Ezekiel
Chapter 15
God gives Ezekiel a short picture about a grapevine. Vine wood is useless for building anything, and once it is burned it is worth even less. God says the people of Jerusalem are like that burned vine wood, and he will hand them over to fire and leave their land empty because they have been unfaithful.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
1The LORD spoke his message to me. He said:
2Son 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 a grapevine better than any other branch among the trees in the forest? It is not.
"Son of man" is how God addresses Ezekiel all through this book. It simply means "human being."
3Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
3Can anyone take wood from a vine and make something useful with it? Can anyone carve a peg from it to hang a pot on?
A "pin" in the old wording is a peg driven into a wall. "Vessel" means a pot, jar, or bowl.
4Behold, 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?
4No. It gets thrown into the fire to burn. The fire eats up both ends, and the middle is left black. Is it good for anything then?
"Is it meet for any work?" means "Is it useful for anything?" In 1611 English, "meet" meant fit or suitable.
5Behold, 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?
5Even when the vine wood was whole, it was good for nothing. So it is worth even less now that the fire has burned it black.
6Therefore 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.
6So this is what the Lord GOD says: the vine wood among the forest trees is only good for burning. I will hand over the people of Jerusalem the same way.
7And 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.
7I will turn against them. They may escape one fire, but another fire will burn them up. When I turn against them, you will know that I am the LORD.
8And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.
8I will leave their land empty and ruined, because they have broken faith with me, says the Lord GOD."
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