Ezekiel 13:5

Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.

Ye have not gone up {H5927} into the gaps {H6556}, neither made up {H1443} the hedge {H1447} for the house {H1004} of Israel {H3478} to stand {H5975} in the battle {H4421} in the day {H3117} of the LORD {H3068}.

You [prophets] have not gone up to the breaks in the barricade or repaired it for the house of Isra'el, so that they can stand fast in battle on the day of ADONAI.

You did not go up to the gaps or restore the wall around the house of Israel so that it would stand in the battle on the Day of the LORD.

Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of Jehovah.

Ezekiel 13:5 (KJV) is a powerful indictment against the false prophets of Israel during a critical period of their history. The Lord, through Ezekiel, condemns these leaders for their failure to protect and guide the people, likening their inaction to a failure to repair breaches in a defensive wall.

Context of Ezekiel 13:5

The Book of Ezekiel is set during the Babylonian exile, with Ezekiel himself being a priest called by God to prophesy to the exiles in Babylon and to those remaining in Judah. Chapters 12 and 13 specifically target the false prophets and prophetesses who were giving deceptive messages of peace and prosperity, contradicting God's true warnings of impending judgment and destruction. These false prophets offered "peace, when there is no peace" (Jeremiah 6:14, 8:11), undermining the true prophetic word from God and leaving the people vulnerable.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Failure of Leadership: The verse highlights the severe dereliction of duty by those who should have been spiritual guardians. They did not "go up into the gaps" (Hebrew: perets, meaning a breach or break) nor "make up the hedge" (Hebrew: gader, a protective wall or fence). This vivid imagery denotes a failure to stand in defense of the nation against spiritual and moral decay, and against the impending judgment from God.
  • Absence of Intercession: "Going up into the gaps" also carries the connotation of intercession and standing in the breach on behalf of the people, similar to how Moses stood in the gap for Israel (Psalm 106:23). The false prophets failed to warn the people of their sin or to pray for their repentance and restoration, instead offering comforting lies that led to destruction.
  • Preparation for Judgment: The phrase "to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD" refers to the impending divine judgment, specifically the Babylonian invasion and the destruction of Jerusalem. The false prophets, by their deceitful prophecies, left the people unprepared and vulnerable, unable to withstand God's righteous wrath. The "Day of the LORD" is a recurring prophetic motif signifying a time of God's decisive intervention, often bringing judgment on the wicked and vindication for His purposes.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms perets (gaps) and gader (hedge) are agricultural and military metaphors. A perets is a break in a wall or fence, allowing enemies or wild animals to enter. A gader is a defensive barrier. The imagery vividly portrays the spiritual leaders' failure to maintain the moral and spiritual integrity of the "house of Israel," leaving them exposed. The phrase "Day of the LORD" (Hebrew: Yom Yahweh) is a significant theological concept, often denoting a specific time when God intervenes in history to execute judgment or salvation, in this context, bringing severe judgment upon Judah.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 13:5 serves as a timeless warning about the responsibility of spiritual leadership and the danger of false teachings. It calls believers today to:

  • Discernment: Be vigilant against messages that offer false comfort or compromise truth, especially when they contradict God's Word. Seek out sound doctrine and true spiritual guidance.
  • Intercession: Recognize the importance of prayer and standing in the gap for our communities and nations, addressing spiritual and moral breaches through fervent prayer and righteous living.
  • Spiritual Preparedness: Understand that God's judgments can come, and we must be spiritually prepared by living in obedience and truth, rather than being lulled into complacency by deceptive voices.
This verse reminds us that true spiritual leaders build up and protect God's people, preparing them to face challenges with divine strength, rather than leaving them vulnerable through negligence or deceit.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 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.

  • Isaiah 58:12

    And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

  • Psalms 106:23

    Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy [them].

  • Isaiah 13:9

    Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

  • Jeremiah 23:22

    But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

  • Isaiah 13:6

    ¶ Howl ye; for the day of the LORD [is] at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

  • Joel 3:14

    Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision.

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