17. But I had pity on them. I did not destroy them. I did not put an end to them in the desert.
18. I said to their children in the desert, “Don’t live by the rules of your fathers. Don’t obey their laws. Don’t make yourselves unclean with their idols.
19. I am the Lord your God. Live by my rules. Obey my laws and do them.
20. Keep my Sabbaths holy. They will be a sign between me and you. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”
21. “‘But the people turned against me. If a person obeys my laws, he will live. But they did not live by my rules. They were not careful to obey my laws. They dishonored my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out my anger against them. I decided to carry out my anger against them in the desert.
22. But I held back my anger. I acted for the sake of my name. Then my name would not be dishonored with the nations watching. As the nations watched, I had brought the Israelites out from Egypt.
23. Also in the desert I had to make a promise to the Israelites. I had to promise to scatter them among the nations and spread them among the countries.
24. This is because they did not obey my laws. They had rejected my rules and dishonored my Sabbaths. And they worshiped the idols of their ancestors.
25. I also allowed them to follow rules that were not good. And they followed laws by which they could not live.
26. I let the Israelites make themselves unclean by the gifts they brought to their false gods. They sacrificed their oldest children in the fire. This is how I shocked them so they would know that I am the Lord.’