14. But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.
15. Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands,
16. because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.
17. Nevertheless, my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make a full end of them in the wilderness.
18. “And I said to their children in the wilderness, Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, nor defile yourselves with their idols.
19. I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules,
20. and keep my Sabbaths holy that they may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.
21. But the children rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths. “Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness.
22. But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.
23. Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries,
24. because they had not obeyed my rules, but had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were set on their fathers’ idols.
25. Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life,
26. and I defiled them through their very gifts in their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it that they might know that I am the Lord.
27. “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: In this also your fathers blasphemed me, by dealing treacherously with me.
28. For when I had brought them into the land that I swore to give them, then wherever they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there they sent up their pleasing aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings.
29. (I said to them, What is the high place to which you go? So its name is called Bamah to this day.)
30. “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things?
31. When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.
32. “What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’
33. “As I live, declares the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you.