Deuteronomy 10:16
New International Version
Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.

New Living Translation
Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn.

English Standard Version
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.

Berean Standard Bible
Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.

King James Bible
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

New King James Version
Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.

New American Standard Bible
So circumcise your heart, and do not stiffen your neck any longer.

NASB 1995
“So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer.

NASB 1977
“Circumcise then your heart, and stiffen your neck no more.

Legacy Standard Bible
So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer.

Amplified Bible
So circumcise [that is, remove sin from] your heart, and be stiff-necked (stubborn, obstinate) no longer.

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, circumcise your hearts and don’t be stiff-necked any longer.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, circumcise your hearts and don’t be stiff-necked any longer.

American Standard Version
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

Contemporary English Version
Remember your agreement with the LORD and stop being so stubborn.

English Revised Version
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So circumcise your uncircumcised hearts, and don't be impossible to deal with any longer.

Good News Translation
So then, from now on be obedient to the LORD and stop being stubborn.

International Standard Version
Therefore, circumcise your heart and stop being stubborn.

Majority Standard Bible
Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.

NET Bible
Therefore, cleanse your heart and stop being so stubborn!

New Heart English Bible
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.

Webster's Bible Translation
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.

World English Bible
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you have circumcised the foreskin of your heart, and you do not harden your neck anymore.

Young's Literal Translation
and ye have circumcised the foreskin of your heart, and your neck ye do not harden any more;

Smith's Literal Translation
And circumcise the uncircumcision of your heart, and ye shall no more harden your neck.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and stiffen your neck no more.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and no longer stiffen your neck.

New American Bible
Circumcise therefore the foreskins of your hearts, and be stiff-necked no longer.

New Revised Standard Version
Circumcise, then, the foreskin of your heart, and do not be stubborn any longer.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Circumcise the uncircumcision of your heart and do not harden your neck again.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Therefore ye shall circumcise the hardness of your heart, and ye shall not harden your neck.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Call to Obedience
15Yet the LORD has set His affection on your fathers and loved them. And He has chosen you, their descendants after them, above all the peoples, even to this day. 16Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more. 17For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 4:4
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds.”

Romans 2:29
No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

Colossians 2:11
In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands.

Ezekiel 36:26
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Jeremiah 9:25-26
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh— / Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab, and all the inhabitants of the desert who clip the hair of their temples. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”

Philippians 3:3
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

Leviticus 26:41
and I acted with hostility toward them and brought them into the land of their enemies—and if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled and they will make amends for their iniquity,

Acts 7:51
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.

Genesis 17:10-14
This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised. / You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. / Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring. ...

Romans 2:28-29
A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. / No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. What matters is faith expressing itself through love.

Galatians 6:15
For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation.

1 Corinthians 7:19
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.

Ezekiel 11:19-20
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh, / so that they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

2 Corinthians 3:3
It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.


Treasury of Scripture

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff necked.

Circumcise

Deuteronomy 30:6
And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Leviticus 26:41
And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:

Jeremiah 4:4,14
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings…

stiff-necked

Deuteronomy 9:6,13
Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people…

Deuteronomy 31:27
For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?

James 4:6,7
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble…

Jump to Previous
Circumcise Circumcised Circumcision Harden Heart Hearts Longer Neck Pride Stiffen Stiffnecked Stiff-Necked Stubborn
Jump to Next
Circumcise Circumcised Circumcision Harden Heart Hearts Longer Neck Pride Stiffen Stiffnecked Stiff-Necked Stubborn
Deuteronomy 10
1. God's mercy in restoring the two tablets
6. in continuing the priesthood
8. in separating the tribe of Levi
10. in hearkening unto Moses' plea for his people
12. An exhortation to obedience














Circumcise
The term "circumcise" in this context is metaphorical, derived from the Hebrew word "mûl," which traditionally refers to the physical act of circumcision. In ancient Israel, circumcision was a sign of the covenant between God and His people, as established with Abraham (Genesis 17:10-14). Here, however, it signifies a spiritual act, calling for the removal of spiritual impurity and the dedication of one's heart to God. This metaphorical use emphasizes the need for internal transformation and commitment to God's commandments, beyond mere external compliance.

your hearts
The "heart" in Hebrew thought, represented by the word "lēb," is the center of one's being, encompassing mind, will, emotions, and understanding. It is not merely the seat of emotions but the core of one's identity and decision-making. By calling for the circumcision of the heart, the verse underscores the necessity of a profound, internal change that aligns one's innermost self with God's will. This transformation is essential for true obedience and relationship with God, as it reflects a sincere devotion and love for Him.

therefore
This word connects the command to circumcise the heart with the preceding verses, which recount God's mercy and faithfulness to Israel despite their rebellion. It serves as a logical conclusion, indicating that because of God's gracious acts and covenantal relationship, the Israelites are called to respond with heartfelt devotion and obedience. This highlights the reciprocal nature of the covenant, where God's faithfulness demands a response of loyalty and transformation from His people.

and stiffen your necks no more
The phrase "stiffen your necks" is a vivid metaphor derived from the Hebrew "ʿārēp," which literally refers to a stubborn ox that resists the yoke. In biblical usage, it describes a rebellious and obstinate attitude towards God. By instructing the Israelites to "stiffen your necks no more," the verse calls for a cessation of their stubbornness and rebellion. It is an appeal for humility and submission to God's authority, recognizing His sovereignty and the need for a willing and obedient spirit.

(16) Circumcise . . . your heart.--"For circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter" (Romans 2:29). The verse literally runs thus: Circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and ye will harden your neck no more. It is the same line of thought as St. Paul's (Galatians 5:16) "Walk in the Spirit, and (then) ye will not fulfil the lust of the flesh."

(17,18) A great God, a mighty, and a terrible . . . he doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow.--"Behold (says Rashi) His might! And close beside His might thou mayest find His humility." It is not otherwise in later passages of Scripture: "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all by their names."

Verse 16. - They were, therefore, to lay aside all insensibility of heart and all obduracy, to acknowledge God's supremacy, to imitate his beneficence, and to fear and worship him. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart. As circumcision was the symbol of purification and sign of consecration to God, so the Israelites are enjoined to realize in fact what that rite symbolized, viz. purity of heart and receptivity for the things of God. This is enforced by the consideration that Jehovah the alone God, the Almighty, is mighty and terrible without respect to persons, and at the same time is a righteous Judge, and the Protector of the helpless and destitute.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Circumcise
וּמַלְתֶּ֕ם (ū·mal·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 4135: To cut short, curtail, to blunt, to destroy

your hearts, therefore,
לְבַבְכֶ֑ם (lə·ḇaḇ·ḵem)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 3824: Inner man, mind, will, heart

and stiffen
תַקְשׁ֖וּ (ṯaq·šū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7185: To be hard, severe or fierce

your necks
וְעָ֨רְפְּכֶ֔ם (wə·‘ā·rə·pə·ḵem)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 6203: The nape, back of the neck, the back

no
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

more.
עֽוֹד׃ (‘ō·wḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 10:15
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