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.

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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

The Useless Vine

15 The word of the Lord came to me:

O mortal, how does the wood of the vine surpass all other wood,
    the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest?(A)
Is wood taken from it to make anything?
    Does one take a peg from it on which to hang any object?
It is put in 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?(B)
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: Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.(C) I will set my face against them; although they escape from the fire, the fire shall still consume them, and you shall know that I am the Lord when I set my face against them.(D) And I will make the land desolate because they have acted faithlessly, says the Lord God.(E)

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