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Selected Verse: Revelation 21:3 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Re 21:3 |
King James |
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. |
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] |
out of heaven--so ANDREAS. But A and Vulgate read, "out of the throne."
the tabernacle--alluding to the tabernacle of God in the wilderness (wherein many signs of His presence were given): of which this is the antitype, having previously been in heaven: Rev 11:19; Rev 15:5, "the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven"; also Rev 13:6. Compare the contrast in Heb 9:23, Heb 9:14, between "the patterns" and "the heavenly things themselves," between "the figures" and "the true." The earnest of the true and heavenly tabernacle was afforded in the Jerusalem temple described in Eze. 40:1-42:20, as about to be, namely, during the millennium.
dwell with them--literally, "tabernacle with them"; the same Greek word as is used of the divine Son "tabernacling among us." Then He was in the weakness of the flesh: but at the new creation of heaven and earth He shall tabernacle among us in the glory of His manifested Godhead (Rev 22:4).
they--in Greek emphatic, "they" (in particular).
his people--Greek, "His peoples": "the nations of the saved" being all peculiarly His, as Israel was designed to be. So A reads. But B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic read, "His people": singular.
God himself . . . with them--realizing fully His name Immanuel. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
And I heard a great voice out of heaven - As if uttered by God himself or the voice, of angels.
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men - The tabernacle, as that word is commonly used in the Scriptures, referring to the sacred "tent" erected in the wilderness, was regarded as the unique dwelling-place of God among his people - as the temple was afterward, which was also called a "tabernacle." See the notes on Heb 9:2. The meaning here is, that God would now dwell with the redeemed, as if in a tabernacle, or in a house specially prepared for his residence among them. It is not said that this would be "on the earth," although that may be; for it is possible that the earth, as well as other worlds, may yet become the abode of the redeemed. See the notes on Pe2 3:13.
And he will dwell with them - As in a tent, or tabernacle - σκηνώσει skēnōsei. This is a common idea in the Scriptures.
And they shall be his people - He will acknowledge them in this public way as his own, and will dwell with them as such.
And God himself shall be with them - Shall be permanently with them; shall never leave them.
And be their God - Shall manifest himself as such, in such a manner that there shall be no doubt. |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
With men
Men at large. No longer with an isolated people like Israel.
He shall dwell (σκηνώσει)
Lit., tabernacle. Only in Revelation and Joh 1:14. The word "denotes much more than the mere general notion of dwelling. There lies in it one of the particulars of that identification of Christ and His people which is fundamental to the seer." See on Joh 1:14. Compare Eze 37:27, Eze 37:28.
People (λαοὶ)
Notice the plural, peoples (so Rev.), because many nations shall partake of the fulfillment of the promise. Compare Rev 21:24.
And God Himself shall be with them and be their God
And be is inserted. The Greek is shall be with them their God. |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
They shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God - So shall the covenant between God and his people be executed in the most glorious manner. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
The tabernacle of God is with men - God, in the most especial manner, dwells among his followers, diffusing his light and life everywhere. |
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.