Ezekiel 20:13-29

But the Israelites rebelled against me in the wilderness and refused to keep my laws and rejected my commands (the one who obeys my laws will live by them), and they completely dishonored my Sabbaths. I was about to vent my fury on them in the desert and destroy them. But I chose to withhold my punishment for the sake of my holy name, that it not be profaned in the eyes of the nations who had seen my power in bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. So, I made a vow in the desert that I would not bring that generation into the most splendid land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey. For they had scorned my commands, refused to keep my laws, dishonored my Sabbaths, and their hearts were attached to idols. In spite of this, I took pity on them, so I spared them from destruction and did not make an end of them in the desert. “I warned their children in the wilderness: ‘Do not follow the ways of your ancestors, do not practice their standard of justice, and do not defile yourselves with their foul idols. I am YAHWEH your God. Keep my laws, obey my commands, and follow them. Keep my Sabbaths as holy days. Let them be a covenant-sign between me and you, to remind you that I am YAHWEH your God.’ “However, like their parents, the next generation rebelled against me; they refused to keep my laws and did not respect or practice my standard of justice so that they would follow my laws and live by them. They also dishonored my Sabbaths. So, in my fury I decided to punish them and pour out my anger on them in the desert. But I restrained myself to protect the honor of my name so that I would not be profaned in the eyes of the surrounding nations who saw me reveal myself by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. Moreover, I made a vow to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them throughout the nations and disperse them into foreign countries. I did this because they had broken my laws, refused to obey my commands, dishonored my Sabbaths, and their hearts chased after the idols of their ancestors. And for this reason I gave them laws and regulations that resulted in punishment, not life. And because they sacrificed their firstborn children in the fire, I declared them defiled and unfit to worship me. I did this to fill them with revulsion so that they would know that I am YAHWEH.” “Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel in exile and say to them, ‘Lord YAHWEH says to you: Here is another instance of your ancestors blaspheming me by their infidelity. When I had brought them into the promised land, they discovered all sorts of high hills and all kinds of spreading trees. That is where they offered sacrifices and made offerings to false gods that provoked my anger. That is where they burned incense and poured out drink offerings to false gods. So I asked them: What is this high place where you go?’ ” (So its name is called High Place to this day.)