1And the word of Jehovah came unto me , saying , 2Son of man , what is the vine-tree more than any tree , the vine-branch which is among the trees of the forest ? 3Shall wood be taken thereof to make any work ? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon ? 4Behold , it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire hath devoured both the ends of it , and the midst of it is burned : is it profitable for any work ? 5Behold , when it was whole , it was meet for no work : how much less , when the fire hath devoured it , and it is burned , shall it yet be meet for any work !
The Fate of the Useless Vine
6Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah : 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 . 7And I will set my face against them ; they shall go forth from the fire, but the fire shall devour them ; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah , when I set my face against them . 8And I will make the land desolate , because they have committed a trespass , saith the Lord Jehovah .