Ezekiel 22:30 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.
Ezekiel 22:30 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.
Ezekiel 22:30 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.
Ezekiel 22:30 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.
Ezekiel 22:30 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.
Ezekiel 22 30 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 18:22-33 | "Abraham still stood before the LORD... 'Will You indeed sweep away the righteous...'" | Abraham's intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah. |
| Exod 32:9-14 | "The LORD said to Moses, 'I have seen this people... Let Me alone... but Moses implored the LORD...'" | Moses standing in the gap for Israel after the golden calf. |
| Num 16:44-48 | "Moses said to Aaron, 'Take your censer... make atonement... he stood between the dead and the living...'" | Aaron's intercession stopping the plague. |
| Pss 106:23 | "So He said He would destroy them, Had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him..." | Echoes Moses' intercession from Exod 32. |
| Jer 5:1 | "Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem... if you can find a man... that executes justice..." | God's similar fruitless search for righteousness. |
| Jer 7:16 | "As for you, do not pray for this people... for I will not hear you." | God sometimes forbids intercession when judgment is sealed. |
| Isa 59:15-16 | "The LORD saw it, and it displeased Him... that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor..." | God Himself finds no one and intervenes (foretelling Christ). |
| Amos 7:1-6 | "The Lord GOD showed me... I cried, 'O Lord GOD, please forgive! How can Jacob stand...?' The LORD relented." | Amos interceding successfully. |
| Joel 2:17 | "Let the priests... weep between the porch and the altar, and say, 'Spare Your people, O LORD...'" | Call for corporate intercession to avert judgment. |
| Zech 7:12-13 | "They made their hearts hard... therefore great wrath came... just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen." | Rejection of God's word leads to unanswered prayers. |
| Mal 2:10 | "Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another..." | Implied tearing down of spiritual walls by treachery. |
| Heb 7:25 | "He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." | Jesus as the ultimate and ever-living intercessor. |
| Rom 3:10-12 | "There is none righteous, no, not one... There is none who seeks after God." | Universal human depravity, a state leading to Ezekiel's finding "no one." |
| Rom 8:34 | "Christ Jesus... who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us." | Christ's continued intercession for believers. |
| 1 Tim 2:1-2 | "I urge... that supplications, prayers, intercessions... be made for all people..." | New Testament call for believers to be intercessors. |
| Jas 5:16 | "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much." | Emphasizes the power of righteous intercession. |
| Rev 21:14 | "The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names..." | A reference to the ultimate, perfected wall of New Jerusalem. |
| Prov 14:34 | "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." | Link between national righteousness and flourishing. |
| Ezra 9:8-9 | "Our God did not forsake us in our bondage... but granted us revival... to rebuild the house of our God, and repair its ruins, and give us a wall..." | Example of divine intervention to rebuild after judgment. |
| Isa 6:11-12 | "Then I said, 'How long, O Lord?' And He answered, 'Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant...'" | Judgment as a result of profound spiritual decline and lack of response. |
| Ezek 13:5 | "You have not gone up into the breaches, nor did you build up a wall for the house of Israel to stand in the battle..." | God's earlier indictment against false prophets for failing this very role. |
Ezekiel 22 verses
Ezekiel 22 30 Meaning
Ezekiel 22:30 reveals God's desperate search for a righteous individual among His people who would intercede on behalf of the land of Israel, both spiritually "building up the wall" of moral and covenant faithfulness and actively "standing in the gap" against impending judgment. This individual would represent the nation before God, appealing for mercy and averting destruction. The tragic climax is God's declaration that such a person was nowhere to be found, signifying the profound and pervasive spiritual decay that sealed the nation's fate for imminent divine wrath and desolation. It highlights God's justice, His desire for intercession, and the ultimate responsibility of His covenant people.
Ezekiel 22 30 Context
Ezekiel chapter 22 is a scathing prophetic oracle delivered by God through Ezekiel, directly addressing Jerusalem (identified as "the bloody city" in 22:2). It lists in detail the pervasive sins committed by every segment of society—the princes, priests, prophets, and the common people. The chapter outlines injustices, idolatry, murder, sexual immorality, bribery, extortion, oppression of the vulnerable (foreigners, orphans, widows), and desecration of holy things. God states that because of these abominations, His wrath will be poured out upon them (22:22). This lamentable state culminates in the divine search described in verse 30. The historical context is the period leading up to the final destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile, revealing the moral and spiritual collapse of Judah that necessitated divine judgment as a consequence of their persistent covenant breaking.
Ezekiel 22 30 Word analysis
- So I sought (Hebrew:
וָאֲבַקֵּשׁ, va'avaqqesh): This term indicates a diligent, active, and persistent search, not a casual glance. It underscores God's earnest desire and intention to find such a person, emphasizing divine initiative even in the face of judgment. The prefix 'Va-' often denotes a consecutive action or strong continuation. - for a man (Hebrew:
אִישׁ, ish): More than just "any person,"ishimplies an individual of character, strength, or standing; someone with influence or authority, fit for such a critical task. It suggests God was looking for someone who understood their role and possessed the necessary spiritual fortitude. - among them (Hebrew:
מֵהֶם, mehem): Refers to the people of Israel, specifically those within Jerusalem and Judah who were steeped in the sins listed in the preceding verses. The search was internal, within the covenant community itself. - who would build up the wall (Hebrew:
גָּדֵר, gader):Gaderliterally means "fence" or "wall." Spiritually, this signifies strengthening the moral and ethical foundations, reinforcing the boundaries of God's covenant, restoring integrity, and upholding divine law within the nation. It represents defensive action against corruption and decay. - and stand in the gap (Hebrew:
לַעֲמֹד בַּפֶּרֶץ, la'amod baperetz):Peretzmeans a "breach" or "opening," often in a wall, symbolizing a point of vulnerability or danger.La'amodmeans "to stand," suggesting taking a firm, protective position. To "stand in the gap" means to place oneself squarely in the way of incoming judgment or destructive forces, often through intercessory prayer and righteous action, acting as a shield for the nation before God. - before Me (Hebrew:
לְפָנָי, lefanai): Signifies direct interaction with God, facing His presence, implying a relationship of faith, courage, and intimacy necessary for effective intercession. The person must be acceptable to God to mediate. - for the land (Hebrew:
בַּעֲדָהּ, ba'adah): Emphasizes that the intercession is not for personal benefit, but for the entire land and its inhabitants, the nation of Israel. This person would carry the burden of the collective guilt and potential judgment. - so that I would not destroy it (Hebrew:
לְבִלְתִּי הַשְׁחִיתָהּ, l'vilti hashkhita): Clearly states the purpose of the search: to avert God's predetermined destruction (shachat- ruin, devastate) that was imminent due to the nation's sin. It shows God's gracious inclination towards mercy, conditional upon finding such a person. - but I found no one (Hebrew:
וְלֹא מָצָאתִי, ve'lo matzati): The tragic conclusion, denoting a complete and utter failure in God's search. It underscores the depth of Israel's spiritual decline; no individual was sufficiently righteous or committed enough to fulfill this vital role, thereby sealing the nation's judgment.
Ezekiel 22 30 Bonus section
The divine "seeking" in this verse should be understood anthropomorphically; God's omniscience means He already knows the outcome. The act of "seeking" conveys His longing for righteousness and a people true to their covenant, and to dramatize the extent of their depravity. This also highlights a theological tension: God's sovereignty vs. human responsibility. He calls for human agency in averting judgment, demonstrating the value He places on righteous human response, even though He can ultimately save or judge without it. This echoes other prophetic calls for righteous remnant. The absence of such a man further underscores the necessity of the coming Messiah, the unique ish (Man) who indeed stood in the breach, built the wall of redemption, and perpetually intercedes, performing what no human in Ezekiel's time could. This passage reveals a profound divine sorrow, a deep disappointment that resonates through the ages.
Ezekiel 22 30 Commentary
Ezekiel 22:30 captures a profound divine lament over Israel's spiritual barrenness. It's not a statement of God's helplessness, but rather His heartbroken assessment of a covenant people utterly lost. He desires reconciliation and gives them a clear path to avert destruction: a righteous intercessor who would restore the "wall" of obedience and integrity and courageously "stand in the gap" where the nation was vulnerable to divine wrath. This ideal intercessor combines prophetic courage with priestly service, upholding God's standard while pleading for His people.
The failure to find even one such "man" signifies the nation's moral bankruptcy, reaching every level of society. Priests, prophets, and princes, meant to guide and intercede, had themselves become corrupt, as detailed earlier in the chapter. Thus, the sin was pervasive, with no genuine spiritual bulwark left. God's search underscores His justice tempered with mercy, His desire to extend grace through human agency, but also His unyielding holiness that cannot indefinitely tolerate sin. The verse becomes a potent reminder of the weight of spiritual responsibility placed upon individuals within a community of faith and the devastating consequences when none rise to the occasion. Ultimately, humanity's consistent failure in this role foreshadows God's own direct, unprompted intervention to provide the perfect Intercessor, Jesus Christ, who stands in the ultimate gap for all who believe, forever satisfying divine justice and providing perfect intercession.
Examples:
- A pastor pleading earnestly for revival in a complacent church community, restoring foundational biblical truths.
- A single believer persistently praying for their morally declining nation, seeking God's mercy and spiritual awakening.
- A Christian activist advocating for justice in an oppressive society, upholding God's righteous standards against the breaches of immorality.