Ezekiel 15

Jerusalem a Useless Vine

1 And the word of Yahweh {came} to me, {saying},

2 "Son of man, how will the wood of the vine be {better than} {any of the wood of} the branch which is among the trees of the forest?

3 Can wood be taken from it to make anything, or can they take a tent peg from it to hang on it any object?

4 Look! It is given to the fire as fuel. The fire will consume two of its ends, and its middle will be charred. Is it useful for anything?

5 Look! {When it is in perfect condition}, it will not be used for anything, {how much less} {when the fire has consumed it} and it is charred; and [then] can it be used again for anything?

6 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: {Just like} the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest which I gave to the fire for fuel, so I have given the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7 And I will set my face against them. From the fire they [may]{escape}, but the fire will [yet] consume them, and they will know that I [am] Yahweh {when I set my face against them}.

8 And I will make the land [a] desolation because {they acted very unfaithfully}!" {declares} the Lord Yahweh.

Ezekiel 15 Commentary

Chapter 15

Jerusalem like an unfruitful vine.

- If a vine be fruitful, it is valuable. But if not fruitful, it is worthless and useless, it is cast into the fire. Thus man is capable of yielding a precious fruit, in living to God; this is the sole end of his existence; and if he fails in this, he is of no use but to be destroyed. What blindness then attaches to those who live in the total neglect of God and of true religion! This similitude is applied to Jerusalem. Let us beware of an unfruitful profession. Let us come to Christ, and seek to abide in him, and to have his words abide in us.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "was"
• [b]. Literally "to say"
• [c]. Literally "more than"
• [d]. Literally "all of the wood of"
• [e]. Or "wood"
• [f]. Or "vessel"
• [g]. Literally "In being it perfect"
• [h]. Literally "indeed"
• [i]. Literally "for [if] fire has consumed it"
• [j]. Literally "As that"
• [k]. Or "wood"
• [l]. Literally "go out"
• [m]. Literally "in to set me my face against them"
• [n]. Literally "they displayed infidelity"
• [o]. Literally "declaration of"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 15

The destruction of Jerusalem is again prophesied of in this chapter, and is set forth under the simile of a vine tree, which, for its uselessness, is committed to the fire. The simile is in Eze 15:1-5; the application of it in Eze 15:6-8.