Ezekiel 22:30

Easy-to-Read Version

"I asked the people to change their lives and protect their country. I asked people to fix the walls. I wanted them to stand by those holes in the wall and fight to protect their city. But no one came to help!

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I searched for a man among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land so that I might not destroy it, but I found no one.

Hebrew Names Version
I sought for a man among them, who should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.

King James Version
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
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 American Standard Bible
"I searched for a man among them who would build up a wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

New Century Version
"I looked for someone to build up the walls and to stand before me where the walls are broken to defend these people so I would not have to destroy them. But I could not find anyone.

Amplified Bible
"I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for [the sake of] the land, that I would not destroy it, but I found no one [not even one].

World English Bible
I sought for a man among them, who should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And I sought for a man among them, that should make vp the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

Legacy Standard Bible
And I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the breach before Me for the land, so that I would not bring it to ruin; but I found no one.

Berean Standard Bible
I searched for a man among them to repair the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, so that I should not destroy it. But I found no one.

Contemporary English Version
I looked for someone to defend the city and to protect it from my anger, as well as to stop me from destroying it. But I found no one.

Complete Jewish Bible
"‘I sought for a man among them who could build a barricade or stand in the break to oppose me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

Darby Translation
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the fence, and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.

George Lamsa Translation
And I sought for a man among them who would build up the fence and stand in the gap before me for the sake of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.

Good News Translation
I looked for someone who could build a wall, who could stand in the places where the walls have crumbled and defend the land when my anger is about to destroy it, but I could find no one.

Lexham English Bible
And so I sought for them somebody, one repairing the wall and standing in the breach before me on behalf of the land not to destroy it, but I did not find anyone,

Literal Translation
And I sought among them a man to wall up a wall and stand in the breach before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And I sought in the londe for a man, that wolde make vp the hedge, and set him self in the gappe before me in the lodes behalfe, yt I shulde not vtterly destroye it: but I coude fynde none.

American Standard Version
And I sought for a man among them, that should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.

Bible in Basic English
And I was looking for a man among them who would make up the wall and take his station in the broken place before me for the land, so that I might not send destruction on it: but there was no one.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the breach before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.

King James Version (1611)
And I sought for a man among them, that should make vp the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And I sought among them for a man that woulde make vp the hedge, and set hym selfe in the gap before me in the landes behalfe, that I shoulde not destroy it: but I coulde fynde none.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I sought from among them a man behaving uprightly, and standing before me perfectly in the time of wrath, so that I should not utterly destroy her: but I found him not.

English Revised Version
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the fence, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y souyte of hem a man, that schulde sette an hegge bitwixe, and stonde set ayens me for the lond, that Y schulde not distrie it, and Y foond not.

Update Bible Version
And I sought for a man among them, that should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 English Translation
"I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.

New King James Version
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
"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.

New Life Bible
I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the place where it is broken, to stop Me from destroying the land, but I found no one.

New Revised Standard
And I sought for anyone among them who would repair the wall and stand in the breach before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then sought I from among them, a man Who could bud up a wall And stand in the breach before me in behalf of the land So that I might not destroy her, - But I found none.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I sought among them for a man that might set up a hedge, and stand in the gap before me in favour of the land, that I might not destroy it: and I found none.

Revised Standard Version
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.

Young's Literal Translation
And I seek of them a man making a fence, And standing in the breach before Me, In behalf of the land -- not to destroy it, And I have not found.

THE MESSAGE
"I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses of the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land so I wouldn't have to destroy it. I couldn't find anyone. Not one. So I'll empty out my wrath on them, burn them to a crisp with my hot anger, serve them with the consequences of all they've done. Decree of God , the Master."

Contextual Overview

²³ The word of the Lord came to me. He said, ²⁴ "Son of man, speak to Israel. Tell her that she is not pure. I am angry at that country, so that country has not received its rain. ²⁵ The prophets in Jerusalem are making evil plans. They are like a lion—it roars when it begins to eat the animal it caught. They have destroyed many lives. They have taken many valuable things and made widows of many of the women in Jerusalem. ²⁶ "The priests have really hurt my teachings. They don't treat my holy things right—they don't show they are important. They treat holy things the same as things that are not holy. They treat clean things like things that are unclean. They don't teach the people about these things. They refuse to respect my special days of rest. They treat me as though I am not important. ²⁷ "The leaders in Jerusalem are like a wolf eating the animal it has caught. They attack people and kill them just to get rich. ²⁸ "The prophets don't warn the people—they cover up the truth. They are like workers who don't really repair a wall—they only put plaster over the holes. They only see lies. They do their magic to learn the future, but they only tell lies. They say, ‘This is what the Lord God said.' But they are only lying—the Lord did not speak to them! ²⁹ "The common people take advantage of each other. They cheat and steal from each other. They get rich by taking advantage of poor, helpless beggars, and they really cheat the foreigners. They are not fair to them at all! ³⁰ "I asked the people to change their lives and protect their country. I asked people to fix the walls. I wanted them to stand by those holes in the wall and fight to protect their city. But no one came to help! ³¹ So I will show them my anger—I will completely destroy them. I will punish them for the evil things they have done. It is all their fault." This is what the Lord God said.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I sought: God, speaking after the manner of men, sought for some Moses, Phinehas, or Samuel, to stand in the gap on this occasion; but as he found none, its destruction was inevitable. Isaiah 59:16, Isaiah 63:5, Jeremiah 5:1

make: Ezekiel 13:5, Genesis 18:23-32, Exodus 32:10-14, Psalms 106:23, Jeremiah 15:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:22 - stood Genesis 18:26 - General 2 Kings 13:14 - O my father 2 Kings 22:6 - masons Job 35:8 - may profit Psalms 94:16 - rise up Proverbs 29:8 - wise Isaiah 64:7 - there is Jeremiah 8:6 - no Jeremiah 18:20 - Remember Jeremiah 27:18 - let them Jeremiah 30:13 - none Ezekiel 24:8 - it might Hosea 7:7 - there Amos 4:12 - prepare John 4:23 - the Father seeketh 1 John 5:16 - he shall ask Revelation 15:2 - stand

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I sought for a man among them,.... among the princes, priests, prophets, and people of the land, who acted the part as above described; for otherwise, no doubt, there were good people in the land, as Jeremiah, Baruch, and others, but not among these:

that should make up the hedge; that was broken down by the transgressions of the people, who exceeded all bounds of law and justice; one that would restrain them from sinning, and reform them, and set them a good example; one, as the Targum has it,

"whose works were good;''

a good man, that would endeavour by his influence to stop the breaking in of sin, and the consequences of it:

and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; in the gap that sin had made, at which the Lord was entering as a man of war to destroy the transgressors; one that should present himself to the Lord on the behalf of the people; seek mercy for them, as the Targum; interpose between God and them, and act the part of an intercessor; pray for them, as Moses did for the people of Israel, that he would not destroy them; see Psalms 106:23:

but I found none; no reformer of them, no repairer of the breach, nor restorer of paths, to dwell in; no intercessor for them, as Abraham for Sodom, Moses for Israel; or any, like Aaron, that stood between the living and the dead to stay the plague.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 saved their forefathers when Moses “stood in the gap.” This was a proof of the general corruption, that there was not in the city sufficient righteousness to save it from utter destruction. Prince, prophet, priest, all fail.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 22:30. I 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!