1A message came to me from the Lord. He said,
2"Son of man, is the wood of a vine better than the wood of any of the trees in the forest?
3Can its wood ever be made into anything useful? Can pegs be made from it to hang things on?
4"Suppose it is thrown in the fire to be burned. And the fire burns both ends and blackens the middle. Then is it useful for anything?
5It was not useful when it was whole. So how can it be made into something useful now? The fire has burned it and blackened it."
6The Lord and King says, "Instead of the wood of any tree in the forest, I have given the vine to burn in the fire. I will treat the people who live in Jerusalem the same way.
7I will turn against them. They might have come out of the fire. But the fire will destroy them anyway. I will turn against them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
8I will make the land a dry and empty desert. My people have not been faithful to me," announces the Lord and King.