Ezekiel 15

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Suddenly, I felt a powerful message from the Lord wash over me, whispering,

Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

Human child, why is the grapevine considered superior to other trees, or even a branch found in the forest's multitude of trees?

Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?

Can this wood be used for any task? Or could someone even use a piece of it to hang something on?

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?

Look, it's thrown into the flames as fuel; the fire consumes it completely, from both ends and even the center. Can it serve any purpose now?

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?

Look, when it was intact, it was useless. Now that it's been consumed by fire and turned to ashes, how could it possibly be of any use?

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.

Thus declares the Lord God; Just as a vine tree in the forest is given to the fire, so too will I surrender the people of Jerusalem.

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 myself against them; they will escape one fire only to be consumed by another. When this happens, you will understand that it is I, the Lord, who have set myself against them.

And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.

I will leave the land barren, for they have wronged me, declares the Lord God, with a heavy heart.