Ezekiel 15

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any other branch among the trees in the forest?

Son of man, what is the vine-tree more than any branching tree which is among the trees of the woods?

3 Can wood be taken from it to make something useful? Or can one make from it a peg on which to hang utensils?

Will its wood be used for any work? do men make of it a pin for hanging any vessel on?

4 No, it is cast into the fire for fuel. The fire devours both ends, and the middle is charred. Can it be useful for anything?

See, it is put into the fire for burning: the fire has made a meal of its two ends and the middle part of it is burned; is it good for any work?

5 Even when it was whole, it could not be made useful. How much less can it ever be useful when the fire has consumed it and charred it!

Truly, before it was cut down, it was not used for any purpose: how much less, when the fire has made a meal of it and it is burned, will it be made into anything?

6 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 for fuel, so I will give up the people of Jerusalem.

For this cause the Lord has said: Like the vine-tree among the trees of the woods which I have given to the fire for burning, so will I give the people of Jerusalem.

7 And I will set My face against them. Though they may have escaped the fire, yet another fire will consume them. And when I set My face against them, you will know that I am the LORD.

And my face will be turned against them; and though they have come out of the fire they will be burned up by it; and it will be clear to you that I am the Lord when my face is turned against them.

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

And I will make the land a waste because they have done evil, says the Lord.