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.

Read full chapter

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

A Message about Vines

15 This message came to me from the Lord: “Son of Man, how does wood from a vine compare to a branch taken from any of the trees in the forest? Is wood ever taken from it to make anything practical? Can it even be made into a peg to hang something on? After all, it’s useful only for kindling a fire, isn’t it? And once you’ve burnt up the ends and charred through the middle of it, is it useful for anything else? If it was useless before it was burned, now that it’s been burned and charred through, it’s even more useless!

Therefore this is what the Lord God says: “Just as the wood from a grape vine is removed from the forest and used for kindling fires, I’m giving the inhabitants of Jerusalem over to punishment. They may have escaped one fire, but the coming fire will burn them up completely, and they will know that I am the Lord, when I set myself in opposition to[a] them and dedicate the land to desolation because of their unfaithful unbelief,” declares the Lord God.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 15:7 Lit. set my face against