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15 The word of Adonai came to me:

“Human being, why should wood from a grapevine be better
than some other kind of wood,
than some branch that one might find
among the trees of the forest?
Its wood can’t be used to make anything,
not even a pin on which to hang a pot.
So now it is thrown in the fire as fuel,
the fire consumes both ends of it,
and the middle of it is singed —
is it useful now for making something?
When it was whole, it was good for nothing;
so how much less, when the fire
has consumed it, and it is singed,
will it be useful for making something!

“So Adonai Elohim says this:
‘Like wood from the vine among the trees of the forest,
which I consign to the fire as fuel,
so I give those living in Yerushalayim.
I will set my face against them —
they may have escaped one fire,
but the fire will consume them yet.
When I set my face against them,
you will know that I am Adonai.
I will make the land desolate
because they have dealt so treacherously,’
says Adonai Elohim.”

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.”