Ezekiel 15:2
New International Version
“Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest?

New Living Translation
“Son of man, how does a grapevine compare to a tree? Is a vine’s wood as useful as the wood of a tree?

English Standard Version
“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest?

Berean Standard Bible
“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any other branch among the trees in the forest?

King James Bible
Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

New King James Version
“Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?

New American Standard Bible
“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?

NASB 1995
“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?

NASB 1977
“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?

Legacy Standard Bible
“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?

Amplified Bible
“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?

Christian Standard Bible
“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine, that branch among the trees of the forest, compare to any other wood?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Son of man, how does the wood of the vine, that branch among the trees of the forest, compare to any other wood?

American Standard Version
Son of man, what is the vine-tree more than any tree, the vine-branch which is among the trees of the forest?

Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel, son of man, what happens to the wood of a grapevine after the grapes have been picked? It isn't like other trees in the forest,

English Revised Version
Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Son of man, what good is the wood from a vine? Is it better than the wood from a tree in the forest?

Good News Translation
"Mortal man," he said, "how does a vine compare with a tree? What good is a branch of a grapevine compared with the trees of the forest?

International Standard Version
"Son of Man, how does wood from a vine compare to a branch taken from any of the trees in the forest?

Majority Standard Bible
“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any other branch among the trees in the forest?

NET Bible
"Son of man, of all the woody branches among the trees of the forest, what happens to the wood of the vine?

New Heart English Bible
"Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, the vine-branch which is among the trees of the forest?

Webster's Bible Translation
Son of man, What is the vine-tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

World English Bible
“Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Son of man, "" What is the vine-tree more than any tree? The vine-branch that has been, "" Among trees of the forest?

Young's Literal Translation
'Son of man, What is the vine-tree more than any tree? The vine-branch that hath been, Among trees of the forest?

Smith's Literal Translation
Son of man, what is the tree of the vine above every tree, the vine-shoot which was upon the trees of the forest.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Son of man, what shall be made of the wood of the vine, out of all the trees of the woods that are among the trees of the forests?

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Son of man, what can be made from the stalk of a vine, compared to all the plants of the woods that are among the trees of the forests?

New American Bible
Son of man, what makes the wood of the vine Better than the wood of branches found on the trees in the forest?

New Revised Standard Version
O mortal, how does the wood of the vine surpass all other wood— the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Son of man, What shall happen to the wood of the vine more than to any wood, or to any branch of the trees which are among the trees of the forest?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“Son of man, what shall happen to wood of the vine more than all the wood of a branch that is in the woods of the forest?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Son of man, what is the vine-tree more than any tree, the vine branch which grew up among the trees of the forest?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou, son of man - of all the wood, of the branches that are among the trees of the forest, what shall be made of the wood of the vine?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jerusalem the Useless Vine
1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any other branch among the trees in the forest? 3Can wood be taken from it to make something useful? Or can one make from it a peg on which to hang utensils?…

Cross References
John 15:1-6
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. / He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful. / You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ...

Isaiah 5:1-7
I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. / He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well. He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour! / “And now, O dwellers of Jerusalem and men of Judah, I exhort you to judge between Me and My vineyard. ...

Matthew 21:33-41
Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. / When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. / But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ...

Romans 11:17-24
Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, / do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. / You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ...

Psalm 80:8-16
You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and transplanted it. / You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. / The mountains were covered by its shade, and the mighty cedars with its branches. ...

Hosea 10:1
Israel was a luxuriant vine, yielding fruit for himself. The more his fruit increased, the more he increased the altars. The better his land produced, the better he made the sacred pillars.

Jeremiah 2:21
I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?

Luke 13:6-9
Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. / So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ / ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone again this year, until I dig around it and fertilize it. ...

Isaiah 27:2-6
In that day: “Sing about a fruitful vineyard. / I, the LORD, am its keeper; I water it continually. I guard it night and day so no one can disturb it; / I am not angry. If only thorns and briers confronted Me, I would march and trample them, I would burn them to the ground. ...

Mark 12:1-9
Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. / At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. / But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. ...

Deuteronomy 32:32-33
But their vine is from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are poisonous; their clusters are bitter. / Their wine is the venom of serpents, the deadly poison of cobras.

Matthew 7:19
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

John 15:8
This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.

Isaiah 44:14-15
He cuts down cedars or retrieves a cypress or oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow. / It serves as fuel for man. He takes some of it to warm himself, and he kindles a fire and bakes his bread. He also fashions it into a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.

2 Kings 19:30-31
And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root below and bear fruit above. / For a remnant will go forth from Jerusalem, and survivors from Mount Zion. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.


Treasury of Scripture

Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

What.

Deuteronomy 32:32,33
For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: …

Psalm 80:8-16
Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it…

Song of Solomon 2:13,15
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away…

among

Isaiah 44:23
Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.

Micah 3:12
Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

Zechariah 11:2
Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.

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Better Branch Branching Forest Grew Surpass Tree Trees Vine Vine-Tree Wood Woods
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Better Branch Branching Forest Grew Surpass Tree Trees Vine Vine-Tree Wood Woods
Ezekiel 15
1. By the unfitness of the vine branch for any work
6. is shown the rejection of Jerusalem














Son of man
This phrase is a frequent address to Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and role as a representative of the people. In Hebrew, "ben adam" underscores the prophet's connection to mankind, highlighting the divine message being delivered through a human vessel. It serves as a reminder of the humility and responsibility inherent in being chosen as God's messenger.

how is the wood of the vine
The vine is often symbolic of Israel in the Scriptures, representing God's chosen people. In this context, the "wood of the vine" refers to the nation of Israel. Unlike other trees, the vine's wood is not valued for its strength or utility but for its fruit. This metaphor suggests that Israel's worth is not in its inherent strength or power but in its ability to bear spiritual fruit and fulfill God's purposes.

better than that of a branch
This comparison invites reflection on the purpose and value of the vine versus other trees. The Hebrew word for "better" (טוֹב, tov) often implies goodness or suitability for a purpose. Here, it questions the vine's superiority, challenging Israel to consider its unique calling and the expectations God has for it.

on any of the trees in the forest
The "trees in the forest" symbolize the nations of the world. Forest trees are typically valued for their wood, used in construction and crafting. This phrase contrasts the vine's purpose with that of other nations, emphasizing that Israel's distinction lies not in worldly power or resources but in its covenant relationship with God. The forest imagery also evokes a sense of the vastness and diversity of the world, underscoring Israel's unique role among the nations.

Verse 2. - What is the vine tree, etc.? The prophet's mind had apparently been dwelling, after the close of his previous utterance, on the imagery of earlier writers, in which Israel had appeared as the vine of Jehovah (Genesis 49:22; Psalm 80:9; Hosea 10:1; Isaiah 5; Deuteronomy 32:32; Jeremiah 2:21), and to which he himself refers again in Ezekiel 19:10. He saw how men might pervert that image to their own destruction. And he expands the parable, as our Lord does in John 15. Men might dwell, perhaps were actually dwelling, on the thought that they were branches of the true vine, and therefore could not perish. He exposes the groundlessness of that hope in tones of scornful sarcasm. If the vine did not bear fruit, or if it only brought forth wild grapes, then its special excellence was gone, and it challenged comparison with other trees only as a timber tree, and what was its worth as such? If Israel was not true to its vocation, it was poorer and weaker than the heathen nations round it. So far the general thought is clear. In dealing with details, we note that the words in italics, "or than," should disappear, and that the words should stand as in the Revised Version, What is the vine more than any tree, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of man,
אָדָ֕ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

how
מַה־ (mah-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

does
יִּֽהְיֶ֥ה (yih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

the wood
עֵץ־ (‘êṣ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

of the vine
הַגֶּ֖פֶן (hag·ge·p̄en)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 1612: A vine, the grape

surpass
מִכָּל־ (mik·kāl)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

any [other]
עֵ֑ץ (‘êṣ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

branch
הַזְּמוֹרָ֕ה (haz·zə·mō·w·rāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2156: Branch, twig, shoot

among the trees
בַּעֲצֵ֥י (ba·‘ă·ṣê)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

in the forest?
הַיָּֽעַר׃ (hay·yā·‘ar)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3293: A copse of bushes, a forest, honey in the comb


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 15:2 Son of man what is the vine (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
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