| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: | 1The word of the LORD came to me: |
| 2“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? | 2"Son of man, of all the woody branches among the trees of the forest, what happens to the wood of the vine? |
| 3Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on? | 3Can wood be taken from it to make anything useful? Or can anyone make a peg from it to hang things on? |
| 4Instead, it is thrown into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work? | 4No! It is thrown in the fire for fuel; when the fire has burned up both ends of it and it is charred in the middle, will it be useful for anything? |
| 5Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned? | 5Indeed! If it was not made into anything useful when it was whole, how much less can it be made into anything when the fire has burned it up and it is charred? |
| 6“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; | 6"Therefore, this is what the sovereign LORD says: Like the wood of the vine is among the trees of the forest which I have provided as fuel for the fire--so I will provide the residents of Jerusalem as fuel. |
| 7and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I set My face against them. | 7I will set my face against them--although they have escaped from the fire, the fire will still consume them! Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them. |
| 8Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,’ says the Lord GOD.” | 8I will make the land desolate because they have acted unfaithfully, declares the sovereign LORD." |
|
    |