Revelation 21:17

17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits^[a] thick.^[b]

Revelation 21:17 in Other Translations

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement.

17 Then he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick (according to the human standard used by the angel).

17 Using the standard measure, the Angel measured the thickness of its wall: 144 cubits.

17 And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, [according to] the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

17 He measured its wall. According to human measurement, which the angel was using, it was 144 cubits.

17 Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which the angel used.

17 He measured the wall of the city. It was 200 feet thick. The angel did the measuring as a man would.

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 talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.

16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.

17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick.

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

19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,

Cross References

• 1. Revelation 13:18

Footnotes

• [a]. That is, about 200 feet or about 65 meters
• [b]. Or "high"