Jerusalem A Useless Vine
2 Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
2 “Son of man, how is the wood of the (A)vine better than any wood of a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
2 “Son of man, how does the wood of the vine,(A) that branch among the trees of the forest, compare to any other wood?
2 "Son of Man, how does wood from a vine compare to a branch taken from any of the trees in the forest?
3 Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
3 Can wood be taken from it to make (a)anything, or can men take a peg from it on which to hang any vessel?
3 Can wood be taken from it to make something useful? Or can anyone make a peg from it to hang things on?
3 Is wood ever taken from it to make anything practical? Can it even be made into a peg to hang something on?
3 Can wood be taken from it to make any object? Or can men take a peg from it on which to hang any vessel?
4 Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?
4 (b)If it has been put into the (B)fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and its middle part has been charred, is it then useful for (c)anything?
4 In fact, it is put into the fire as fuel.(B) The fire devours both of its ends, and the middle is charred. Can it be useful for anything?
4 After all, it's useful only for kindling a fire, isn't it? And once you've burnt up the ends and charred through the middle of it, is it useful for anything else?
4 If it has been thrown into the fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and the middle section has been charred, is it suitable or useful for anything?
5 Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?
5 Behold, while it is intact, it is not made into (d)anything. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it still be made into (e)anything!
5 Even when it was whole it could not be made into a useful object. How much less can it ever be made into anything useful when the fire has devoured it and it is charred!
5 If it was useless before it was burned, now that it's been burned and charred through, it's even more useless!
5 Notice this, even when it was complete, it was not useful and was not made into anything. How much less, after the fire has burned [part of] it and [the remainder of] it is charred, can it still be made into anything?
6 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; 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.
6 Therefore, thus says the Lord (f)God, ‘As the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
6 “Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire as fuel, so I will give up the residents of Jerusalem.
6 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: "Just as the wood from a grape vine is removed from the forest and used for kindling fires, I'm giving the inhabitants of Jerusalem over
6 Therefore, thus says the Lord God, ‘Like the wood of the grapevine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the people of Jerusalem;
7 And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.
7 and I (C)set My face against them. Though they have (D)come out of the fire, yet the fire will consume them. Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them.
7 I will turn against them.(C) They may have escaped from the fire, but it will still consume them.(D) And you will know that I am Yahweh when I turn against them.
7 to punishment. They may have escaped one fire, but the coming fire will burn them up completely, and they will know that I am the LORD, when I set myself in opposition to them
7 and I set My face against them. Though they have come out of the fire, yet the fire will consume them. Then you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them.
8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.
8 Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have (E)acted unfaithfully,’” declares the Lord God.
8 I will make the land desolate because they have acted unfaithfully.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.
8 and dedicate the land to desolation because of their unfaithful unbelief," declares the Lord GOD.
8 I will make the land desolate (ruined, deserted), because they have acted unfaithfully [through their idolatry],’ says the Lord God.”