Ezekiel, 15

¹ The word of Jehovah again came to me, saying:

² “Son of man, how does the wood of the vine compare with that of any other tree or branch from the trees of the forest?

³ Can a pole from it be used to do work? Or do people make a peg from it to hang utensils on?

⁴ Look! It is thrown into the fire for fuel, and the fire consumes both ends and scorches the middle. Is it now fit for any work?

⁵ Even when it was whole, it could not be used for anything. How much less useful it will be when the fire has consumed and scorched it!”

⁶ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘Just like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given as fuel for the fire, so I will deal with the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

⁷ I have set my face against them. They have escaped from the fire, but fire will consume them. And you will have to know that I am Jehovah when I set my face against them.’”

⁸ “‘And I will make the land desolate because they have acted unfaithfully,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah.”