1 A nd the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Then the Word of the Lord came to me saying,

2 S on of man, How is the wood of the grapevine more than that of any tree, the vine branch which was among the trees of the forest?

“Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any wood of a branch among the trees?

3 S hall wood be taken from it to do any work? Or will men take a peg of it on which to hang any vessel?

Can wood be taken from it to make anything? Or can men take a piece of wood from it on which to hang a pot?

4 B ehold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire consumes both ends of it and the middle of it is charred. Is it suitable or profitable for any work?

If it has been put into the fire to burn, and the fire has burned up both of its ends, and the center of it is black from the fire, can it then be used for anything?

5 N otice, even when it was whole, it was good for no work; how much less shall it be useful and profitable when the fire has devoured it and it is charred?

See, if it is not used for anything while it is whole, how much less can it ever be used for anything when the fire has burned it up and it has turned black!

6 T herefore thus says the Lord God: Like the wood of the grapevine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

So the Lord God says, ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees, which I have given to be burned in the fire, so will I give up the people of Jerusalem.

7 A nd I will set My face against them; they shall go out from one fire and another fire shall devour them, and you shall know (understand and realize) that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them.

I will set My face against them. Even if they get away from the fire, the fire will yet destroy them. Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them.

8 A nd I will make the land desolate (laid waste and deserted) because they have acted faithlessly, says the Lord.

I will lay waste the land, because they have not been faithful,’” says the Lord God.