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, a Useless Vine

15 And the word of the Lord came to me: (A)“Son of man, how does (B)the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do people take (C)a peg from it to hang any vessel on it? (D)Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel. When the fire has consumed both ends of it, and the middle of it is charred, is it useful for anything? (E)Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything! Therefore thus says the Lord God: (F)Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, (G)which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (H)And I will set my face against them. Though (I)they escape from the fire, the fire shall yet consume them, (J)and you will know that I am the Lord, (K)when I set my face against them. (L)And I will make the land desolate, because (M)they have acted faithlessly, declares the Lord God.”

以葡萄木被焚喻耶路撒冷荒蕪

15 耶和華的話臨到我說: 「人子啊,葡萄樹比別樣樹有什麼強處?葡萄枝比眾樹枝有什麼好處? 其上可以取木料做什麼功用?可以取來做釘子掛什麼器皿嗎? 看哪,已經拋在火中當做柴燒,火既燒了兩頭,中間也被燒了,還有益於功用嗎? 完全的時候尚且不合乎什麼功用,何況被火燒壞,還能合乎什麼功用嗎? 所以主耶和華如此說:眾樹以內的葡萄樹,我怎樣使它在火中當柴,也必照樣待耶路撒冷的居民。 我必向他們變臉,他們雖從火中出來,火卻要燒滅他們。我向他們變臉的時候,你們就知道我是耶和華。 我必使地土荒涼,因為他們行事干犯我。這是主耶和華說的。」