1 Jerusalem like a Useless Vine And the word of the Lcame to me, saying,
2 “Son of man, how is the wood of the grapevine (Israel) better than any wood of a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
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 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 suitableoruseful for anything?
5 Notice this, even when it was complete, it was not usefulandwas 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 says the Lord G, ‘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 set My face against them.Thoughthey have come out of the fire, yet the fire will consume them. Then you will know [without any doubt] that I am the L, when I set My face against them.
8 I will make the land desolate (ruined, deserted), because they have acted unfaithfully [through their idolatry],’ says the Lord G.”