Ezekiel 15 · Verse 2

Ezekiel 15:2

Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
Ezekiel 15:2, King James Version

Ezekiel 15:2 in other translations

BSB“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any other branch among the trees in the forest?
WEB“Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?
ASVSon of man, what is the vine-tree more than any tree, the vine-branch which is among the trees of the forest?
YLT‘Son of man, What is the vine-tree more than any tree? The vine-branch that hath been, Among trees of the forest?
DARBYSon of man, what is the wood of the vine more than any wood, the vine-branch, which is among the trees of the forest?
BBESon of man, what is the vine-tree more than any branching tree which is among the trees of the woods?
WebsterSon of man, What is the vine-tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

What does Ezekiel 15:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 15:2-3

Eze 15:1-8. The Worthlessness of the Vine as Wood Especially When Burnt, Is the Image of the Worthlessness and Guilt of the Jews, Who Shall Pass from One Fire to Another.

This chapter represents, in the way of a brief introduction, what the sixteenth chapter details minutely. 2-3. What has the vine-wood to make it pre-eminent above other forest-wood? Nothing. Nay, the reverse. Other trees yield useful timber, but vine-wood is soft, brittle, crooked, and seldom large; not so much as a "pin" (the large wooden peg used inside houses in the East to hang household articles on, Is 22:23-25) can be made of it. Its sole excellency is that it should bear fruit; when it does not bear fruit, it is not only not better, but inferior to other trees: so if God's people lose their distinctive excellency by not bearing fruits of righteousness, they are more unprofitable than the worldly (De 32:32), for they are the vine; the sole end of their being is to bear fruit to His glory (Psa 80:8, 9; Is 5:1, &c.; Jr 2:21; Ho 10:1; Mt 21:33). In all respects, except in their being planted by God, the Jews were inferior to other nations, as Egypt, Babylon, &c., for example, in antiquity, extent of territory, resources, military power, attainments in arts and sciences. or than a branch--rather, in apposition with "the vine tree." Omit "or than." What superiority has the vine if it be but a branch among the trees of the forest, that is, if, as having no fruit, it lies cut down among other woods of trees?

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 What is the vine tree more than any tree - It is certain that the vine is esteemed only on account of its fruit. In some countries, it is true, it grows to a considerable size and thickness: but, even then, it is not of a sufficient density to work into furniture. But whatever may be said of the stock of the vine, it is the branch that the prophet speaks of here; and I scarcely know the branch of any tree in the forest more useless than is the branch of the vine. Out of it who can even make a pin to drive into a mud wall, or hang any vessel on? A vine would never be cultivated for the sake of its wood; it is really worthless but as it bears fruit. What is Israel? Good for nothing, but as God influenced them to bring forth fruit to his glory. But now that they have ceased to be fruitful, they are good for nothing, but, like a withered branch of the vine, to be burnt.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Ezekiel 15:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

בֶּן\־ben-O son ofH1121
אָדָ֕ם'a.DamhumankindH120
מַה\־mah-what?H4100
יִּֽהְיֶ֥הyih.Yehis itH1961
עֵץ\־'etz-[the] wood ofH6086
הַגֶּ֖פֶןha.Ge.fenthe vineH1612
מִכָּל\־mi.kolmore than anyH3605
עֵ֑ץ'EtztreeH6086
הַזְּמוֹרָ֕הha.ze.mo.Rahthe vine branchH2156
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhichH834
הָיָ֖הha.Yahit isH1961
בַּעֲצֵ֥יba.'a.Tzeiamong [the] trees ofH6086
הַיָּֽעַר\׃hai.Ya.'arthe forestH3293

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 15:2

  • Hosea 10:1

    Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.

  • Isaiah 5:1-7

    Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? …

  • Psalms 80:8-16

    Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. …

  • Luke 20:9-16

    Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. …

  • Song of Solomon 6:11

    I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.

  • Jeremiah 2:21

    Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

  • Song of Solomon 2:15

    Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

  • Song of Solomon 7:12

    Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.

  • Song of Solomon 8:11-12

    Solomon had a vineyard at Baal–hamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.

  • John 15:1-6

    I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. …

  • Isaiah 44:23

    Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.

  • Matthew 21:33-41

    Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
What.The vine is only noble and useful while producing fruit: for, when cut down, its wood is fit only for fuel. So Israel, having ceased to be fruitful, they are good for nothing, but, like a withered branch of a vine, to be burnt.
De 32:32,33; Ps 80:8-16; So 2:13,15; 6:11; 7:12; 8:11,12; Isa 5:1-7
Jer 2:21; Ho 10:1; Mt 21:33-41; Mr 12:1-9; Lu 20:9-16; Joh 15:1-6
among.
Isa 44:23; Mic 3:12; Zec 11:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezekiel 15:1

    And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

  • Ezekiel 15:2

    Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

  • Ezekiel 15:3

    Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?

Read all of Ezekiel 15

Ezekiel 15:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Hijo del hombre, ¿qué es el palo de la vid más que todo palo? ¿qué es el sarmiento entre los maderos del bosque?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Fils d’homme, le bois de la vigne, que vaut-il plus que tout autre bois, le sarment qui est parmi les arbres de la forêt?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Menschensohn, was ist das Holz des Weinstocks mehr als alles andere Holz, die Rebe, welche unter den Bäumen des Waldes war?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Fili hominis, quid fiet de ligno vitis, ex omnibus lignis nemorum quæ sunt inter ligna silvarum?