Revelation 7:6 kjv
Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
Revelation 7:6 nkjv
of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
Revelation 7:6 niv
from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
Revelation 7:6 esv
12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,
Revelation 7:6 nlt
from Asher ? 12,000
from Naphtali ? 12,000
from Manasseh ? 12,000
Revelation 7 6 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Sealing/Preservation | ||
Rev 9:4 | They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant... | Identifies those not to be harmed as sealed. |
Ezek 9:4 | Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads... | Divine mark for protection from judgment. |
Eph 1:13 | In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth... were sealed with... | Believers sealed with the Holy Spirit. |
2 Cor 1:21-22 | Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed.. | God's sealing guarantees a divine belonging. |
Isa 49:16 | See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands... | God's protective remembrance of His people. |
Mal 3:16 | Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another; the Lord took note.. | Book of remembrance for the faithful. |
Ps 37:28 | For the Lord loves justice; He will not forsake His faithful ones... | God preserves His faithful servants. |
1 Pet 1:5 | ...who are kept by the power of God through faith for a salvation... | God's power guards believers. |
Symbolism of 12 Tribes/Numbers | ||
Rev 7:4-8 | And I heard the number of those who were sealed... from every tribe... | The broader context of the 144,000. |
Rev 14:1 | Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with Him... | The 144,000 with the Lamb in ultimate triumph. |
Gen 49:28 | All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father.. | Foundation of the twelve tribes. |
Exod 24:4 | Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early... | 12 pillars representing the 12 tribes. |
Num 1:2-3 | Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel... | Census by tribes, though list differs. |
Deut 32:8 | When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance... | Nations divided according to number of sons. |
Matt 19:28 | Truly, I tell you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit... | Apostles judging the 12 tribes. |
Rev 21:12 | It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve... | 12 gates of New Jerusalem bear tribal names. |
Num 13:4-15 | Names of the men who went to spy out the land. | Spies chosen from each tribe. |
Josh 14:1 | These are the inheritances that the people of Israel received in... | Tribal divisions of land. |
Ezek 48:30-34 | These are the exits of the city... twelve gates, corresponding to the... | Future division of land by tribe, 12 gates. |
Specific Tribal Significance | ||
Gen 30:12-13 | Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Then Leah said, "Happy... | Birth of Asher and meaning "Happy." |
Deut 33:24 | About Asher he said: "Most blessed of sons be Asher... | Moses' blessing on Asher. |
Judg 1:31-32 | Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of... | Asher's failure to fully occupy his land. |
Gen 30:7-8 | Then Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again... Rachel said, "With mighty.. | Birth of Naphtali and meaning "My wrestling." |
Deut 33:23 | About Naphtali he said: "Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full of... | Moses' blessing on Naphtali. |
Isa 9:1-2 | But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish... Galilee of the... | Prophecy of Messiah in Naphtali's territory. |
Matt 4:15-16 | "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali... on the way to the sea..." | Fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. |
Gen 41:50-51 | Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph... called... | Birth of Manasseh and meaning "causing to forget." |
Josh 17:1-12 | There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh... | Manasseh's land inheritance. |
Spiritual Israel | ||
Rom 2:28-29 | For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision... | Defines true circumcision/Jew inwardly. |
Gal 3:29 | And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring... | Believers are spiritual descendants of Abraham. |
Phil 3:3 | For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God... | True Israel defined by Spirit worship. |
Revelation 7 verses
Revelation 7 6 Meaning
Revelation 7:6 continues the enumeration of those divinely sealed by God from among the tribes of the sons of Israel. This verse specifically lists twelve thousand individuals sealed from the tribes of Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh. This detailed accounting reinforces the precise and comprehensive nature of God's preservation of His chosen people amidst impending global judgments, contributing to the symbolic total of the 144,000. It signifies that a definite, complete, and pre-ordained number of God's people are set apart for protection and witness during a critical time of tribulation.
Revelation 7 6 Context
Revelation chapter 7 serves as a crucial interlude, pausing the sequence of devastating judgments unleashed by the breaking of the seals (from chapter 6) before the opening of the seventh seal. After the cosmic disturbances and general human terror described in the sixth seal, a vital question arises in Revelation 6:17: "Who is able to stand?" Chapter 7 provides a direct answer by introducing two groups divinely protected during this turbulent period. The first group, specified in verses 1-8, is the 144,000. These are precisely enumerated as twelve thousand from each of the twelve listed tribes of Israel. This specific counting, continued in verse 6 with Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh, assures the reader that God possesses a distinct people—His spiritual "Israel"—who are marked and preserved from the full force of God's wrath and are chosen to serve Him. This section emphasizes God's sovereign care over His chosen remnant. Immediately following this, Revelation 7:9-17 shifts focus to a "great multitude that no one could number," composed of believers from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing triumphantly before the throne. Together, these two groups illustrate God's comprehensive redemptive plan, safeguarding both His spiritual Israel and the wider Gentile Church.
Revelation 7 6 Word analysis
- of Asher (Ἀσήρ - Asēr): Asher means "happy" or "blessed" (Gen 30:13), referring to the eighth son of Jacob, born to Leah's maid Zilpah. Asher's tribal territory was known for its richness and agricultural abundance. Its inclusion here signifies that all segments of God's people are brought under divine preservation.
- twelve thousand (δώδεκα χιλιάδες - dōdeka chiliades): The number twelve is deeply symbolic in biblical contexts, representing divine perfection, completeness, and the governmental structure of God's people (e.g., 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles, 12 gates of the New Jerusalem). "Thousand" (chiliades) conveys a large, complete multitude, magnifying the completeness and abundance. The precise and repeated specification of "twelve thousand" for each tribe emphasizes God's meticulous selection, the perfect nature of the count, and the full number of His elect.
- of Naphtali (Νεφθαλίμ - Nephthalim): Naphtali means "my wrestling" (Gen 30:8), referring to Jacob's son through Rachel's maid Bilhah. This tribe was associated with swiftness and "beautiful words" (Gen 49:21). The territory of Naphtali, particularly Galilee, holds significant messianic prophecy, as it was foretold to see a "great light" through the Messiah's ministry (Isa 9:1-2; Matt 4:15-16). Its presence among the sealed reminds believers of God's continuous work through historical lines that prepared for Christ.
- of Manasseh (Μανασσῆ - Manassē): Manasseh means "causing to forget" (Gen 41:51), named by Joseph to signify God's enablement to forget his hardships. He was the elder of Joseph's two sons, adopted by Jacob as full sons. Notably, Manasseh is listed here as a distinct tribe, even though his brother Ephraim is omitted as a standalone tribe, with Joseph often representing both (Rev 7:8 explicitly names "Joseph"). This unique listing, and the particular tribal arrangement in Revelation 7, indicates that this list is not purely genealogical but symbolic of the whole, spiritual Israel, emphasizing that all portions of the covenant people, regardless of historical roles or associations (like Ephraim's later idolatry), are included in God's comprehensive number of the sealed.
- "of Asher twelve thousand; of Naphtali twelve thousand; of Manasseh twelve thousand;": This rhythmic and repetitive phrase emphasizes the precise and unwavering nature of God's sealing act. The parallelism highlights the orderly, systematic, and complete selection of God's people, tribe by tribe, affirming that the count is fixed and total. This repetition reinforces the notion of divine authority and perfection in this census of the redeemed.
Revelation 7 6 Bonus section
- Unusual Tribal List and Symbolism: The specific list of tribes in Revelation 7, which includes Levi and Joseph and excludes Dan (and implicitly Ephraim as a distinct tribal name), differs from all other Old Testament enumerations of Israelite tribes. This uniqueness strongly suggests that the list is not meant to be a literal genealogical census of twelve distinct Jewish tribes in the end times. Instead, it serves as a symbolic representation of the spiritual totality of God's people, His true Israel, preserved for His purposes. The deviations highlight a theological rather than historical or tribal accuracy.
- Comprehensive Spiritual Israel: While "from every tribe of the sons of Israel" might suggest a literal Jewish remnant, the consistent scholarly interpretation understands the 144,000, drawn from these specific and symbolic tribes, as representing the full number of redeemed believers throughout history—Jew and Gentile—who are faithfully consecrated to God. They are sealed, not for exemption from tribulation, but for divine preservation through it, serving as an initial witness and counterpoint to the forces of antichrist, affirming that God has a faithful, complete body of believers on earth.
- Divine Census, Not Human Enumeration: The exactitude of "twelve thousand" for each tribe emphasizes God's sovereign knowledge and selection of His own. It’s a divine census, highlighting His perfect foresight and control over who is redeemed and how they are preserved, ensuring that no member of His spiritual body is overlooked or lost from His watchful care.
Revelation 7 6 Commentary
Revelation 7:6 meticulously details the continuing count of those sealed from the tribes of Israel, listing Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh, each with "twelve thousand." This precise numbering underscores God's complete and intentional selection of His preserved people, symbolically represented by "Israel," for protection during end-time judgments. The inclusion of Manasseh as a distinct tribe alongside Joseph (listed later), while Ephraim is omitted, suggests this is not a strict genealogical roster but a profound theological representation of the totality of God's chosen and protected assembly. The consistent "twelve thousand" from each specified tribe highlights the divine order and the comprehensive scope of God's sovereign protection, ensuring that the full, predetermined number of His elect—the symbolic 144,000—are identified and preserved as witnesses amidst global chaos. This assurance offers comfort that God's people are known, valued, and shielded by His power, affirming His faithfulness to His covenant promises.