1The LORD's word came to me:
2Human one, how is the vine's wood better than the wood of all the trees in the forest?
3Can you make anything useful from its wood? Can you make a peg from it and hang objects on it?
4If not, can it be used as firewood? Fire would consume its two ends, but its middle part would only get charred. So is it useful for anything?
5Look, even when it was whole, it was worthless. Now that the fire has consumed it, and it is charred, it's even more useless.
6Therefore, the LORD God proclaims: Of all the trees in the forest, I have decreed that the vine's wood is destined to be consumed by fire. So also have I decreed for those who live in Jerusalem,
7and I have confronted them. They may try to go out from the fire, but the fire will consume them. You will know that I am the LORD, because I confronted them.
8I will turn the land into a ruin because they acted faithlessly, proclaims the LORD God.