Ezekiel
The book of the prophet Ezekiel, chapter 15, New English Translation
Chapter 15
Burning a Useless Vine 1 The word of the L
ORD came to me:
2 "Son of man, of all the woody branches among the trees of the forest, what happens to the wood of the vine?
3 Can wood be taken from it to make anything useful? Or can anyone make a peg from it to hang things on?
4 No! It is thrown in the fire for fuel; when the fire has burned up both ends of it and it is charred in the middle, will it be useful for anything?
5 Indeed! If it was not made into anything useful when it was whole, how much less can it be made into anything when the fire has burned it up and it is charred?
6 "Therefore, this is what the sovereign L
ORD says: Like the wood of the vine is among the trees of the forest which I have provided as fuel for the fire - so I will provide the residents of Jerusalem as fuel.
7 I will set my face against them - although they have escaped from the fire, the fire will still consume them! Then you will know that I am the L
ORD, when I set my face against them.
8 I will make the land desolate because they have acted unfaithfully, declares the sovereign L
ORD."