Revelation 21:17

17 And he measured its wall to be 144 cubits, ^[a] by the human measure the angel was using.

Revelation 21:17 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 21:17

And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and
four cubits
The root of which is twelve, for twelve times twelve is a hundred and forty four; which number is mystical and apostolical, and suited to the perfect state of this church: hence twelve gates, and twelve angels at them, and the names of the twelve tribes on them, and twelve foundations of the wall, and twelve thousand furlongs, the measure of the city.

According to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel;
who talked with John, and measured the city, gates, and wall, and who appeared in the form of a man; and his reed might be, as some have supposed, the length of a man, six cubits, or six feet, as in ( Ezekiel 40:5 ) and may denote that this business requires the utmost wisdom and understanding of a man, and even of an angel, to look into, and find out; see ( Revelation 13:18 ) and also may signify the angelic state of the saints at this time, when the children of the resurrection will be like the angels of God, for immortality and glory.

Revelation 21:17 In-Context

15 The angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and walls.

16 The city lies foursquare, with its width the same as its length. And he measured the city with the rod, and all its dimensions were equal—12,000 stadia in length and width and height.

17 And he measured its wall to be 144 cubits, by the human measure the angel was using.

18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself of pure gold, as pure as glass.

19 The foundations of the city walls were adorned with every kind of precious stone: The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,

Footnotes

• [a]. 144 cubits is approximately 216 feet or 65.8 meters. The measure could indicate either height or thickness.