Revelation 7:5
in Revelation 7From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand;
KJV
Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
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This verse in Revelation 7
Commentary
12 notes on this verseSomeone may ask, Where does one read that all Israel will be saved? First, of course, there is the apostle: "Until the full number of the Gentiles should enter, and thus all Israel should be saved." In the second place, John says in his Apocalypse: of the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand shall believe, of the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand shall believe, and of the remaining tribes, he says the same; and the number of all who believe became 144,000. Then too Psalm 144, which is alphabetical, treats of this number saved.
This site's exposition
From the tribe of Judah 12,000
on Revelation 7:5-8
Judah heads the list, the tribe of the scepter in Genesis 49:10, and each tribe has 12,000. Dan is missing, and Levi, which held no land under Numbers 18:20, is counted, with the tribe of Joseph beside the tribe of Manasseh.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
proposed
"And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God" He speaks of Elias the prophet, who is the precursor of the times of Antichrist, for the restoration and establishment of the churches from the great and intolerable persecution.
The equality is according to the number of those sealed and also those who have believed from each tribe. It hints at an equal zeal and a unanimous confession of faith, even if from this tribe more were saved and believed in Christ, and from …
The Medieval Church3 voices
"From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed." Judah is interpreted "confession," through which those are manifested who are being saved through the confession to Christ who came forth as a branch from Judah. "From the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand sealed." Reuben is interpreted …
Of the tribe of Juda, were twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Ruben, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Aser, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Nephthali, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of …
From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed, etc. It is fitting that he begins with Judah, from which tribe our Lord arose; and he omits Dan, from whom it is said the Antichrist is to be born, as it is written: Let Dan be …
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 23 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Now, this perfection consists in the description of the city, that is, that the soul have within itself a divine worship of God, a divine bond with God, a divine zeal for God, and a divine sense of God. The worship is in the east, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand,.... Judah is mentioned first, because Christ sprung from that tribe, and the pure worship of God was preserved in it; and that itself was preserved a distinct tribe until the coming of Shiloh; its name signifies "praise God", Gen 29:35; and shows, that it becomes all the sealed ones, all true believers, and every member of the church of God, to praise him for all favours and blessings, temporal, spiritual, and eternal.
Judah is mentioned first, in respect of the kingdom, and of the Messiah sprung therefrom.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The word "tribes," Greek, implies that believing Israelites are in this countless multitude). Both are in heaven, yet ruling over the earth, as ministers of blessing to its inhabitants: while upon earth the world of nations is added to the kingdom of Israel.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Of the tribe of Juda, etc. - First, we are to observe that the tribe of Levi is here mentioned, though that tribe had no inheritance in Israel; but they now belonged to the spiritual priesthood. Secondly, That the tribe of Dan, which had an inheritance, is here omitted; as also the tribe of Ephraim. Thirdly, That the tribe of Joseph is here added in the place of Ephraim. Ephraim and Dan, being the principal promoters of idolatry, are left out in this enumeration.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐκ | ek | Out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| φυλῆς | phules | [the] tribe | G5443 → | 31 times |
| Ἰούδα | iouda | of Judah | G2455 → | |
| δώδεκα | dodeka | twelve | G1427 → | 75 times |
| χιλιάδες | chiliades | thousand | G5505 → | 23 times |
| ἐσφραγισμένοι· | esphragismenoi | sealed; | G4972 → | 15 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| φυλῆς | phules | [the] tribe | G5443 → | 31 times |
| Ῥουβὴν | rhouben | of Reuben | G4502 → | |
| δώδεκα | dodeka | twelve | G1427 → | 75 times |
| χιλιάδες | chiliades | thousand | G5505 → | 23 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| φυλῆς | phules | [the] tribe | G5443 → | 31 times |
| Γὰδ | gad | of Gad | G1045 → | |
| δώδεκα | dodeka | twelve | G1427 → | 75 times |
| χιλιάδες | chiliades | thousand | G5505 → | 23 times |
ἐκOut of
ekG1537 →911 times
φυλῆς[the] tribe
phulesG5443 →31 times
Ἰούδαof Judah
ioudaG2455 →
δώδεκαtwelve
dodekaG1427 →75 times
χιλιάδεςthousand
chiliadesG5505 →23 times
ἐσφραγισμένοι·sealed;
esphragismenoiG4972 →15 times
ἐκout of
ekG1537 →911 times
φυλῆς[the] tribe
phulesG5443 →31 times
Ῥουβὴνof Reuben
rhoubenG4502 →
δώδεκαtwelve
dodekaG1427 →75 times
χιλιάδεςthousand
chiliadesG5505 →23 times
ἐκout of
ekG1537 →911 times
φυλῆς[the] tribe
phulesG5443 →31 times
Γὰδof Gad
gadG1045 →
δώδεκαtwelve
dodekaG1427 →75 times
χιλιάδεςthousand
chiliadesG5505 →23 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies9
About Revelation
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Alcuin of York, COMMENTARY ON REVELATION; Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 7:5; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 23; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, HOMILIES ON MARK 82 (8); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.