Ezekiel 15:5 kjv
Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?
Ezekiel 15:5 nkjv
Indeed, 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?
Ezekiel 15:5 niv
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 15:5 esv
Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything!
Ezekiel 15:5 nlt
Vines are useless both before and after being put into the fire!
Ezekiel 15 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 15:4 | Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel | Ezekiel 15:4 (Fire as judgment) |
| Ezekiel 15:6 | Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: | Ezekiel 15:6 (God's declarative statement) |
| Jeremiah 2:21 | I planted you a choice vine | Jeremiah 2:21 (Contrast of past blessing) |
| Isaiah 5:1-7 | My beloved had a vineyard... | Isaiah 5:1-7 (Parable of the unfruitful vine) |
| Psalm 80:8-16 | You removed a vine out of Egypt... | Psalm 80:8-16 (Israel as a vine) |
| John 15:1-6 | I am the true vine... | John 15:1-6 (Jesus as the true vine) |
| Hosea 10:1 | Israel is a luxuriant vine | Hosea 10:1 (Image of Israel's unfaithfulness) |
| Romans 11:17 | branches were broken off... | Romans 11:17 (Gentiles grafted into olive tree) |
| 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 | your body is a temple... | 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (Believers as useful) |
| Matthew 21:43 | Kingdom of God taken from you... | Matthew 21:43 (Judgment on unfaithfulness) |
| Luke 13:6-9 | fig tree planted in a vineyard... | Luke 13:6-9 (Parable of the barren fig tree) |
| 2 Timothy 2:20-21 | vessel of honor... | 2 Timothy 2:20-21 (Vessels for noble purpose) |
| Hebrews 6:8 | yields thorns and thistles | Hebrews 6:8 (Unfruitful land) |
| Proverbs 10:3 | The LORD does not let the righteous starve | Proverbs 10:3 (Favor on the righteous) |
| Jeremiah 11:16 | fair flourishing olive tree, beautiful in fruit | Jeremiah 11:16 (Contrast with divine judgment) |
| Isaiah 1:22 | Your silver has become dross | Isaiah 1:22 (Spiritual decay) |
| Nahum 3:11 | made empty and hollow | Nahum 3:11 (Destruction of Nineveh) |
| Joel 1:10 | The field is ruined, the land mourns | Joel 1:10 (Devastation) |
| Zechariah 8:12 | vine shall give its fruit | Zechariah 8:12 (Future blessing) |
| John 3:36 | he who does not obey the Son... | John 3:36 (Consequences of disobedience) |
Ezekiel 15 verses
Ezekiel 15 5 Meaning
This verse declares that the nation of Israel, like a vine unusable for any purpose, has been completely rejected by God. Its strength is gone, and it is utterly worthless for building or making anything. This signifies their complete downfall and lack of potential for future use in God's plans.
Ezekiel 15 5 Context
This verse is found in Ezekiel chapter 15, where the prophet uses the metaphor of a worthless grapevine to depict the nation of Israel. The preceding verses describe the grapevine being tossed into the fire and burned, its unusable nature highlighted. This imagery serves as a judgment against Jerusalem and Judah for their persistent sinfulness and unfaithfulness to God. The context emphasizes God's disappointment and severe pronouncements of destruction due to their repeated transgressions.
Ezekiel 15 5 Word Analysis
- it: Refers to the grapevine, symbolizing Israel/Jerusalem.
- is it: Emphatic repetition.
- any: Denotes totality; no part whatsoever.
- for: Indicates purpose or suitability.
- any: Reinforces the lack of usefulness.
- purpose: Use, function, or endeavor.
- wherein: In what; the area or context of its use.
- used: Employed, utilized.
- to be: To exist in a state or condition.
- any: Absolute negation of use.
- work: A task, an undertaking, a craft.
- made: Constructed, formed, brought into being.
- with: By means of, through.
- the: Definite article, specifying.
- its: Possessive pronoun, belonging to the vine (Israel).
- any: Again, signifies totality of absence.
- work: Any kind of product or outcome.
Ezekiel 15 5 Bonus Section
The imagery here is particularly poignant given the biblical emphasis on Israel as God's vine. The rejection is not arbitrary but a direct result of its unfruitfulness and impurity. The fire in verse 4, which is mentioned again indirectly by the concept of "no purpose," signifies divine judgment. The verse serves as a stark reminder that a failure to be what God designed us to be, specifically in terms of bearing spiritual fruit and being instruments for His purpose, leads to absolute rejection. The contrast is striking when compared to the promise of restored usefulness and fruitfulness in Zechariah 8:12 for those who repent and return to God.
Ezekiel 15 5 Commentary
The metaphor of the vine, so central to Israel's identity and God's cultivation of them (Psalm 80, Isaiah 5), is here twisted into a picture of complete failure and worthlessness. Israel, the branch that once bore fruit for God, is now like a discarded piece of wood. It is no longer fit for any construction or productive task. This utter worthlessness is the consequence of its past sins and rejection of God's care. It’s a powerful image of God's judgment rendering the nation utterly incapable of contributing to any good. Unlike the faithful remnant or those who turn to Christ (John 15), this particular "vine" is past redemption, designated only for destruction.