New International Version
Ezekiel 22:30
30“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.
Ezekiel 22:30 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
Context of Ezekiel 22:30
28Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken. 29The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner, denying them justice. “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. 31So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Read all of Ezekiel 22Ezekiel 22:30 word by word
וָאֲבַקֵּ֣שׁ מֵהֶ֡ם אִ֣ישׁ גֹּֽדֵר־גָּדֵר֩ וְעֹמֵ֨ד בַּפֶּ֧רֶץ לְפָנַ֛י בְּעַ֥ד הָאָ֖רֶץ לְבִלְתִּ֣י שַׁחֲתָ֑הּ וְלֹ֖א מָצָֽאתִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I soughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- for a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- among them, that should make upגָּדַרgâdar · to wall up/offH1443
- the hedgeגָּדֵרgâdêr · wallH1447
- and standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- in the gapפֶּ֫רֶץperets · breachH6556
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- me for the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- that I should not destroyשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
- it: but I foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
Cross-references for Ezekiel 22:30
- Isaiah 59:16He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.
- Isaiah 63:5I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm achieved salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me.
- Jeremiah 5:1“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.
- Ezekiel 13:5You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.
- Genesis 18:28what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”
- Exodus 32:10Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
- Psalms 106:23So he said he would destroy them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.
- Jeremiah 15:1Then the Lord said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go!
Commentaries on Ezekiel 22:30
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 30I sought for a man - I saw that there was a grievous breach made in the moral state and feeling of the people, and I sought for a man that would stand in the gap; that would faithfully exhort, reprove and counsel with all long-suffering and doctrine. But none was to be found!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23-31Verses 23-31 The sixth word of judgment. The special sins of princes, priests, and people. Ezekiel 22:26 Violated - Better as in margin; to offer “violence” to the Law is to misinterpret it. It was the special office of the priests to keep up the distinction between “holy” and “unholy,” “clean” and “unclean” Leviticus 10:10. Ezekiel 22:28 See the marginal reference note. Ezekiel 22:30 The land might be said to perish for the lack of such interpositions as…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-31Verses 23-31 All orders and degrees of men had helped to fill the measure of the nation's guilt. The people that had any power abused it, and even the buyers and sellers find some way to oppress one another. It bodes ill to a people when judgments are breaking in upon them, and the spirit of prayer is restrained. Let all who fear God, unite to promote his truth and righteousness; as wicked men of every rank and profession plot together to run them down.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 30-31Because of the sins of these former community leaders, the Lord looked for someone to rebuild the wall and act as a true prophet (see Ezekiel 13:5). This person would intercede for the people, like Moses did after they sinned with the golden calf (Exodus 32). The Lord found no one to turn away his wrath. So he would pour out his fury on the people completely (compare Ezekiel 11:21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3030. the hedge--the wall (see on Eze 13:5); image for leading the people to repentance. the gap--the breach (Psa 106:23); image for interceding between the people and God (Ge 20:7; Ex 32:11; Nu 16:48). I found none--(Jr 5:1)--not that literally there was not a righteous man in the city. For Jeremiah, Baruch, &c., were still there; but Jeremiah had been forbidden to pray for the people (Jr 11:14), as being doomed to wrath. None now, of the godly, knowing…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 22:30
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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