Ezekiel 15

1The word of Adonai came to me saying:

2“Son of man, how can the wood of a vine be better than the branch of any tree that is among the trees of the forest?

3Can wood be taken from it to make anything useful? Can a peg be made from it to hang anything on?

4Behold, when it is cast in the fire for fuel, both ends are devoured in fire and the middle is charred—is it useful for any work?

5Look, when it was whole, it was not useful for any work—how much less, when the fire has devoured it and it is charred, will it be useful for any work?

6Therefore thus says Adonai Elohim: Like the vine’s wood among the trees of the forest that I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7I will set My face against them. Even if they come out of the fire, the fire will yet devour them. So you will know that I am Adonai, when I set My face against them.

8I will make the land desolate, because they have acted so faithlessly.” It is a declaration of Adonai.