Ezekiel 15

1 The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?

“Son of man, how is a vine better than any tree with branches that is among the trees in a forest?

3 Will wood be taken of it to make anything? Will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel on it?

Do people take wood from a vine to make anything? Or do they make a peg from it to hang anything on it?

4 Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has devoured both its ends, and the middle of it is burned. Is it profitable for any work?

See! If it is thrown into a fire as fuel, and if the fire has burned both of its ends and also the middle, is it good for anything?

5 Behold, when it was whole, it was suitable for no work. How much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it has been burned, will it yet be suitable for any work?”

See! When it was complete, it could not make anything; surely then, when the fire has burned, then it still will not make anything useful.

6 Therefore the Lord GOD says: “As the vine wood among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: Unlike the trees in the forests, I have given the vine as fuel for fires; I will act in the same way toward the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7 I will set my face against them. They will go out from the fire, but the fire will still devour them. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.

For I will set my face against them. Though they come out from the fire, yet the fire will consume them; so you will know that I am Yahweh, when I set my face against them.

8 I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,” says the Lord GOD.

Then I will make the land into an abandoned wasteland because they have committed sin—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.”