16. Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
17. Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds. Their way was before Me as the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.
18. Therefore I poured My fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land and for their idols with which they had polluted it.
19. And I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries. According to their ways and according to their deeds, I judged them.
20. When they entered the nations, where they went, they profaned My holy name, because they said of them, “These are the people of the Lord and have gone out of His land.”
21. But I had pity for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
22. Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake which you have profaned among the nations where you went.
23. I will vindicate the sanctity of My great name which was profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified among you before their eyes.
24. For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all countries and will bring you into your own land.