4. “Will you pass judgment against them, will you pass judgment, son of man? Explain the detestable practices of their fathers to them.
5. Say to them: This is what the Lord God says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore an oath to the descendants of Jacob’s house and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, saying: I am Yahweh your God.
6. On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.
7. I also said to them: Each of you must throw away the detestable things that are before your eyes and not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.
8. “But they rebelled against Me and were unwilling to listen to Me. None of them threw away the detestable things that were before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them, exhausting My anger against them within the land of Egypt.
9. But I acted because of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations they were living among, in whose sight I had made Myself known to Israel by bringing them out of Egypt.
10. “So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.
11. Then I gave them My statutes and explained My ordinances to them — the person who does them will live by them.
12. I also gave them My Sabbaths to serve as a sign between Me and them, so they will know that I am Yahweh who sets them apart as holy.
13. “But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances — the person who does them will live by them. They also completely profaned My Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them in the wilderness to put an end to them.
14. But I acted because of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.