Who wrote the Ten Commandments on those stone tablets—God or Moses? A question focusing on Exodus 34 and Deuteronomy 10. The debate gets heated—did God rewrite the commandments after Moses broke the first set, or did Moses chisel them himself? We also tackle when those tablets ended up in the Ark of the Covenant. It’s a deep dive into Scripture’s clarity.

Exodus 34: God’s Hand or Moses’ Chisel?

Exodus 34:1 sets the stage: after Moses shattered the first tablets, God says, “Cut two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.” This seems clear—God’s doing the writing. But some point to verse 27, where God tells Moses, “Write these words,” and verse 28 notes Moses “wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.” So, who wrote what? A prima facie reading shows God wrote the Ten Commandments—same as the first set—while Moses recorded additional laws (verses 10-26, like not boiling a goat in its mother’s milk). Deuteronomy 10:4 confirms this: “He [God] wrote on the tablets… the Ten Commandments.” The confusion? Moses wrote other laws, but the Ten Commandments were God’s work.

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When Did the Tablets Enter the Ark?

The question of when the tablets were placed in the Ark of the Covenant is tied to Exodus 25 and beyond. Exodus 25:16 has God instructing Moses to “put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you,” but the tablets don’t exist yet. Fast forward to Deuteronomy 10:5, where Moses recounts, “I turned and came down from the mountain and put the tablets in the ark that I had made.” This aligns with the timeline: Exodus 31 (tablets given), Exodus 32 (tablets broken), Exodus 34 (tablets rewritten), and by Deuteronomy 10, they’re in the Ark. The events are sequential, despite the chapter gaps. The Ark became God’s dwelling place among Israel, housing His covenant.

Why This Clarity Matters

This debate isn’t just academic—it’s about trusting Scripture’s reliability. If God says He’ll write the Ten Commandments, we believe He did (Exodus 34:1). The persistence in understanding this reflects a hunger for clarity many share. For more on the foundational doctrines of Christianity, explore our Theology Unpacked category.

The Ten Commandments were God’s direct work, placed in the Ark by Moses shortly after receiving them, as Scripture affirms. This underscores the Bible’s reliability—God keeps His word. For additional biblical resources and study materials, visit our Linktree page.

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