Ezekiel 15
1 The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
And the word of the Lord 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, what can be made from the stalk of a vine, compared to all the plants of the woods that are among the trees of the forests?
3 Will wood be taken of it to make anything? Will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel on it?
Can any wood be taken from it, so that it may be made into a work, or formed into a peg so as to hang some kind of vessel upon 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?
Behold, it is used in the fire as fuel. The fire consumes both its ends; and its middle is reduced to ashes. So how can it be useful for any work?
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?”
Even when it was whole, it was unsuitable for a work. How much more so, when fire has devoured it and burned it up, will nothing of it be 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, thus says the Lord God: Like the stalk of the vine among the trees of the forests, which I have given to be devoured by fire, so will I deliver 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.
And I will set my face against them. They will go away from fire, and yet fire will consume them. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I will have set my face against them,
8 I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,” says the Lord GOD.
and when I will have made their land impassable and desolate. For they have stood forth as transgressors, says the Lord God.”
