Ezekiel 15:4
◄  Ezekiel 15:4  ►
New International Version (©2011)
And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything?

New Living Translation (©2007)
No, it can only be used for fuel, and even as fuel, it burns too quickly.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel. When the fire has consumed both ends of it, and the middle of it is charred, is it useful for anything?

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"If it has been put into the fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and its middle part has been charred, is it then useful for anything?

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
In fact, it is put into the fire as fuel. The fire devours both of its ends, and the middle is charred. Can it be useful for anything?

International Standard Version (©2012)
After all, it's useful only for kindling a fire, isn't it? And once you've burnt up the ends and charred through the middle of it, is it useful for anything else?

NET Bible (©2006)
No! 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?

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
No! It is only thrown into the fire as fuel. The fire burns up both its ends and chars its middle. Then can it be used to make anything?

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both the ends of it, and the middle of it is burned. Is it fit for any work?

American King James Version
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both the ends of it, and the middle of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?

American Standard Version
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire hath devoured both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned: is it profitable for any work?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold it is cast into the fire for fuel: the fire hath consumed both ends thereof, and the midst thereof is reduced to ashes: shall it be useful for any work?

Darby Bible Translation
Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel: the fire consumeth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned; is it fit for any work?

English Revised Version
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel: the fire hath devoured both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned; is it profitable for any work?

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it suitable for any work?

World English Bible
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has devoured both its ends, and its midst is burned: is it profitable for any work?

Young's Literal Translation
Lo, to the fire it hath been given for fuel, Its two ends hath the fire eaten, And its midst hath been scorched! Is it profitable for work?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

15:1-8 Jerusalem like an unfruitful vine. - If a vine be fruitful, it is valuable. But if not fruitful, it is worthless and useless, it is cast into the fire. Thus man is capable of yielding a precious fruit, in living to God; this is the sole end of his existence; and if he fails in this, he is of no use but to be destroyed. What blindness then attaches to those who live in the total neglect of God and of true religion! This similitude is applied to Jerusalem. Let us beware of an unfruitful profession. Let us come to Christ, and seek to abide in him, and to have his words abide in us.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel, That is; a vine tree when cut down, or a branch when cut off, it is good for nothing else; and that is the use it is generally put to; see John 15:6; and this, it is suggested, would be the end of the Jewish nation; who were become by their sins like a wild vine, and were fit fuel for the fire of divine wrath:

the fire devoureth both the ends of it; the branch cast into it, and so is quickly consumed. Kimchi explains this by Isaiah 9:12; "the Syrians before, and the Philistines behind, and they devour Israel with open mouth"; and Abendana of the ten tribes; but it seems only to design how soon the fire takes it; and how inevitable the consumption is when it is fired at both ends:

and the midst of it is burnt: presently; it being dried, and reduced to a brand by the heat of the fire at both ends: this Kimchi interprets of the city of Jerusalem, which was in the midst of the land:

is it meet for any work? no; for if it was not fit for any work when cut down, or cut off, much less when burnt in the fire.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

4. cast into … fire—(Joh 15:6).

both the ends—the north kingdom having been already overturned by Assyria under Tiglath-pileser; the south being pressed on by Egypt (2Ki 23:29-35).

midst of it is burned—rather, "is on flame"; namely, Jerusalem, which had now caught the flame by the attack of Nebuchadnezzar.

Is it meet for any work—"it," that is, the scorched part still remaining.

Ezekiel 15:4 Parallel Commentaries

Ezekiel 15:4 NIV
Ezekiel 15:4 NLT
Ezekiel 15:4 ESV
Ezekiel 15:4 NASB
Ezekiel 15:4 KJV

Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


Jerusalem the Useless Vine
…3Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon? 4Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both the ends of it, and the middle of it is burned. Is it meet for any work? 5Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned? …

Isaiah 27:11 When its twigs are dry, they are broken off and women come and make fires with them. For this is a people without understanding; so their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor.
Ezekiel 15:3 Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on?
Ezekiel 15:5 If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?
Ezekiel 15:6 "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 19:14 Fire spread from one of its main branches and consumed its fruit. No strong branch is left on it fit for a ruler's scepter.' "This is a lament and is to be used as a lament."