Bible Commentaries

UNFAVORABLE COMPARISON OF THE VINE TREE (JERUSALEM) WITH OTHER TREES.

It is significant that AEsop was a contemporary of Ezekiel, and that this sixth century B.C. marks the era of constant intercourse between the Hebrews and the surrounding peoples. The vine was the choicest production of Palestine and typical of its inhabitants. It was difficult for an Israelite to believe that Jerusalem, the vine of Jehovah’s own planting (Genesis 49:22; Deuteronomy 32:32; Isaiah 5:1; Jeremiah 2:21; Psalms 80:8-16), could ever be ruined as completely as Ezekiel prophesied. In reply to this the prophet, following the literary custom of his age, tells the story of the vine. The vine can be classed as superior to other trees only because of its grapes (Judges 9:13). If it does not bear fruit it is fit for nothing else. It is small and frail, and except for its fruit it has no pre-eminence over “brushwood” (Ezekiel 15:2, Kautzsch). The carpenter can make no use of it, neither can the housewife (Ezekiel 15:3). If this is true of the vine at its best, how absolutely useless does it become when ruined for fruit bearing and half destroyed by fire (Ezekiel 15:4-5). Just so the chosen people have been indeed chief among the nations, but only so because of their religion. Politically and territorially they were insignificant even at the height of their glory: how much more since they have felt the touch of the destroying flames (Ezekiel 15:6; compare John 15:1-8).

7. They shall go out from one fire, etc. — Literally, out of the fire are they come forth, but the fire shall devour them. They have only been “singed” (Ezekiel 15:4-5, A.V., “burned”) heretofore by these fires of punishment; but the fire into which they will now be plunged “shall devour them.”

8. A trespass — Literally, unfaithfulness. “The phrase means they have been shamefully treacherous.” — Cowles.