Ezekiel 20:8–24

⁸“But they rebelled against Me and were unwilling to listen to Me. None of them threw away the detestable things that were before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them, ^qexhausting My anger against them within the land of Egypt. ⁹But I acted because of My name, ^rso that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations they were living among, in whose sight I had made Myself known to Israel by bringing them out of Egypt.

¹⁰“So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness. ^s11Then I gave them My statutes and explained My ordinances to them—the person who does them will live by them. ^t12I also gave them My Sabbaths to serve as a sign between Me and them, ^uso they will know that I am Yahweh who sets them apart as holy.

¹³“But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. ^vThey did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—the person who does them will live by them. ^wThey also completely profaned My Sabbaths. ^xSo I considered pouring out My wrath on them in the wilderness to put an end to them. ^y14But I acted because of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. ¹⁵However, I swore ^zto them ^ain the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—the most beautiful of all lands, flowing with milk and honey— ¹⁶because they rejected My ordinances, profaned My Sabbaths, and did not follow My statutes. For their hearts went after their idols. ^b17But I spared them from destruction and did not bring them to an end in the wilderness. ^c

¹⁸“Then I said to their children in the wilderness: Don’t follow the statutes of your fathers, defile yourselves with their idols, or keep their ordinances. ^d19I am Yahweh your God. Follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. ^e20Keep My Sabbaths holy, ^fand they will be a sign between Me and you, so you may know that I am Yahweh your God.

²¹“But the children rebelled against Me. ^gThey did not follow My statutes or carefully keep My ordinances—the person who does them will live by them. They also profaned My Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them and exhausting My anger against them in the wilderness. ²²But I withheld My hand and acted because of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I brought them out. ²³However, I swore ^hto them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries. ⁱ²⁴For they did not practice My ordinances but rejected My statutes and profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed ^jon their fathers’ idols.