Him. This covenantal love finds its ultimate expression in Jesus' summary of the Law (Matthew 22:37-40) and John's declaration that "we love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). The command to love the sojourner (v. 19) extends this divine love horizontally, grounding ethics in theology.
עָבַד ʿābad to serve / worship
The verb ʿābad denotes both cultic worship and daily service, collapsing any distinction between sacred and secular obedience. Its nominal form ʿebed means "slave" or "servant," the same term used for Israel's bondage in Egypt and for their new identity as Yahweh's servants. Moses insists that Israel must serve Yahweh "with all your heart and with all your soul" (v. 12), indicating that service is not mere external ritual but total life-orientation. The term anticipates the New Testament's call to present ourselves as "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1) and Paul's self-designation as a "slave of Christ Jesus" (Romans 1:1). True freedom is found not in autonomy but in serving the right Master.
לֵבָב lēbāb heart / inner person
The Hebrew lēbāb (or lēb) refers to the center of human personality—intellect, will, and emotion combined. Unlike modern usage that restricts "heart" to feelings, the biblical heart is the seat of decision-making and moral character. Moses commands circumcision of the heart (v. 16), a metaphor for removing the obstruction that prevents wholehearted devotion to God. This inward transformation cannot be achieved by human effort alone; Deuteronomy 30:6 promises that Yahweh Himself will circumcise Israel's heart. Paul develops this theology in Romans 2:28-29, declaring that true circumcision is "of the heart, by the Spirit." The heart is the battleground where covenant loyalty is won or lost.
עֹרֶף ʿōrep neck / back of neck
The noun ʿōrep literally means "neck" or "nape," and the idiom "to stiffen the neck" (qāšâ ʿōrep) vividly pictures stubborn resistance, like an ox refusing the yoke. Moses warns Israel not to stiffen their neck anymore (v. 16), recalling their repeated rebellions in the wilderness. The image captures the paradox of human sin: we are created to bear God's yoke, yet we instinctively resist it. Jesus invites His disciples to take His yoke, which is "easy" and "light" (Matthew 11:29-30), offering rest rather than rebellion. The stiff neck is the physical manifestation of the uncircumcised heart—both require divine surgery.
גֵּר gēr sojourner / resident alien
The gēr is a non-Israelite living within Israel's borders, lacking the full rights of native-born citizens yet protected by covenant law. Israel's own experience as sojourners in Egypt (v. 19) becomes the theological basis for compassion toward the vulnerable. Yahweh Himself "loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing" (v. 18), and commands Israel to imitate His character. This concern for the gēr runs throughout the Torah and prophets, establishing a counter-cultural ethic of hospitality. In the New Testament, believers are described as "sojourners and exiles" (1 Peter 2:11), reminding the church that our true citizenship is in heaven and that we must extend the same welcome we have received.
דָּבַק dābaq to cling / cleave / hold fast
The verb dābaq conveys intense attachment, used in Genesis 2:24 for a man cleaving to his wife in marriage. Moses commands Israel to "cling" to Yahweh (v. 20), employing marital imagery to describe covenant fidelity. This is not casual association but passionate, exclusive devotion. The term appears in Ruth's famous declaration to Naomi: "Where you go I will go... your people shall be my people, and your God my God" (Ruth 1:16). To cling to Yahweh means to forsake all rivals, to bind oneself irrevocably to His purposes. It is the opposite of the divided heart that James condemns (James 4:8). Clinging is the posture of faith—desperate, dependent, and determined.
תְּהִלָּה tĕhillâ praise / glory
The noun tĕhillâ derives from the verb hālal, "to praise," and denotes both the act of praising and the object worthy of praise. Moses declares, "He is your praise" (v. 21), a startling formulation that collapses subject and object: Yahweh is both the One we praise and the content of our praise. Israel's worship is not self-generated enthusiasm but response to God's mighty acts, which their eyes have seen (v. 21). The term gives its name to the book of Psalms (Tehillim in Hebrew), Israel's hymnbook of praise. In the New Testament, believers become God's "own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness" (1 Peter 2:9). Our lives are meant to be living tĕhillâ.
Grammar & Argument

The passage opens with Moses' rhetorical question, "What does Yahweh your God require from you?" (v. 12), which echoes Micah 6:8 and establishes the entire section as a summary of covenant obligation. The structure is chiastic: fear and love bracket the call to walk in God's ways and serve Him, while the