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The Outcast Vine

15 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on? Instead, (A)it is thrown into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work? Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned?

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and (B)I will set My face against them. (C)They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. (D)Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them. Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,’ says the Lord God.”

Jerusalem like a Useless Vine

15 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, [a]how is the wood of the (A)vine better than any wood of a branch which is among the trees of the forest? Can wood be taken from it to make [b]anything, or can even a peg be taken from it on which to hang any utensil? If it has been put into the (B)fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and its middle part has been charred, is it then good for [c]anything? Behold, while it is intact, it is not made into [d]anything. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it still be made into [e]anything! Therefore, this is what the Lord [f]God says: ‘As the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I (C)set My face against them. Though they have (D)come out of the fire, yet the fire will consume them. Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them. So I will make the land desolate, because they have (E)acted unfaithfully,’” declares the Lord God.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 15:2 Or of all the wood of the branches...what becomes of the wood of the vine
  2. Ezekiel 15:3 Lit a work
  3. Ezekiel 15:4 Lit a work
  4. Ezekiel 15:5 Lit a work
  5. Ezekiel 15:5 Lit a work
  6. Ezekiel 15:6 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch

Jerusalem like a Useless Vine

15 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, how is the wood of the grapevine (Israel) better than any wood of a branch which is among the trees of the forest?(A) Can wood be taken from it to make any object? Or can men take a peg from it on which to hang any vessel? If it has been thrown into the fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and the middle section has been charred, is it suitable or useful for anything? Notice this, even when it was complete, it was not useful and was not made into anything. How much less, after the fire has burned [part of] it and [the remainder of] it is charred, can it still be made into anything? Therefore, thus says the Lord God, ‘Like the wood of the grapevine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the people of Jerusalem; and I set My face against them. Though they have come out of the fire, yet the fire will consume them. Then you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them. I will make the land desolate (ruined, deserted), because they have acted unfaithfully [through their idolatry],’ says the Lord God.”

Jerusalem as a Useless Vine

15 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, how is the wood of a vine(A) different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful?(B) Do they make pegs(C) from it to hang things on? And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything?(D) If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?

“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. I will set my face against(E) them. Although they have come out of the fire(F), the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the Lord.(G) I will make the land desolate(H) because they have been unfaithful,(I) declares the Sovereign Lord.”

15 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?

Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?

Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?

Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them.

And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord God.