“Then I thought
That I would pour out
My wrath
Upon them.
I would spend
My anger
Against them
In the midst
Of the land
Of Egypt.
But I acted
For the sake
Of my name.
It should not be
Profaned
In the sight
Of the nations
Among whom
They lived,
In whose sight
I have made
Myself known
To them.
I will bring them
Out of the land
Of Egypt.
So I led them
Out of the land
Of Egypt.
I brought them
Into the wilderness.”
Yahweh wanted to pour out his wrath on them right there and then in the land of Egypt, because he was angry with them. However, he acted for the sake of his name. He did not want to profane his name in the sight of other nations among whom the Israelites had lived. He did not want to embarrass his name among those who had heard that Yahweh was bringing them out of the land of Egypt. So he ended up leading them out of the land of Egypt into the wilderness.
