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.
Here is, I. A general idea given of the land of Israel, how well it deserved the judgments coming to destroy it and how much it needed these judgments to refine it. Let the prophet tell her plainly, "Thou art the land that is not cleansed, not refined as metal is, and therefore needest to be again put into the furnace.
Commenting on Ezekiel 22:23-31
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...
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.