Revelation 21:17a
Bible, KJV Translation:
21:17 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.
Re-evaluation Translation:
21:17 Yehuveh explains the measurement His instruction, an hundred and forty and four items, presented in simple human language, a clear message.
Significant Words and Comments:
Commentary on Revelation 21:17 (27 July 2008): “He measured the wall thereof,” is, Yehuveh has given us clear description of all aspects of His instruction. He has left nothing to ambiguity or disorder.
“An hundred and forty and four cubits,” finally, we have the key to arrange of all Yehuveh’s instruction. In the most awesome yet simple order, all His life-ordering instruction is provided in organized in a simple twelve-by-twelve structure! Each of the twelve commandments (Revelation 21:14) have twelve statutes and sound judgments which amplify and explain them, usually six of them the most positive “blessings” and six of them cautionary or restrictive negative “curses.” Here, in unparalleled order we have the most beautiful clear structure of Yehuveh’s instruction. A cubit is simply a unit, of measure or division. In this description of Yehuveh’s instruction as a protective wall about His restored people, it simply describes units of instruction. [Regarding the blessings and curses, study Deuteronomy 11:29; 27:12-26; Joshua 8:30-35.]
Used only here in Revelation, the Greek word here translated cubit, from pechus [G4083, of uncertain affinity], means “a cubit;” traditionally presented as “a measure of length equal to distance from the joint of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger (about 18 inches, 500 mm, but its precise length varied and is disputed).” Indeed, this was true of the common cubit used by farmers and anyone else who did not need precision, but there was also a Royal Cubit of very precise length, 20.61-20.63 inches, 523.5-524 mm, which was used in all technical applications: surveying, architecture, astronomy, etc. The corresponding Hebrew word is 'ammah [H0502], “properly, a mother (a unit) of measure, or the fore-arm (below the elbow), a cubit; also a door-base (as a bond of the entrance). 'Ammah is from the primary root word 'em [H0517], “a mother (as the bond of a family); in a wide sense (both literal and figurative).”
“According to the measure of a man . . . the angel,” that is, this organization of Yehuveh’s wisdom and instruction is in understandable human terms, as a very clear message. Indeed, when the awesome structure of this wall is fully exposed, it is very straightforward and very do-able. As Ezra did for Israel when they returned from ancient Babylon, we must do now: “They read in the book in the law of Elohim distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” Yehuveh’s twelve-by-twelve structure takes a vast amount of information and makes it exceptionally distinct and sensible! Nehemiah 8:8.
Commandments or Structures and their companion statutes and sound judgments are detailed as follows:
Structure #1 Structure #4 Structure #7 Structure #10
Structure #2 Structure #5 Structure #8 Structure #11
Structure #3 Structure #6 Structure #9 Structure #12
Gael Bataman
Originally Written: 27 July 2008
Latest Update: 27 July 2008
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