Bible Strands
Revelation 21:12
The city had a great and high wall with twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve angels at the gates.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes the physical structure of the New Jerusalem immediately after detailing its divine radiance. The account follows a visionary sequence documenting the city's dimensions and architectural features.
The words — The Greek πυλῶνας (pulōnas) translates literally to gates, while τεῖχος (teichos) means wall. These terms anchor the vision in concrete architectural imagery rather than abstract symbolism.
The thread — The naming of gates after the twelve tribes of Israel echoes Ezekiel 48:31, which also assigns tribal names to city gates. The number twelve recurs in Revelation 7:4 regarding the sealed tribes and in Revelation 21:17 where the wall measures 144 cubits.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition of a strictly ordered, fortified city where tribal identity and divine protection are structurally encoded. It asks the reader to observe how numerical precision and architectural description define the boundaries of the holy community.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 48:31 the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. On the north side there will be three gates: the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi.
- Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel:
- Revelation 21:17 And he measured its wall to be 144 cubits, by the human measure the angel was using.
- Isaiah 54:12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.
- Revelation 21:25 Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day, because there will be no night there.
- Psalms 122:7 May there be peace within your walls, and prosperity inside your fortresses.”
- Numbers 2:2 “The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family.
- Nehemiah 12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from all their homes and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.
- Psalms 51:18 In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 60:18 No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders. But you will name your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.