Ezekiel 17:9-10

The Lord rhetorically asked if the owner of such a vine would not pull it out of its soil and cause it to wither and become unfruitful. Nothing that anyone could do could cause such a vine to recover its original health and fruitfulness after such treatment (cf. Ezekiel 17:22-24). Even though its roots were still in the ground it would not thrive. The hot east wind would easily wither it where it grew (cf. Ezekiel 19:12; Job 27:21; Isaiah 27:8; Hosea 13:15).