Ezekiel 15
New English Translation
Burning a Useless Vine
15 The Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, of all the woody branches among the trees of the forest, what happens to the wood of the vine?[a] 3 Can wood be taken from it to make anything useful? Or can anyone make a peg from it to hang things on? 4 No![b] It is thrown in the fire for fuel; when the fire has burned up both ends of it and it is charred in the middle, will it be useful for anything? 5 Indeed! If it was not made into anything useful when it was whole, how much less can it be made into anything when the fire has burned it up and it is charred?
6 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Like the wood of the vine is among the trees of the forest that I have provided as fuel for the fire—so I will provide the residents of Jerusalem as fuel.[c] 7 I will set[d] my face against them—although they have escaped from the fire,[e] the fire will still consume them! Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them. 8 I will make[f] the land desolate because they have acted unfaithfully, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 15:2 tn Most modern translations take the statement as a comparison (“how is vine wood better than any forest wood?”) based on the preposition מִן (min). But a comparison should have a word as an adjective or stative verb designating a quality, i.e., a word for “good/better” is lacking. The preposition is translated above in its partitive sense.sn Comparing Israel to the wood of the vine may focus on Israel’s inferiority to the other nations. For the vine imagery in relation to Israel and the people of God, see Ps 80:8-13; John 15:1-7; Rom 11:17-22.
- Ezekiel 15:4 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) draws one’s attention to something. Sometimes it may be translated as a verb of perception; here it is treated as a particle that fits the context (so also in v. 5, but with a different English word).
- Ezekiel 15:6 tn The words “as fuel” are not in the Hebrew text but are implied.
- Ezekiel 15:7 tn The word translated “set” is the same Hebrew word translated as “provide” in the previous verse.
- Ezekiel 15:7 sn This escape refers to the exile of Ezekiel and others in 597 b.c. (Ezek 1:2; 2 Kgs 24:10-16).
- Ezekiel 15:8 tn The word translated “make” is the same Hebrew word translated as “provide” in v. 6.
Ezekiel 15
Expanded Bible
Story of the Vine
15 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], is the wood of the vine better than the wood of any tree in the forest? 3 Can wood be taken from the vine to make anything? Can you use it to make a peg on which to hang something? 4 If the vine is thrown into the fire for fuel, and the fire burns up both ends and ·starts to burn [chars] the middle, is it useful for anything? 5 [L Look; T Behold] When the vine was whole, it couldn’t be made into anything. When the fire has burned it completely, ·it certainly cannot [how much less can it] be made into anything.”
6 So this is what the Lord God says: “Out of all the trees in the forest, I have given the wood of the vine as fuel for fire. In the same way I have given up the people who live in Jerusalem 7 and will ·turn [L set my face] against them. Although they came through one fire, fire will still ·destroy [consume] them. When I ·turn [L set my face] against them, you will know that I am the Lord. 8 So I will make the land ·empty [desolate], because the people have not been ·loyal [faithful], says the Lord God.”
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