Jezekiel 15

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

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

2 And you, son of man—of all the wood, of the branches that are amongst the trees of the forest, what shall be made of the wood of the vine?

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

3 Will they take wood of it to make [it fit] for work? will they take of it a peg to hang any vessel upon it?

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

4 It is only given to the fire to be consumed; the fire consumes that which is yearly pruned of it, and it is utterly gone. Will it be useful for [any] work?

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 Not even while it is yet whole will it be [useful] for [any] work: if the fire shall have utterly consumed it, will it still be [fit] for work?

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 say, Thus says the Lord, As the vine tree amongst the trees of the forest, which I have given up to the fire to be consumed, so have I given up the inhabitants 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; they shall go forth of the fire, and [yet] fire shall devour them; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have set my face against them.

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 And I will give up the land to ruin, because they have utterly transgressed, says the Lord.

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