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Rev 21:16. [231] ἘΠῚ ΣΤΑΔΊΩΝ ΔΏΔΕΚΑ ΧΙΛΙΆΔΩΝ) Thus the Latin Translator reads; for he has, per stadia duodecim millia: but if he had read, ἐπὶ σταδίους δώδεκα χιλιάδας, he would have had to translate, per stadia, duodecim millium.[232] Stupendous magnitude! Alexandria is said by Josephus to have had a length of XXX. stadia, a breadth of not less than X. stadia. According to the same, the circuit of Jerusalem is defined by XXXIII. stadia; that of Thebes, according to Dicæarchus, by XLIII. stadia; that of Nineveh, according to Diodorus Siculus, by CCCC. stadia. Herodotus, in his first Book, says that Babylon had CXX. stadia in each side, and CCCCLXXX. stadia in its circuit, and that its wall was L. cubits thick and CC. cubits high. All the cities in the world are mere villages in comparison with the new Jerusalem. Ἐπὶ has here a distributive force, as in tactics, ἐφʼ ἑνὸς, ἐπὶ τεττάρων, ἐπʼ ὀκτὼ, singly, in parties of four [by fours], in parties of eight [by eights]. See Budœus Comm. Linguæ Gr. col. 881. And thus ἐπὶ is used in this verse, but not in the following, and signifies that 12,000 stadia [that is, more than 250 German miles at the least.-V. g.] is the extent of each side of the city, not of the whole circuit.
[231] 14. θεμελίους, foundations) One being placed beside another.-V. g.
[232] AB read σταδίους δώδεκα χιλιάδων. So Lachm. and Stephens’ Rec. Text, except that the latter has σταδίων; whereas Elzev. Rec. Text has σταδίους. h has “stadiorum duodecim millia:” Tisch. has δεκαδύο for δώδεκα.-E.
-ἀποστόλων, apostles) They, to wit, belonged to these, who had practised the craft of fishermen at the Lake of Gennesareth.-V. g.