The covenant to which Moses referred (v. 2) is not the Abrahamic but the Mosaic Covenant. What follows is an upgrade of the Mosaic Covenant for the new generation about to enter the Promised Land. The "fathers"(v. 3) were the previous generation. "Face to face"(v. 4) is a figure of speech indicating direct communication, without a mediator. God uttered the Ten Commandments in the hearing of all the Israelites (v. 22). This expression also reflects the personal relationship that existed between Yahweh and the Israelites. God made the covenant with His friends. It was not simply an impersonal revelation of laws.72
The basis for the Lord's Ten Commandments was that He is who He is and that He had provided redemption for His people (v. 6; cf. 13:4-5; Exod. 20:3; Lev. 26:13; Num. 15:41). God always gives first (grace) then asks for a response (obedience).73
"Love and mercy are the dominant characteristics of the covenant relationship."74
