Revelation 21 · Verse 12

Revelation 21:12

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:
Revelation 21:12, King James Version

Revelation 21:12 in other translations

BSBThe city had a great and high wall with twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve angels at the gates.
WEBhaving a great and high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
ASVhaving a wall great and high; having 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:
YLThaving also a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve messengers, and names written thereon, which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel,
DARBYhaving a great and high wall; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names inscribed, which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel.
BBEShe had a wall great and high, with twelve doors, and at the doors twelve angels; and names on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
WebsterAnd had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

What does Revelation 21:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. And--A and B omit. Eze 48:30-35, has a similar description, which implies that the millennial Jerusalem shall have its exact antitype in the heavenly Jerusalem which shall descend on the finally regenerated earth. wall great and high--setting forth the security of the Church. Also, the exclusion of the ungodly. twelve angels--guards of the twelve gates: an additional emblem of perfect security, while the gates being never shut (Re 21:25) imply perfect liberty and peace. Also, angels shall be the brethren of the heavenly citizens. names of ... twelve tribes--The inscription of the names on the gates implies that none but the spiritual Israel, God's elect, shall enter the heavenly city. As the millennium wherein literal Israel in the flesh shall be the mother Church, is the antitype to the Old Testament earthly theocracy in the Holy Land, so the heavenly new Jerusalem is the consummation antitypical to the spiritual Israel, the elect Church of Jews and Gentiles being now gathered out: as the spiritual Israel now is an advance upon the previous literal and carnal Israel, so the heavenly Jerusalem shall be much in advance of the millennial Jerusalem.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. And had a wall great and high. Ancient cities were always surrounded with walls for protection, and John represents this as enclosed in the usual manner. The word great means that it was thick and strong. Its height also is particularly noticed, for it was unusual. See Rev 21:16.

And had twelve gates. Three on each side. The number of the gates correspond to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and to the number of the apostles. The idea seems to be that there would be ample opportunity of access and egress.

And at the gates twelve angels. Stationed there as guards to the New Jerusalem. Their business seems to have been to watch the gates that nothing improper should enter; that the great enemy should not make an insidious approach to this city as he did to the earthly Paradise.

And names written thereon. On the gates.

Which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. So in the city which Ezekiel saw in vision, which John seems also to have had in his eye. See Eze 48:31. The inscription in Ezekiel denoted that that was the residence of the people of God; and the same idea is denoted here. The New Jerusalem is the eternal residence of the children of God, and this is indicated at every gate. None can enter who do not belong to that people; all who are within are understood to be of their number.

(n) "twelve gates" Eze 48:31-34

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Had a wall great and high - An almighty defense. Twelve gates - A gate for every tribe of Israel, in the vicinity of which gate that tribe dwelt; so that in coming in and going out they did not mix with each other. This description of the city is partly taken from Eze 48:30-35. In Synopsis Sohar, p. 115, n. 27, it is said: "In the palace of the world to come there are twelve gates, each of which is inscribed with one of the twelve tribes, as that of Reuben, of Simeon, etc.: he, therefore, who is of the tribe of Reuben is received into none of the twelve gates but his own; and so of the rest."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 21:9-21

God has various employments for his holy angels. Sometimes they sound the trumpet of Divine Providence, and warn a careless world; sometimes they discover things of a heavenly nature of the heirs of salvation. Those who would have clear views of heaven, must get as near to heaven as they can, on the mount of meditation and faith. The subject of the vision is the church of God in a perfect, triumphant state, shining…

Read the full comment on Revelation 21:9-21 →

Revelation 21:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἔχουσαechousahavingG2192
τεῖχοςteichosa wallG5038
μέγαmegagreatG3173
καὶkaiandG2532
ὑψηλόν,hupsēlonhigh,G5308
ἔχουσαechousahavingG2192
πυλῶναςpulōnasgatesG4440
δώδεκαdōdekatwelveG1427
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐπὶepiatG1909
τοῖςtoistheG3588
πυλῶσινpulōsingatesG4440
ἀγγέλουςangelousangelsG32
δώδεκα,dōdekatwelve,G1427
καὶkaiandG2532
ὀνόματαonomatanamesG3686
ἐπιγεγραμμένα,epigegrammenainscribed,G1924
ἅhawhichG3739
ἐστινestinareG1510
τὰtatheG3588
ὀνόματαonomatanamesG3686
τῶνtōnof theG3588
δώδεκαdōdekatwelveG1427
φυλῶνphulōntribesG5443
υἱῶνhuiōnof [the] sonsG5207
Ἰσραήλ·Israēlof Israel;G2474

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 21:12

  • Ezekiel 48:31-34

    And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun. At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali.

  • Revelation 21:17-21

    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. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. …

  • Revelation 7:4-8

    And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 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. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. …

  • Isaiah 54:12

    And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

  • Revelation 21:25

    And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

  • Psalms 122:7

    Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.

  • Isaiah 60:18

    Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.

  • Numbers 2:2-32

    Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch. And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah. And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar. …

  • Psalms 51:18

    Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

  • Nehemiah 12:27

    And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

  • Ezra 9:9

    For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

  • Hebrews 1:14

    Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a wall.
17-20; Ezr 9:9; Ne 12:27; Ps 51:18; 122:7
twelve gates.
21,25; Isa 54:12; 60:18; Eze 48:31-34
twelve angels.
Mt 18:10; Lu 15:10; 16:22; Heb 1:14
and names.
7:4-8; Nu 2:2-32; Ac 26:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Revelation 21:11

    Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

  • Revelation 21:12

    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:

  • Revelation 21:13

    On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

Read all of Revelation 21

Revelation 21:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y tenía un muro grande y alto con doce puertas; y en las puertas, doce ángeles, y nombres escritos, que son los de las doce tribus de los hijos de Israel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Elle avait une grande et haute muraille; elle avait douze portes, et aux portes douze anges, et des noms écrits sur elles, qui sont ceux des douze tribus des fils d’Israël:
German
Elberfelder 1871
und sie hatte eine große und hohe Mauer und hatte zwölf Tore, und an den Toren zwölf Engel, und Namen darauf geschrieben, welche die der zwölf Stämme der Söhne Israels sind.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et habebat murum magnum, et altum, habentem portas duodecim: et in portis angelos duodecim, et nomina inscripta, quæ sunt nomina duodecim tribuum filiorum Israël: