The Useless Vine
15 The word of the Lord came to me:
2 O mortal, how does the wood of the vine surpass all other wood,
the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest?(A)
3 Is wood taken from it to make anything?
Does one take a peg from it on which to hang any object?
4 It is put in the fire for fuel;
when the fire has consumed both ends of it
and the middle of it is charred,
is it useful for anything?(B)
5 When it was whole it was used for nothing;
how much less—when the fire has consumed it,
and it is charred—
can it ever be used for anything!
6 Therefore thus says the Lord God: 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 inhabitants of Jerusalem.(C)7 I will set my face against them; although they escape from the fire, the fire shall still consume them, and you shall know that I am the Lord when I set my face against them.(D)8 And I will make the land desolate because they have acted faithlessly, says the Lord God.(E)
Cross references
- 15.2 : Isa 5.1–7; Jer 2.21; Hos 10.1
- 15.4 : v 6; Ezek 19.14; Jn 15.6
- 15.6 : v 2; Ezek 17.3–10
- 15.7 : Lev 17.10; Isa 24.18; Ezek 6.7; 7.4; 14.8
- 15.8 : Ezek 14.13
