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? Nothing. Nay, the reverse. Other trees yield useful timber, but vine-wood is soft, brittle, crooked, and seldom large.
Will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon? Not so much as a "pin" (the large wooden peg used inside houses in the East to hang household articles on) can be made of it (Isaiah 22:23-25). 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 (Deuteronomy 32:32); because they are the vine: the sole end of their being is to bear fruit to His glory (Psalms 80:8-9; Isaiah 5:1, etc.; Jeremiah 2:21; Hosea 10:1; Matthew 21:33). In all respects, except in their being planted by God, the Jews were inferior to other nations, as Egypt, Babylon, etc.-e. g., in antiquity, extent of territory, resources, military power, attainments in arts and sciences. In Ezekiel 15:2, instead of "or than a branch" - translate, rather, in apposition with "the vine tree." Omit or than. What superiority has the vine, if it be but a branch among the tress of the forest? i:e., if, as having no fruit, it lies cut down among other woods of trees?