Ezekiel 20:5-32 »Tell them what the Lord Jehovah said: ‘When I chose Israel, I made them a promise. I revealed myself to them in Egypt and told them: ‘I am Jehovah your God.’

NSB⁽ⁱ⁾ ⁵ »Tell them what the Lord Jehovah said: ‘When I chose Israel, I made them a promise. I revealed myself to them in Egypt and told them: ‘I am Jehovah your God.’ ⁶ »It was then that I promised to take them out of Egypt and lead them to a land I had chosen for them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all. ⁷ »I told them to throw away the disgusting idols they loved and not to make themselves unclean with the false gods of Egypt. I am Jehovah their God. ⁸ ‘»»They defied me and refused to listen. They did not throw away their disgusting idols or give up the Egyptian gods. I was ready to let them feel the full force of my anger there in Egypt. ⁹ »‘»But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name. In the presence of the people among whom they were living I had announced to Israel that I was going to lead them out of Egypt. ¹⁰ ‘»»So I led them out of Egypt into the desert. ¹¹ ‘»»I gave them my laws and made my rules known to them. If people obey them they will live. ¹² ‘»»I also gave them certain days to worship me as a sign between us so that they would know that I, Jehovah, made them holy. ¹³ ‘»»But the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They did not live by my laws. They rejected my rules. If people obey them, they will live. They dishonored the days to worship me. So I was going to pour out my fury on them in the desert and completely wipe them out. ¹⁴ ‘»»I acted so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations who had watched me bring the Israelites out of Egypt. ¹⁵ ‘»»I also swore an oath to them in the desert. I swore that I would not bring them into the land that I had promised to give them. This land is the most beautiful land, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁶ ‘»»They rejected my rules. They did not live by my laws. They dishonored the days to worship me, because their hearts chased disgusting idols. ¹⁷ ‘»»But I had compassion on them. I did not destroy them or completely wipe them out in the desert. ¹⁸ ‘»»I said to their children in the desert: Do not live by the laws of your ancestors. Do not obey their rules or dishonor yourselves with their disgusting idols. ¹⁹ ‘»»I am Jehovah your God! Walk in my statutes and obey my ordinances. ²⁰ ‘»»Sanctify my Sabbaths. They shall be a sign between you, and me that you may know that I am Jehovah your God.’ ²¹ ‘»»But the children rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes. They were not careful to obey my ordinances. If a man obeys them, he will live. They profaned my Sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. ²² ‘»»But I withdrew my hand (assistance) and acted for the sake of my name. That way it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. ²³ »I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the lands. ²⁴ »I did this because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, profaned the Sabbath, and worshiped the same idols their ancestors had served. ²⁵ »Then I gave them laws that are not good and commandments that do not bring life. ²⁶ »I let them defile themselves with their own offerings, and I let them sacrifice their first-born sons. This was to punish them and show them that I am Jehovah.«’ ²⁷ »Now then, son of man, tell the Israelites what I, the Lord Jehovah, am saying to them. This is another way their ancestors insulted me by their unfaithfulness. ²⁸ »I brought them to the land I had promised to give them. When they saw the high hills and green trees, they offered sacrifices at all of them. They made me angry by the sacrifices they burned and by the wine they brought as offerings. ²⁹ »Then I asked them: ‘What is this worship site you are going to? So it is still called a worship site today.’« ³⁰ »Tell the nation of Israel: ‘This is what the Lord Jehovah says: »Will you dishonor yourselves the way your ancestors did? Will you chase their detestable idols like a prostitute? ³¹ ‘»You offer your children as sacrifices by burning them alive. You dishonor yourselves with all your disgusting idols to this day. Should you be allowed to ask me for help, nation of Israel? As I am alive, declares the Lord Jehovah, you will not be allowed to ask me for help.«’ ³² ‘»What you have in mind (heart) will never happen. You think that you want to be like other nations, like the different people in other countries. You want to serve wood and stone.«’