⁸ that the Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the ^(A)house of ^[a]bondage;

⁵ “Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On the day when ^(A)I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself ^(B)known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, ^(C)‘I am the Lord your God.’ ⁶ On that day I raised My hand in an oath to them, ^(D)to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, ^(E)‘flowing with milk and honey,’ ^(F)the glory of all lands. ⁷ Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, ^(G)throw away ^(H)the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with ^(I)the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’ ⁸ But they rebelled against Me and would not ^[a]obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, ‘I will ^(J)pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’ ^9 (K)But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself ^(L)known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁰ “Therefore I ^(M)made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. ^11 (N)And I gave them My statutes and ^[b]showed them My judgments, ^(O)‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ ¹² Moreover I also gave them My ^(P)Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. ¹³ Yet the house of Israel ^(Q)rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they ^(R)despised My judgments, ^(S)‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly ^(T)defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the ^(U)wilderness, to consume them. ^14 (V)But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. ¹⁵ So ^(W)I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, ^(X)‘flowing with milk and honey,’ ^(Y)the glory of all lands, ^16 (Z)because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for ^(AA)their heart went after their idols. ^17 (AB)Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.

¹⁸ “But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols. ¹⁹ I am the Lord your God: ^(AC)Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; ^20 (AD)hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’

²¹ “Notwithstanding, ^(AE)the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, ^(AF)‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness. ²² Nevertheless I ^[c]withdrew My hand and acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. ²³ Also I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that ^(AG)I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries, ^24 (AH)because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and ^(AI)their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.

²⁵ “Therefore ^(AJ)I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live; ²⁶ and I pronounced them unclean because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all ^[d]their firstborn to pass ^(AK)through the fire, that I might make them desolate and that they ^(AL)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 too your fathers have ^(AM)blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me. ²⁸ When I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and ^(AN)they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their ^(AO)sweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings. ²⁹ Then I said to them, ‘What is this ^[e]high place to which you go?’ So its name is called ^[f]Bamah to this day.” ’ ³⁰ Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your ^(AP)fathers, and committing harlotry according to their ^(AQ)abominations? ³¹ For when you offer ^(AR)your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will ^(AS)not be inquired of by you. ^32 (AT)What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’

Israel’s Disobedience

2 Then the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: ^(A)“I led you up from Egypt and ^(B)brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and ^(C)I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you. ² And ^(D)you shall make no ^[a]covenant with the inhabitants of this land; ^(E)you shall tear down their altars.’ ^(F)But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? ³ Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be ^(G)thorns^[b] in your side, and ^(H)their gods shall ^[c]be a ^(I)snare to you.’ ”