Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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?
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. Eze 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. Gen 49:22; Isa 5:1; Deu 32:32; Jer 2:21; Eze 17:5; Eze 19:10; Psalms 80; Hos 10:1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The vine … – The image is grounded on a well-known figure Psa 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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2, 3. What has the vine-woodto 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 hanghousehold articles on, Isa22:23-25) can be made of it. Its sole excellency is that itshould bear fruit; when it does not bear fruit, it is not only notbetter, but inferior to other trees: so if God’s people lose theirdistinctive excellency by not bearing fruits of righteousness, theyare more unprofitable than the worldly (De32:32), for they are the vine; the sole end of their being is tobear fruit to His glory (Psa 80:8;Psa 80:9; Isa 5:1;Jer 2:21; Hos 10:1;Mat 21:33). In all respects,except in their being planted by God, the Jews were inferior to othernations, as Egypt, Babylon, &c., for example, in antiquity,extent of territory, resources, military power, attainments in artsand sciences.
or than abranchrather, in apposition with “the vine tree.”Omit “or than.” What superiority has the vine ifit be but a branch among the trees of the forest, that is, if, ashaving no fruit, it lies cut down among other woods of trees?
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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. The fruit of the vine tree is good, but its wood is of no use: a vine tree, if it bears fruit, is valuable; but if it does not, it is of no account. The people of the Jews are often compared to a vine, who, while they brought forth good fruit, were in esteem; but, when they became like an empty and fruitless vine, were rejected as good for nothing, Ps 80:8; they were originally no better than others; what they had were owing to the grace and goodness of God; and when they degenerated, they were the worst of all people:
[or than] a branch which is among the trees of the forest? a vine tree that bears fruit is better than a tree of the forest, or than a branch of one that is unfruitful; but a vine tree that does not bear fruit is not so good; because the wood of the one may be useful when the other is not; though the words may be better rendered, even “the branch [of a wild vine] which is among the trees of the forest” c; and so it explains what vine tree is spoken of; not a fruitful one in the vineyards, but a wild and barren one in the forest. So Jarchi paraphrases the words,
“not of the vine in the vineyards, which bears fruit, speak I unto thee; but of the branch of the vine which grows in the forests;”
and so Kimchi,
“I do not ask thee of the vine tree which beareth fruit, for that is valuable; but of the branch (of the wild vine) which is among the trees of the forest, and is as they that do not bear fruit, concerning that I ask thee; for even it is not as the trees of the forest; for the trees of the forest, though they do not bear fruit, they are fit to do work of them, to make vessels of them, and to floor houses with them; but the wood of this vine is not so.”
b “lignum vitis prae omni ligno”, Montanus, Junius Tremellius, Polanus, Starckius. c “surculus”, Cocceius “surculus vitis”, Starckius; “vitis sylvestris”, Munster. So Ben Melech interprets the branch, of a vine.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Eze 15:2. What is the vine-tree Houbigant renders it, What hath the wood of the vine above other branching woods which are amid the trees of the wood? The comparison is here made between the trees of the forest and the wild vine; not the fruitful and generous vine, as appears from the words, among the trees of the forest; for this vine then produced nothing but sour and bitter grapes: so that Israel could no longer glory in this, that God had frequently called them his vine. It is upon this point, says Houbigant, that the present allegory wholly turns. Infidels object, that they cannot understand why God should prefer so perverse and rebellious a people to all others. One reason is, that it was for the sake of their forefathers, and to fulfil the promise made to the patriarchs; but others are not wanting, and those very agreeable to the ideas that we have of infinite wisdom; such, for instance, as this: that the extraordinary providences by which they were protected might become the more visible and illustrious; for, had they been endowed with the shining qualities of the more polished nations of the present day, the effects of that Providence might have been ascribed to their own power or wisdom. Their impotence and inability, when left to themselves, is finely represented in this chapter by the similitude of a vine-tree: for, as the vine, which by culture and support is the most valuable of all trees, becomes the most worthless when left neglected in its own natural state; so the Jews, after they made such a superior figure under the protection of God, became the weakest and most contemptible of all tributary nations, when for their sins that protection was withdrawn. See the Divine Legation, vol. 4: and Calmet.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 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,” Jdg 1:12 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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Son of man. See note on Eze 2:1.
than a. Supply the Ellipsis [What is a vine] branch”
is = hath come to be.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
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. Deu 32:32, Deu 32:33, Psa 80:8-16, Son 2:13, Son 2:15, Son 6:11, Son 7:12, Son 8:11, Son 8:12, Isa 5:1-7, Jer 2:21, Hos 10:1, Mat 21:33-41, Mar 12:1-9, Luk 20:9-16, Joh 15:1-6
among: Isa 44:23, Mic 3:12, Zec 11:2
Reciprocal: Isa 27:11 – the boughs Jer 24:2 – naughty Eze 2:1 – Son Eze 15:6 – General Eze 19:10 – like Hos 11:6 – consume Mat 3:10 – is hewn Mat 7:19 – bringeth Mat 25:30 – cast Luk 3:9 – General Luk 23:31 – General Joh 15:4 – As Heb 6:8 – whose
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
15:2 Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, [or than] a branch which is among the {a} trees of the forest?
(a) Which brings forth no fruit, no more than the other trees of the forest do: meaning that if Jerusalem, which bore the name of his Church, did not bring forth fruit it would be utterly destroyed.