But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.
The wilderness shows the great struggle between Israel's sins pulling them toward ruin and God's mercies pulling them toward salvation. He brought them to freedom in the desert rather than leave them enslaved in Egypt, yet many of them despised liberty and longed to return to their chains.
AI summary
Commenting on Ezekiel 20:10-26
Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand,.... When it was stretched out against them, as in the above instance, and did not utterly consume them. The Targum is, "and I turned away the stroke of my might:'' and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.
I withdrew mine hand - I had just lifted it up to crush them as in a moment; for they also were idolatrous, and walked in the steps of their fathers.