Revelation 21:17

“And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.”

King James Version (KJV)

Other Translations for Revelation 21:17

And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred, and fourtie, and foure cubites, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the Angel.
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan

And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, {according to} human measurements, which are {also} angelic {measurements.}
- New American Standard Version (1995)

And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, `according to' the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
- American Standard Version (1901)

And he took the measure of its wall, one hundred and forty-four cubits, after the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
- Basic English Bible

And he measured its wall, a hundred [and] forty-four cubits, [a] man's measure, that is, [the] angel's.
- Darby Bible

And he measured the wall of it a hundred and forty four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
- Webster's Bible

And he measured the wall of it--a wall of a hundred and forty-four cubits, according to human measure, which was also that of the angel.
- Weymouth Bible

Its wall is one hundred forty-four cubits, by the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
- World English Bible

And he mat the wallis of it, of an hundrid and `foure and fourti cubitis, bi mesure of man, that is, of an aungel.
- Wycliffe Bible

and he measured its wall, an hundred forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of the messenger;
- Youngs Literal Bible

Bible Commentary for Revelation 21:17

Wesley's Notes for Revelation 21:17


21:15 And he measured the city, twelve thousand furlongs - Not in circumference, but on each of the four sides. Jerusalem was thirtythree furlongs in circumference; Alexandria thirty in length, ten in breadth. Nineveh is reported to have been four hundred furlongs round; Babylon four hundred and eighty. But what inconsiderable villages were all these compared to the new Jerusalem! By this measure is understood the greatness of the city, with the exact order and just proportion of every part of it; to show, figuratively, that this city was prepared for a great number of inhabitants, how small soever the number of real Christians may sometimes appear to be; and that everything relating to the happiness of that state was prepared with the greatest order and exactness. The city is twelve thousand furlongs high; the wall, an hundred and forty - four reeds. This is exactly the same height, only expressed in a different manner. The twelve thousand furlongs, being spoken absolutely, without any explanation, are common, human furlongs: the hundred forty - four reeds are not of common human length, but of angelic, abundantly larger than human. It is said, the measure of a man that is, of an angel because St. John saw the measuring angel in an human shape. The reed therefore was as great as was the stature of that human form in which the angel appeared. In treating of all these things a deep reverence is necessary; and so is a measure of spiritual wisdom; that we may neither understand them too literally and grossly, nor go too far from the natural force of the words. The gold, the pearls, the precious stones, the walls, foundations, gates, are undoubtedly figurative expressions; seeing the city itself is in glory, and the inhabitants of it have spiritual bodies: yet these spiritual bodies are also real bodies, and the city is an abode distinct from its inhabitants, and proportioned to them who take up a finite and a determinate space. The measures, therefore, above mentioned are real and determinate.

21:18 And the building of the wall was jasper - That is, the wall was built of jasper. And the city - The houses, was of pure gold.

21:19 And the foundations were adorned with precious stones - That is, beautifully made of them. The precious stones on the high priest's breastplate of judgment were a proper emblem to express the happiness of God's church in his presence with them, and in the blessing of his protection. The like ornaments on the foundations of the walls of this city may express the perfect glory and happiness of all the inhabitants of it from the most glorious presence and protection of God. Each precious stone was not the ornament of the foundation, but the foundation itself. The colours of these are remarkably mixed. A jasper is of the colour of white marble, with a light shade of green and of red; a sapphire is of a sky - blue, speckled with gold; a chalcedony, or carbuncle, of the colour of red - hot iron; an emerald, of a grass green.



People's Bible Notes for Revelation 21:17


Re 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred [and] forty [and] four cubits. Again we have twelve times twelve, the square of a favorite and sacred number. The city has twelve gates, twelve angels (Re 21:12), twelve foundations (Re 21:14), and a wall twelve times twelve cubits high. [According to] the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. The measure of a man and of an angel will be the same in the New Jerusalem.

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