Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, January 12th, 2025
Jesus' Baptism / First Sunday after Epiphany
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Bishop's Bible

Ezekiel 15:4

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?

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

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?
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?
Christian Standard Bible®
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?
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?
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.
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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.
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?
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?

Contextual Overview

1 The worde of the Lord came vnto me, saying: 2 Thou sonne of man, what commeth of the vine tree, more then of euery other tree, & of the wylde vine stocke among other trees of the forest? 3 Do men take wood of it to make any worke withall? or wyll men take a pin of it to hang any vessell theron? 4 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? 5 Seeing then that it was meete for no worke beyng whole, muche lesse may there any thing be made of it when the fire hath consumed and brent it. 6 And therefore thus saith the Lorde god, As the vine tree [that is] among the trees of the forest, which I haue geuen to the fire to be consumed: so wyll I geue the inhabitauntes of Hierusalem. 7 And I wyll set my face against them, they shall go out from the fire, and yet the fire shall consume them: then shall ye knowe that I am the Lorde, when I set my face against them, 8 And when I make the lande waste, because they haue so sore offended, saith the Lorde 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
And I wyll blesse her, and geue thee a sonne of her: yea, I wyll blesse her, and she shalbe [a mother] of nations, yea & kynges of people shall sprynge of her.
Genesis 21:12
And God sayde vnto Abraham, let it not be greeuous in thy sight, because of the lad and of thy bonde woman: In al that Sara hath said vnto thee, heare her voyce, for in Isahac shall thy seede be called.
2 Samuel 7:12
And when thy dayes be fulfilled, thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers, and I will set vp thy seede after thee, whiche shall proceede out of thy body, and will stablyshe his kingdome.
2 Samuel 16:11
And Dauid sayde to Abisai, and to all his seruautes, Behold, my sonne which came of myne owne bowels, seketh my lyfe: How much more then may this sonne of Iemini do it? Suffre him to curse, for the Lorde hath bidden him.
2 Chronicles 32:21
And the Lord sent an angel, which destroyed all the men of warre and the lordes and captaynes of the hoast of the king of the Assyrians, that he turned his face againe with shame towarde his owne lande: And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came of his owne body slue him there with the sworde.
Galatians 4:28
But brethren, we are after Isaac the chyldren of promise.
Philemon 1:12
Whom I haue sent agayne: Thou therefore receaue hym, that is, myne owne bowels,

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile