Ezekiel 20:8-9

But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

Then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them ... But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen - i:e. (God speaking in condescension to human modes of conception), Their spiritual degradation deserved that I should destroy them, "but I wrought (namely, the deliverance 'out of ... Egypt') for my name's sake;" not for their merits (a rebuke to their national pride). God's "name" means the sum total of His perfections; to manifest these perfections, His gratuitous mercy abounding above their sins, yet without wrong being done to His justice, and so to set forth His glory, was and is the ultimate end of His dealings (; ; ; ; ).