< Ezekiel 15 >
1 AND the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
And the word of Yahweh came unto me saying:
2 Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
Son of man, What can the vine-tree be more than any other tree, —any branch which hath been found among the trees of the forest?
3 Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
Shall there be taken from it wood, to be made into any work? Or will men take therefrom a peg, to hang thereon any vessel?
4 Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?
Lo! into the fire, it is given up for fuel, — The two ends thereof, doth the fire devour, And the middle thereof is charred, Is it fit for any work?
5 Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?
Lo! while it was yet whole, it could not be made into any work, — how much less when! the fire hath devoured it. and it is charred, can it still be made into any work?
6 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Therefore, Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, As a vine-tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given up to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
7 And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them.
Therefore will I set my face against them, Out of one fire, have they come forth But another fire, shall devour them, —So shall ye know that, I, am Yahweh, by my setting my face against them;
8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord God.
I will therefore give up the land as a desolation, —because they have committed treachery, Declareth My Lord., Yahweh.