Ezekiel 15:2

Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree,.... Or, "the wood of the vine than any wood" (b); it is not better than other wood; it is not so good as any other wood; nay, it is good for nothing.

Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest? What is the vine tree more than any tree? What has the vine-wood to make it preeminent above other forest-wood?

The house of Israel is often compared to a vine, which when barren or fruitless is very contemptible and unprofitable. This the prophet minds them of to humble them, and awaken them to fruitfulness; Will you boast yourselves of this? Than a branch which is among the trees of the forest; one single branch of a tree in the forest is of more use and worth than the whole vine tree is, except for its fruit.

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?Ver. 2. What is the vine tree more than any tree?] The Jews took upon them, because a "vine brought out of Egypt," and such as God’ s own right hand had planted. But insomuch as they were now become fruitless and also useless "trees twice dead, plucked up by the roots," what had they to glory in above other nations? Surely they were therefore worse than others, because they ought to have been better. True it is that a vine in itself, considered with the fruit it beareth, is no contemptible tree. But if it be withered or pulled out of the earth, it is no way comparable to other trees or shrubs, which, when felled, are put to sundry good uses that the vine - lignum tenus, gibbosum et tortuosum - a crooked, low, writhen thing - will never serve to; as to make spears, doors, tables, ships, houses, &c.

XV. This short chapter contains a single simile and its application, designed to show that Israel, having failed to fulfil the purpose for which they had been chosen, were worthless, and could have no other end than destruction. (2) What is the vine tree?—The comparison of Israel to a vine or to a vineyard is common in Scripture (Psalms 80:8-13; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 2:21; Hosea 10:1; Matthew 21:33-41, &c.) and is very apt; for the vine, bringing forth its appointed fruit, was among the most precious of the earth’s productions, but failing this, was utterly worthless for anything but fuel. The fact that Israel did not yield the fruit required is not especially mentioned, being taken for granted here, and abundantly expressed in the connected prophecies. The fruit of righteousness, as our Lord has shown in John 15:1-8, under the same figure of the vine, is only possible by a steadfast clinging to the Source of righteousness, and this was the point in which the Jews of this time had signally failed. (5) How much less shall it be meet?—The worthlessness of the wood of the vine having been shown in Ezekiel 15:3, and it having been said in Ezekiel 15:4 that it is therefore “cast into the fire,” the climax is here reached. According to Ezekiel 15:4, it is burned off at the ends, and then the remnants are pushed also into the fire to be burned, just as one would do with grape branches to save the trouble of cutting them up. This comparison is carried out in Ezekiel 15:7. (7) Shall go out from one fire and another fire . . .—The words one and another are not in the original and may be omitted, and the articles inserted: “they go from the fire, and the fire devours them.” This was exactly the condition of Israel. Partially consumed in the fire of the Divine judgments, they had been again and again overtaken. The “ends” were already gone; now “the midst of it” was to be burned up—the final result, as always, being a recognition of God.

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.

2. or than a branch] Perhaps: the vine-branch which is,—the words taking up “the vine tree” of previous clause. Owing to the verb the natural sense is: what shall be made of the wood of the vine among all wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? Cf. Ezekiel 15:3. With the comparative sense the accents should be disregarded: what is the wood of the vine more than any wood of the branch which is &c. On Israel as the vine cf. Genesis 49:22; Isaiah 5:1; Deuteronomy 32:32; Jeremiah 2:21; Ezekiel 17:5; Ezekiel 19:10; Psalms 80; Hosea 10:1.

The vine ... - The image is grounded on a well-known figure Psalms 80:8; Isa. 5. The comparison is not between the vine and other trees, but between the wood of the vine and the wood of other trees.

OF THE VINE TREE 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.