Qǐshìlù 7:4

4 Wǒ tīngjian Yǐsèliè rén , gè zhīpaì zhòng shòu yìn de shùmù , yǒu shí sì wàn sì qiā .

Qǐshìlù 7:4 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 7:4

And I heard the number of them which were sealed
And therefore could be sure of the exact number, which did not depend upon his sight, and telling them, in which some mistake might have been made, but he heard the number expressed:

[and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty, [and] four thousand:
which is a square number arising from twelve, the square root of it, being just twelve times twelve thousand; and may denote their being the true and genuine offspring of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, holding their doctrine, and being built on their foundation; see ( Revelation 21:14 ) ; and these were

of all the tribes of the children of Israel;
not that these were all Jews in a literal sense, for the time of their conversion in great numbers is not yet come. Dr. Goodwin thinks these sealed ones design the believers of the Greek and Armenian churches, and his reasons are not despicable; but this is to limit and restrain them to a particular part of the church of Christ; whereas they take in all the saints within this long tract of time, even all that are the true Israel of God, who are Jews inwardly, of what nation, kindred, tongue, and people soever; and is a certain and determinate number for an uncertain and indeterminate one; and only intends a large number of persons known to God and Christ; see the Apocrypha:

``Arise up and stand, behold the number of those that be sealed in the feast of the Lord;'' (2 Esdras 2:38)

Qǐshìlù 7:4 In-Context

2 Wǒ yòu kànjian Lìng yǒu yī wèi tiānshǐ , cóng rì chū zhī dì shàng lái , ná zhe yǒngshēng shén de yìn . tā jiù xiàng nà de zhe quánbǐng néng shānghaì dì hé hǎi de sì wèi tiānshǐ , dàshēng hǎn zhe shuō ,

3 Dì yǔ hǎi bìng shùmù , nǐmen bùkĕ shānghaì , dĕng wǒmen yìn le wǒmen shén zhòng púrén de é .

4 Wǒ tīngjian Yǐsèliè rén , gè zhīpaì zhòng shòu yìn de shùmù , yǒu shí sì wàn sì qiā .

5 Yóudà zhīpaì zhōng shòu yìn de yǒu yī wàn èr qiā . Liúbiàn zhīpaì zhōng yǒu yī wàn èr qiā . Jiādé zhīpaì zhòng yǒu yī wàn èr qiā .

6 Yàshè zhīpaì zhòng yǒu yī wàn èr qiā . Náfútālì zhīpaì zhòng yǒu yī wàn èr qiā . Mǎnáxī zhīpaì zhòng yǒu yī wàn èr qiā.