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Selected Verse: Revelation 21:21 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Re 21:21 |
King James |
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| every several--Greek, "each one severally." |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
And the twelve gates - Rev 21:12.
Were twelve pearls - See the Rev 17:4 note; Mat 13:46 note.
Every several gate was of one pearl - Each gate. Of course, this is not to be understood literally. The idea is that of ornament and beauty, and nothing could give a more striking view of the magnificence of the future abode of the saints.
And the street of the city was pure gold - Was paved with gold; that is, all the vacant space that was not occupied with buildings was of pure gold. See the notes on Rev 21:18. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
street
(Rev 22:2); cf: (Rev 3:4). |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Pearls (μαργαρίται)
The pearl seems to have been known from the earliest times to the Asiatic Greeks, in consequence of their intercourse with the Persians. Among the motives which impelled Caesar to attempt the conquest of Britain, was the fame of its pearl-fisheries. Pearls held the highest rank among precious stones. The Latin term unio (unity) was applied to the pearl because no two were found exactly alike; but the word became in time restricted to the fine, spherical pearls, while the generic name was margarita. Shakespeare uses union for pearl in Hamlet, Act v., Sc. 2.
"The king shall drink to Hamlet's better health:
And in the cup an union shall he throw
Richer than that which four successive kings
In Denmark's crown have worn."
And again:
"Drink of this potion: is thy union here?"
Every several gate (ἀνὰ εἷς ἕκαστος τῶν πυλώνων)
Rev., each one of the several gates, thus bringing out the force of the genitive πυλώνων of gates. The idea several is conveyed by ἀνά, as Luk 9:3, ἀνὰ δύο χιτῶνας "two coats apiece:" Joh 2:6, ἀνὰ μετρητὰξ δύο ἣ τρεῖς "two or three firkins apiece."
Street (πλατεῖα)
See on Luk 14:21. From πλατύς broad. Hence the broadway. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| The twelve gates were twelve pearls - This must be merely figurative, for it is out of all the order of nature to produce a pearl large enough to make a gate to such an immense city. But St. John may refer to some relations of this nature among his countrymen, who talk much of most prodigious pearls. I shall give an example: "When Rabbi Juchanan (John) once taught that God would provide jewels and pearls, thirty cubits every way, ten of which should exceed in height twenty cubits, and would place them in the gates of Jerusalem, according to what is said Isa 54:12, I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, one of his disciples ridiculed him, saying, Where can such be found, since at present there is none so large as a pigeon's egg? Afterwards, being at sea in a ship, he saw the ministering angels cutting gems and pearls; and he asked them for what purpose they were preparing those. They answered, to place them in the gates of Jerusalem. On his return he found Rabbi Juchanan teaching as usual; to whom he said, Explain, master, what I have seen. He answered, Thou knave, unless thou hadst seen, thou wouldst not have believed; wilt thou not receive the saying of the wise men? At that moment he fixed his eyes upon him, and he was reduced into a heap of bones." - Bava bathra, fol. 77, 1, and Sanhedrim, fol. 100, 1, page 393. Edit. Cocceii. See Schoettgen. |
18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
12 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:
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.