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.”

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Parable of the Useless Vine

15 Then the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, how does the wood of the vine,(A) that branch among the trees of the forest, compare to any other wood? Can wood be taken from it to make something useful? Or can anyone make a peg from it to hang things on? In fact, it is put into the fire as fuel.(B) The fire devours both of its ends, and the middle is charred. Can it be useful for anything? Even when it was whole it could not be made into a useful object. How much less can it ever be made into anything useful when the fire has devoured it and it is charred!”

Therefore, this is what the Lord God says, “Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire as fuel, so I will give up the residents of Jerusalem. I will turn against them.(C) They may have escaped from the fire, but it will still consume them.(D) And you will know that I am the Lord when I turn against them. I will make the land desolate because they have acted unfaithfully.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

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