Ezekiel 15
The LORD compares Jerusalem to a useless vine — its wood cannot even be made into a peg. Since it was worthless even when whole, how much more useless is it now that fire has burned it? The LORD will make the land desolate because of their unfaithfulness.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, | The word of the LORD came to me: |
| 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 good is the wood of a grapevine compared to any other wood — to a branch from any of 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? | "Is wood from a vine ever used for anything useful? Can anyone make a peg from it to hang things on?" |
| 4 | Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the middle of it is burned. Is it meet for any work? | "No — it is thrown into the fire as fuel. The fire burns both ends and chars the middle. Is it then useful for anything?" |
| 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? | "Even when it was whole it was not fit for any purpose. How much less can it be made into something useful when fire has burned and charred it?" |
| 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 this is what the Lord GOD says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the forest trees as fuel for fire, so I will treat 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. | "I will set My face against them. Although they have escaped from one fire, another fire will consume them. You will know that I am the LORD when I set My face against them." |
| 8 | And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD. | "I will make the land desolate because they have committed a trespass, declares the Lord GOD." |