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Christian Standard Bible ®

Ezekiel 15:4

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?

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- Easton Bible Dictionary - Fuel;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Vine;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;   Fuel;   Vine;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ezekiel;   Vine, Vineyard;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Fuel;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Vine;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Fuel;   Meet;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has devoured both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned: is it profitable for any work?
King James Version
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?
English Standard Version
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
"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 good for anything?
New Century Version
If the vine is thrown into the fire for fuel, and the fire burns up both ends and starts to burn the middle, is it useful for anything?
Amplified Bible
"If it has been thrown into the fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and the middle section has been charred, is it suitable or useful for anything?
World English Bible
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has devoured both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned: is it profitable for any work?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Behold, it is cast in the fire to be consumed: the fire consumeth both the endes of it, and the middes of it is burnt. Is it meete for any worke?
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?
Legacy Standard Bible
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?
Berean Standard Bible
No, it is cast into the fire for fuel. The fire devours both ends, and the middle is charred. Can it be useful for anything?
Contemporary English Version
It can only be used as firewood. But after its ends are burnt and its middle is charred, it can't be used for anything.
Complete Jewish Bible
So now it is thrown in the fire as fuel, the fire consumes both ends of it, and the middle of it is singed — is it useful now for making something?
Darby 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?
Easy-to-Read Version
People throw that wood into the fire. The ends burn, and the middle is scorched.
George Lamsa Translation
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; and when the fire has consumed both ends of it and the middle of it is burned, is it good for any work?
Good News Translation
It is only good for building a fire. And when the ends are burned up and the middle is charred, can you make anything out of it?
Lexham English Bible
Look! It is given to the fire as fuel. The fire will consume two of its ends, and its middle will be charred. Is it useful for anything?
Literal Translation
Behold, it is put in the fire for fuel. The fire devours both its ends, and its middle is charred. Will it prosper for work?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Beholde, it is cast in the fyre to be brent, the fyre consumeth both the endes of it, the myddest is brent to a?shes. Is it mete then for eny worke? No.
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?
Bible in Basic English
See, it is put into the fire for burning: the fire has made a meal of its two ends and the middle part of it is burned; is it good for any work?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire hath devoured both the ends of it, and the midst of it is singed; is it profitable for any work?
King James Version (1611)
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fewell: the fire deuoureth both the ends of it, and the middest of it is burnt. Is it meete for any worke?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Behold, it is cast in the fire to be brent, the fire consumeth both the endes of it, the middes of it is brent: is it meete then for any worke?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
It is only given to the fire to be consumed; the fire consumes that which is yearly pruned of it, and it is utterly gone. Will it be useful 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?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Lo! it is youun in to mete; fier wastide euer eithir part therof, and the myddis therof is dryuun in to deed sparcle; whether it schal be profitable to werk?
Update Bible Version
Look, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has 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?
New English Translation
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?
New King James Version
Instead, it is thrown into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work?
New Living Translation
No, it can only be used for fuel, and even as fuel, it burns too quickly.
New Life Bible
If it has been put into the fire to burn, and the fire has burned up both of its ends, and the center of it is black from the fire, can it then be used for anything?
New Revised Standard
It is put in 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?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Lo! into the fire, it is given up for fuel, - The two ends thereof, doth the fire devour, And the middle thereof is charred, Is it fit 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?
Revised Standard Version
Lo, 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?
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?
THE MESSAGE
"I don't think so. At best it's good for fuel. Look at it: A flimsy piece of vine, thrown in the fire and then rescued—the ends burned off and the middle charred. Now is it good for anything?

Contextual Overview

1Then the word of the Lord came to me: 2“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine, that branch among the trees of the forest, compare to any other wood? 3Can wood be taken from it to make something useful? Or can anyone make a peg from it to hang things on? 4In 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? 5Even when it was whole it could not be made into a useful object. How much less can it ever be made into anything useful when the fire has devoured it and it is charred!” 6Therefore, this is what the Lord God says, “Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire as fuel, so I will give up the residents of Jerusalem. 7I will turn against them. They may have escaped from the fire, but it will still consume them. And you will know that I am the Lord when I turn against them. 8I will make the land desolate because they have acted unfaithfully.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

it is cast: Psalms 80:16, Isaiah 27:11, John 15:6, Hebrews 6:8

the fire: Isaiah 1:31, Amos 4:11, Malachi 4:1, Matthew 3:12, Hebrews 12:29

Is it meet: Heb. Will it prosper

Reciprocal: Job 15:30 - the flame Jeremiah 11:16 - with Ezekiel 19:12 - the fire Matthew 13:30 - burn

Cross-References

Genesis 17:16
I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and about your slave. Whatever Sarah says to you, listen to her, because your offspring will be traced through Isaac,
2 Samuel 7:12
When your time comes and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
2 Samuel 16:11
Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life—how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to.
2 Chronicles 32:21
and the Lord sent an angel who annihilated every valiant warrior, leader, and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria returned in disgrace to his land. He went to the temple of his god, and there some of his own children struck him down with the sword.
Galatians 4:28
Now you too, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.
Philemon 1:12
I am sending him back to you—I am sending my very own heart.

Gill's Notes on the 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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Behold, it is cast into the fire - The wood is in itself useless for any purpose; but what if it have been cast into the fire, and half burned, what of it then?

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 15:4. The fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. — Judea is like a vine branch thrown into the fire, which seizes on both the ends, and scorches the middle: so both the extremities of the land is wasted; and the middle, Jerusalem, is now threatened with a siege, and by and by will be totally destroyed.


 
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