Ezekiel 20:7-24

7I said to them, “Each of you must get rid of the detestable idols you keep before you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.”

8But they rebelled against me, and refused to listen to me; no one got rid of their detestable idols, nor did they abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I decided to pour out my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations among whom they lived, before whom I revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

10“‘So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them to the wilderness.

11I gave them my statutes and revealed my regulations to them. The one who carries them out will live by them!

12I also gave them my Sabbaths as a reminder of our relationship, so that they would know that I, the Lord, sanctify them.

13But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not follow my statutes and they rejected my regulations (the one who obeys them will live by them), and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out my rage on them in the wilderness and destroy them.

14I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

15I also swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them to the land I had given them – a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.

16I did this because they rejected my regulations, did not follow my statutes, and desecrated my Sabbaths; for their hearts followed their idols.

17Yet I had pity on them and did not destroy them, so I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.

18“‘But I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the practices of your fathers; do not observe their regulations, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

19I am the Lord your God; follow my statutes, observe my regulations, and carry them out.

20Treat my Sabbaths as holy and they will be a reminder of our relationship, and then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”

21“‘But the children rebelled against me, did not follow my statutes, did not observe my regulations by carrying them out (the one who obeys them will live by them), and desecrated my Sabbaths. I decided to pour out my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the wilderness.

22But I refrained from doing so, and acted instead for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

23I also swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.

24I did this because they did not observe my regulations, they rejected my statutes, they desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.