Ezekiel 15:3

3 Is vine wood ever used to make anything? Is it used to make pegs to hang things from?

Ezekiel 15:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 15:3

Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work?
&c.] The carpenter and joiner, the house or ship builder, are employed in; as to build houses of, make beams, rafters, floors build ships with, make masts of or any vessel or utensil for the use of man? it never is; it is not fit for any such purpose. Pliny F4 speaks of some rarities made of the wood of vines, but not things of common use; and these not of any vines, but of some peculiar ones, favoured by the air and soil or will [men] take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
it is not fit to make a peg of to hang a hat on; and much less for anything that requires more strength.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 Nat. Hist. l. 14. c. 1.

Ezekiel 15:3 In-Context

1 God's Message came to me:
2 "Son of man, how would you compare the wood of a vine with the branches of any tree you'd find in the forest?
3 Is vine wood ever used to make anything? Is it used to make pegs to hang things from?
4 "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?
5 "Hardly. When it was whole it wasn't good for anything. Half-burned is no improvement. What's it good for?
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.