¹And the word of the Lord came to me and said, ²“Son of Adam, in what way is a vine tree more than any other tree? Or its branch, which is among the trees of the forest? ³Is wood taken from it to make artisanry? Or does one use it for a peg, to hang all sorts of items on it? ⁴Look, it is put in the fire as fuel, and the fire consumes both its ends, and its centre is also burned. Is it fit for craftsmanship? ⁵Look, when it was in its natural state, it was not used for craftsmanship, so how much less when fire has consumed it, and it has been burned? Will it still be used for craftsmanship? ⁶So this is what the Lord, the Lord, says: ‘As the vine tree is among the trees of the forest which I have consigned to fire as fuel, so I have consigned the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ⁷And I will take issue with them; they will come out of the fire, but the fire will devour them, and you will know that I am the Lord when I take issue with them. ⁸And I will make the land a desolation, because they have acted perversely, says the Lord, the Lord.’ ”