The useless vine
The word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on? And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything? If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred? Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. I will set my face against them. Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the Lord. I will make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful, declares the Sovereign Lord.
The word of the Lord came to me:
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest?
Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on?
Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything?
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?
If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?
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?
Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem.
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.
I will set my face against them. Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the Lord.
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 make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful, declares the Sovereign Lord.
And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.