Ezekiel15
New American Standard
1Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2“Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any wood of a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
3Can wood be taken from it to make anything, or can even a peg be taken from it on which to hang any utensil?
4If it has been put into the fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and its middle part has been charred, is it then good for anything?
5Behold, while it is intact, it is not made into anything. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it still be made into anything!
6Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: ‘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;
7and I set My face against them. Though they have 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.
8So I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,’” declares the Lord God.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 15.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Jerusalem like an unfruitful vine. (1-8).
vv1-8
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.
Key Words
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אָדָם: ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
מָה: properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
עֵץ: a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)
גֶּפֶן: a vine (as twining), especially the grape
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
זְמוֹרָה: a twig (as pruned)
Cross References
Ezekiel 15Classic parable of Israel as God's unfruitful vine, doomed to destruction for failing to produce fruit.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
God planted Israel as a noble, choice vine, but they degenerated into a wild, fruitless state.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Traces the history of Israel as a vine brought from Egypt, now broken down and burned with fire.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Jesus declares that fruitless branches are cast out, withered, and thrown into the fire to be burned.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The severe warning of God setting His face against those who commit trespass.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels escaping one calamity only to fall immediately into another; escaping the pit but taken in the snare.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Illustrates escaping one danger (a lion) only to meet another fatal hazard (a bear; a serpent bite).
Supported by Matthew Poole
God setting His face against a person, making him a sign and proverb, and cutting him off.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Sodom-like spiritual corruption of Israel's vine, producing bitter clusters instead of righteous fruit.
Supported by JFB
The explicit threat of stretching out God's hand to make the land completely desolate.
Supported by Matthew Poole