New Living Translation
Ezekiel 22:30
30“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.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)“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.
- 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.
Context of Ezekiel 22:30
28And your prophets cover up for them by announcing false visions and making lying predictions. They say, ‘My message is from the Sovereign Lord,’ when the Lord hasn’t spoken a single word to them. 29Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice. “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. 31So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
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 was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him.
- Isaiah 63:5I was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So I myself stepped in to save them with my strong arm, and my wrath sustained me.
- Jeremiah 5:1“Run up and down every street in Jerusalem,” says the Lord. “Look high and low; search throughout the city! If you can find even one just and honest person, I will not destroy the city.
- Ezekiel 13:5They have done nothing to repair the breaks in the walls around the nation. They have not helped it to stand firm in battle on the day of the Lord.
- Genesis 18:28Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.”
- Exodus 32:10Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.”
- Psalms 106:23So he declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the Lord and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them.
- Jeremiah 15:1Then the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me pleading for these people, I wouldn’t help them. Away with them! Get them out of my sight!
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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