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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Revelation 7:4 - 7:4
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The number of the sealed (ton arithmon tōn esphragismenōn). Accusative case object of ēkousa and genitive of the perfect passive articular participle of sphragizō. He did not see the sealing or count them himself, but only heard.
A hundred and forty and four thousand (hekaton tesserakonta tessares chiliades). Symbolical, of course, and not meant to be a complete number of the sealed (or saved) even in that generation, let alone for all time. The number connotes perfection (Alford), 12x12x1000= a hundred and forty-four thousands (chiliades, Rev 5:11). Nominative absolute, not agreeing in case either with arithmon (accusative) or esphragismenōn (genitive). So as to the case of esphragismenoi.
Out of every tribe of the children of Israel (ek pāsēs phulēs huiōn Israēl). There are two opposite views here, one taking the sealed as referring only to Jews (either actual Jews as a remnant or just Jewish Christians), the other including Gentiles as well as Jewish Christians, that is the true Israel as in Rev 2:9; Rev 3:9. and like Paul in Galatians and Romans. This is the more probable view and it takes the twelve tribes in a spiritual sense. But in either view there remains the difficulty about names of the tribes. The list is not geographical, since Levi is included, but Dan is omitted and Manasseh put in his place, though he as the son of Joseph is included in Joseph. Irenaeus suggested that Antichrist was expected to come from the tribe of Dan and hence the omission here. There are various lists of the tribes in the O.T. (Gen 35:22.; Gen 46:8.; Gen 49; Exo 1:1.; Num 1:2; Num 13:4; Num 26:34; Deu 27:11.; Deu 33:6.; Josh 13-22; Judges 5; 1 Chron 2-8; 1Ch 12:24.; 1Ch 27:16.; Ezek 48) and given in various orders. In 1Ch 7:12 both Dan and Zebulon are omitted. Joseph is given here in place of Ephraim. The distribution is equal (12,000) to each tribe.