³⁹ “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.^(A)

³ Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?^(A) Our wives and children^(B) will be taken as plunder.^(C) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?^(D)” ⁴ And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.^(E)”

⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.^(A)

³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!^(A) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food^(B) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”^(C)

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people!^(A) Your hearts^(B) and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?^(C) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him^(D)—

⁶ On that day I swore^(A) to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(B) the most beautiful of all lands.^{(C) 7} And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images^(D) you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols^(E) of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.^(F)”

⁸ “‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me;^(G) they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.^(H) So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.^{(I) 9} But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt.^(J) I did it to keep my name from being profaned^(K) in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. ¹⁰ Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.^{(L) 11} I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.^{(M) 12} Also I gave them my Sabbaths^(N) as a sign^(O) between us,^(P) so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.^(Q)

¹³ “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled^(R) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws^(S)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.^(T) So I said I would pour out my wrath^(U) on them and destroy^(V) them in the wilderness.^{(W) 14} But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned^(X) in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.^(Y)

²⁷ So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the Lord, fulfilling^(A) the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.