Verses 1-8

The useless vine (15:1-8)

Judah was one nation among many, like a vine among the trees of the forest. The question is asked: Is the timber of the vine better than the timber of other trees? The answer: No; as timber it is useless, not even fit to make a peg from which to hang a cooking pot. It is still more useless if it has been half burnt in a fire (15:1-5).

The nation Judah was useless and was already half destroyed through Babylon's attacks. Like the half-burnt vine thrown back on the fire, Jerusalem will be destroyed in the coming judgment (6-8).