Revelation 7
7
The Sealing of the 144,000
1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so no wind could blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then#tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. I saw another angel ascending from the east,#tn Grk “from the rising of the sun.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατολή 2.a takes this as a geographical direction: “ἀπὸ ἀ. ἡλίου…from the east Rv 7:2; 16:12…simply ἀπὸ ἀ. …21:13.” who had#tn Grk “having,” but v. 3 makes it clear that the angel’s purpose is to seal others with the seal he carries. the seal#tn Or “signet” (L&N 6.54). of the living God. He#tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. shouted out with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given permission#tn The word “permission” is implied; Grk “to whom it was given to them to damage the earth.” to damage the earth and the sea:#tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. 3 “Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees until we have put a seal on the foreheads of the servants#tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1. of our God.” 4 Now#tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of new but related material. I heard the number of those who were marked with the seal,#tn Grk “who were sealed.” one hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed from all#tn Normally, “every,” but since 144,000 is the total number, “all” is clearer here. the tribes of the people of Israel:#tn Grk “the sons of Israel,” normally an idiom for the Israelites as an ethnic entity (L&N 11.58). However, many scholars understand the expression in this context to refer to Christians rather than ethnic Israelites.
5 From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand,
6 from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand,
7 from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand,
8 from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.
9 After these things I looked, and here was#tn The phrase “and here was” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou). an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe,#tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated before each of the following categories, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more. people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands. 10 They were shouting out in a loud voice,
“Salvation belongs to our God,#tn The dative here has been translated as a dative of possession.
to the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
11 And all the angels stood#tn The verb is pluperfect, but the force is simple past. See ExSyn 586. there in a circle around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground#tn Grk “they fell down on their faces.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.” before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying,
“Amen! Praise and glory,
and wisdom and thanksgiving,
and honor and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”
13 Then#tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. one of the elders asked#tn Grk “spoke” or “declared to,” but in the context “asked” reads more naturally in English. me, “These dressed in long white robes – who are they and where have they come from?” 14 So#tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the previous question. I said to him, “My lord, you know the answer.”#tn Though the expression “the answer” is not in the Greek text, it is clearly implied. Direct objects in Greek were frequently omitted when clear from the context. Then#tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They#tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb! 15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve#tn Or “worship.” The word here is λατρεύω (latreuw). him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them.#tn Grk “will spread his tent over them,” normally an idiom for taking up residence with someone, but when combined with the preposition ἐπί (epi, “over”) the idea is one of extending protection or shelter (BDAG 929 s.v. σκηνόω). 16 They will never go hungry or be thirsty again, and the sun will not beat down on them, nor any burning heat,#tn An allusion to Isa 49:10. The phrase “burning heat” is one word in Greek (καῦμα, kauma) that refers to a burning, intensely-felt heat. See BDAG 536 s.v. 17 because the Lamb in the middle of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”#sn An allusion to Isa 25:8.
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Revelation 7
7
The Sealed of Israel
1After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, #Jer. 49:36; Dan. 7:2; Zech. 6:5; Matt. 24:31holding the four winds of the earth, #Rev. 7:3; 8:7; 9:4that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3saying, #Rev. 6:6“Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God #Ezek. 9:4, 6; Rev. 22:4on their foreheads.” 4#Rev. 9:16And I heard the number of those who were sealed. #Rev. 14:1, 3One hundred and forty-four thousand #Gen. 49:1–27of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
5of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
A Multitude from the Great Tribulation
9After these things I looked, and behold, #Is. 60:1–5; Rom. 11:25a great multitude which no one could number, #Rev. 5:9of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, #Rev. 3:5, 18; 4:4; 6:11clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10and crying out with a loud voice, saying, #Ps. 3:8; Is. 43:11; Jer. 3:23; Hos. 13:4; Rev. 19:1“Salvation belongs to our God #Rev. 5:13who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11#Rev. 4:6All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and #Rev. 4:11; 5:9, 12, 14; 11:16worshiped God, 12#Rev. 5:13, 14saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”
13Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in #Rev. 7:9white robes, and where did they come from?”
14And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”
So he said to me, #Rev. 6:9“These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and #Is. 1:18; Zech. 3:3–5; (Heb. 9:14)washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will #Is. 4:5, 6; Rev. 21:3dwell among them. 16#Ps. 121:5; Is. 49:10They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; #Ps. 121:6; Rev. 21:4the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne #Ps. 23:1; Matt. 2:6; (John 10:11, 14)will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. #Is. 25:8; Matt. 5:4; Rev. 21:4And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.