Ezekiel 22:30

Eze 22:30 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.

Ver. 30. And I sought for a man among them,] i.e., A competent company of holy men, as once at Sodom; {Gen 18:23-32} at Jerusalem. {Jer 5:1}

That should make up the hedge.] Which sin had thrown down.

And stand in the gap.] By his piety and prayers. The Primum Mobile, say astronomers, turneth about with such swiftness, that but for the counter motion of the planets and other spheres all would be fired; so would this wicked world but for the saints, who keep a constant counter motion to the corrupt practices thereof.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22:30-31 In response to the sins of these former community leaders, the Lord sought someone who would rebuild the wall and stand in the gap as a true prophet (see 13:5), someone who would intercede for the people, as Moses did after the people sinned with the gold calf (Exod 32). The Lord found no one to deflect his wrath, so his fury would now be poured out upon them in full measure (cp. Ezek 11:21).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Which would show himself zealous in my cause by resisting vice, Isa. 59:16 and 63:5, and also pray unto me to withhold my plagues, Ps. 106:23.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

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 (Gen 20:7; Exo 32:11; Num 16:48).

I found none-- (Jer 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 (Jer 11:14), as being doomed to wrath. None now, of the godly, knowing the desperate state of the people, and God's purpose as to them, was willing longer to interpose between God's wrath and them. And none "among them," that is, among those just enumerated as guilty of such sins (Eze 22:25-29), was morally able for such an office.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 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!

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(30) Make up the hedge, is only another form of “stand in the gap,” added for the sake of emphasis. Both refer to intercession for the people (see Psa_106:23). It is not meant that there was not a single godly man, but not one of such a pure, strong, and commanding character that his intercessions might avert the threatened doom.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

30. All classes (Eze_22:25-29) are alike corrupt; a man to stand in the breach in behalf of the people is looked for in vain, cf. Jer_5:1.

For “hedge” better fence, cf. on Eze_13:5. A “man” here is not a man to intercede, but a man to interpose, to stem the tide of ruin and turn the fortunes of the people. The moral energies of the nation were wholly exhausted; it could no more put forth out of itself a saviour to retrieve its fortunes. Cf. Isa_59:16, “and he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was none to interpose” (Isa_63:5).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 Psa 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.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

None like Abraham, Moses, &c. (Calmet) --- The prayers of the just are very powerful; and God wishes them to exert themselves for sinners. (St. Jerome) (Worthington)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

I sought, very earnestly and diligently; spoken of God after the manner of man.

A man; any one.

Amongst them; among princes, prophets, priests, or people.

That should make up the hedge; to repair the breach, and prevent further mischief.

Stand in the gap; that might interpose between a sinful, suffering people and their offended God, and entreat for mercy, that the land might not be destroyed.

But I found none; all were corrupted, not one but obstinately went on to sin and provoke me.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

30. There is universal apostasy. There is not left in the city even one man who can plead for it as Abraham for the Sodomites, or as Moses for the people in the wilderness (<19A623>Psa_106:23). If only one such man could be found Jehovah would listen. (See notes Eze_13:5, and compare Jer_5:1; Isa_58:12; Isa_59:16.)

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And I sought for a man, etc. (For the imagery that follows, (Eze_13:5; Psa_106:23) The fact stated, as in Jer_5:1, is that there was no one in all Jerusalem righteous enough to be either a defender or an intercessor, none to be a "repairer of the breach". (Isa_58:12) Nothing was left but the righteous punishment proclaimed in Ver. 31.

A man to stand in the gap.

The nation of the Jews is in a desperate condition. Their defense is broken down, and God is ready to rush in through the breach with devastating vengeance. But he is loath to do so, and, though his is the threatening power, yet in a wonderful clemency God looks for some one to fill the gap and so to save the devoted nation. Unhappily, no such man is to be found.

I THE REACH IS MADE. The Jews have been already beaten in the war with Babylon. In the corresponding experience of souls the same lamentable condition is observable. The sinner sets himself against God with a brazen face, and makes the stoutest fence of worldly precautions wherewith to protect himself. But alas! this is a feeble structure. We have not to wait long before we discover that it has been broken through. Trouble has come. Misfortune has fallen on the self-complacent sinner. Or it may be he has suffered from severe sickness, that has weakened the energies of his body. Possibly his mental faculties have begun to fail. He receives unpleasant warning of his mortality. There is a breach in his hedge.

II GOD IS PREPARING TO COME THROUGH THE BREACH. He cannot disregard the sins of his people, for he is their King, and he must act justly. He might even make a breach at any moment, and in the awful crash of judgment sweep away the strongest fortifications of the soul as so much dust and rubbish. Much more, then, must the enfeebled soul, with ruined fences, stand open to the irresistible wrath of God! So long as we live in sin we are inviting God to come in vengeance through the ever-widening breaches in our paltry defenses.

III GOD WISHES THE BREACH TO BE FILLED. Here is the wonderful part of our subject. Though we deserve God"s vengeance, he is reluctant to wreak it upon us. While he is necessarily preparing to smite the sinner, he longs to spare him. When the soul is indifferent to its own danger, God grieves over it and looks out for a way of escape. God now longs to save us before we think of seeking for our deliverance.

IV A MAN IS NEEDED TO FILL THE BREACH. The Jews cannot do this for themselves. They do not see their danger, or they are too busily engaged upon the walls, or no one among them is strong and brave enough to take so perilous a position. We cannot mend the breach in our own lives. We cannot fortify our own souls against the wrath of God.

V NO MAN IS FOUND TO FILL THE BREACH. Jeremiah might have seemed the most likely savior in this time of extreme need; but even that great prophet was not able to stand alone against the inrushing army of vengeance. No man can save his neighbor from sin and ruin. The evil of the world is too great for all the good men in it to resist. The case of man is hopeless if it is left only to his fellow-man to save him.

VI GOD HAS SENT HIS SON TO FILL THE BREACH. God looked to see if there was any to save, and wondered that there was no man. Then his own arm brought salvation.

1. Christ came as a man. A man was wanted. God coming in wrath against mankind must be met by a representative man.

2. Christ came into the world. He stood in the breach and met the fury of the storm. He was "made sin for us," and faced the curse of the cross.

3. Christ came in the might of God.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I sought - God speaks after the manner of men. A man - Any one, among princes, prophets, priests, or people, to repair the breach. And stand - Interpose between a sinful people, and their offended God, and intreat for mercy. But - All were corrupted.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Yahweh compares the leaders of Jerusalem to a wall and himself to an invading army. (See: Metaphor)

a man from them who would build up a wall

This speaks of a man who would take responsibility to pray for the people and to lead them to repentance as if that man were to build a wall to protect the people from Yahweh. AT: "a man from among them who would act like he built a wall" (See: Metaphor)

stand before me in its breach

Its "breach" refers to a gap in the wall. This speaks of the man defending the people before Yahweh as if he were a warrior standing in the breach to defend the city. (See: Metaphor)

for the land so I would not destroy it

Here the "land" represents the people who live there. AT: "for the people so that I would not destroy them" (See: Metonymy)

pour out my indignation upon them

This speaks of Yahweh punishing the people as if his indignation were a liquid that he poured out on them. AT: "I will punish the people because of my indignation for them" or "I will punish the people because of my anger against them" (See: Metaphor)

indignation

anger of a person who has suffered injustice

I will finish them with the fire of my indignation

This speaks of how harsh Yahweh's judgement is by comparing it to a fire. Here destroying the people is referred to as "finishing" them. AT: "I will destroy them with my wrath which is as intense as a blazing fire" or "I will destroy them with my wrath" (See: Metaphor and Euphemism)

set their way on their own heads

Setting something on a person's head refers to making them carry a burden or take responsibility for it. AT: "make them take responsibility for what they have done" (See: Synecdoche)

translationWords

head

Lord Yahweh

declare

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.