1 Y ahweh’s word came to me, saying,

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2 S on of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, the vine-branch which is among the trees of the forest?

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

3 W ill wood be taken of it to make anything? Will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel on it?

Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on?

4 B ehold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has devoured both its ends, and the middle of it is burned: is it profitable for any work?

Instead, it is thrown into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work?

5 B ehold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned, shall it yet be meet for any work!

Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned?

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

7 I will set my face against them; they shall go out from the fire, but the fire shall devour them; and you shall know that I am Yahweh, when I set my face against them.

and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them.

8 I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, says the Lord Yahweh.

Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,’ says the Lord God.”