I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries;
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
God swore by uplifted hand in the wilderness to scatter Israel among the heathen and disperse them through the countries, a judgment threatened long before they possessed Canaan, fulfilled in their Babylonish captivity and Roman destruction. This oath, foretold in Leviticus, hangs over them as covenant consequence for their sin.
AI summary
It was to that generation the threat of dispersion was proclaimed (Deu 28:64; compare Eze 29:4).