The Lamb on Mount Zion and the 144,000
Revelation 14:1-5
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Revelation
Rev.14.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- ειδον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- ιδου: PART
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- αρνιον: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- εστος: PART,perf,act,nom,sg,n
- επι: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- ορος: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- Σιων: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- μετ᾽αυτου: PREP+PRON,gen,sg,m
- εκατον: NUM,acc,sg,n
- τεσσερακοντα: NUM,acc,pl
- τεσσαρες: NUM,card
- χιλιαδες: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- εχουσαι: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,pl,f
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- ονομα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- ονομα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- πατρος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- γεγραμμενον: VERB,perf,pass,part,nom,sg,n
- επι: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- μετωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Rev.7.4 (verbal): Names the same group—144,000 sealed from the tribes of Israel—direct repetition of the number and sealing motif connected to the Lamb's company.
- Rev.3.12 (verbal): Promises the conqueror that God will write his name and the name of the city on him—parallels the language of a divine name written on the faithful's foreheads.
- Rev.22.4 (verbal): Speaks of God's name being on the servants' foreheads in the renewed order—same formula of a name inscribed on the forehead as a sign of belonging to God.
- Ezek.9.4 (allusion): A mark is set on the foreheads of those lamenting Jerusalem's abominations to protect them—an earlier prophetic precedent for a distinguishing sign on the brow.
- Ps.2.6 (thematic): God's king is set on Zion, God’s holy hill—provides the messianic/Zion context for the Lamb 'standing on Mount Zion' and royal/eschatological rule.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then I looked, and there stood on Mount Zion the Lamb, and with him one hundred forty-four thousand—having his Father's name written on their foreheads.
- Then I looked, and behold—a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him one hundred forty-four thousand, who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.
Rev.14.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ηκουσα: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- φωνην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εκ: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ουρανου: NOUN,gen,sg,masc
- ως: ADV
- φωνην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- υδατων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- πολλων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ως: ADV
- φωνην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- βροντης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- μεγαλης: ADJ,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- φωνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- ηκουσα: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- ως: ADV
- κιθαρωδων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- κιθαριζοντων: VERB,pres,act,part,gen,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- ταις: ART,dat,pl,f
- κιθαραις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Rev.1.15 (verbal): Uses the same simile—'voice as the sound of many waters'—linking the heavenly voice in chapter 14 to the exalted voice-language used of the risen Christ in chapter 1.
- Rev.19.6 (verbal): Describes a multitudinous heavenly sound 'as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thunderings,' echoing the exact auditory imagery of Rev 14:2.
- Ps.29:3-4 (thematic): Psalm celebrates 'the voice of the LORD' over the waters and thunderous majesty; provides the wider Old Testament motif of God's voice as powerful, water-like sound that Revelation reworks.
- Ezek.43:2 (allusion): Ezekiel's visionary description of the LORD's glory accompanied by a sound like the abundance of waters is a prophetic precedent for Revelation's watery/ thunderous voice simile.
- Rev.5.8 (verbal): Heavenly beings hold harps and worship—Rev 14:2's explicit image of 'harpists playing on their harps' echoes the cultic/ liturgical harp motif found earlier in Revelation.
Alternative generated candidates
- And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of great thunder; and I heard the sound of harpists playing on their harps.
- And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; and the voice I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps.
Rev.14.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- αδουσιν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- ως: ADV
- ωδην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- καινην: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- ενωπιον: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θρονου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ενωπιον: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- τεσσαρων: NUM,gen,pl,m
- ζωων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- πρεσβυτερων·και: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- ουδεις: PRON,nom,sg,m
- εδυνατο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,sg
- μαθειν: VERB,aor,act,inf
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ωδην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- μη: PART
- αι: ART,nom,pl,f
- εκατον: NUM,acc,sg,n
- τεσσερακοντα: NUM,acc,pl
- τεσσαρες: NUM,card
- χιλιαδες: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- ηγορασμενοι: VERB,perf,pass,ptc,nom,pl,m
- απο: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Rev.5:9 (verbal): Also records heavenly beings and elders singing a 'new song' before the throne—close verbal and liturgical echo of Rev 14:3.
- Rev.7:4 (verbal): Explicitly names the 144,000 sealed from the tribes of Israel—the same group in Rev 14:3 who alone can learn the song.
- Rev.7:9-12 (thematic): A worship scene before the throne with multitudes and the living creatures/elders praising God—parallels setting and communal praise in Rev 14:3.
- Rev.15:3 (allusion): Speaks of the 'song of Moses' and the 'song of the Lamb,' linking OT song traditions and heavenly praise to the 'new song' motif in Rev 14:3.
- Psalm 40:3 (allusion): OT background for 'a new song' language ('He put a new song in my mouth'), supplying theological precedent for a divinely given, unique song of salvation.
Alternative generated candidates
- And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four beasts and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.
- They sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn that song but the one hundred forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.
Rev.14.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ουτοι: PRO,nom,pl,m
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- μετα: PREP
- γυναικων: NOUN,gen,pl,f
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εμολυνθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- παρθενοι: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- γαρ: PART
- εισιν·ουτοι: PRON,nom,pl,m
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- ακολουθουντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- αρνιω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- οπου: ADV,rel
- αν: PART
- υπαγη·ουτοι: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,sg
- ηγορασθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- απο: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- απαρχη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θεω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- αρνιω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
Parallels
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 (thematic): Calls for sanctification and avoidance of sexual immorality (not to defile oneself with a woman), echoing the verse's emphasis on sexual purity/virginity.
- 2 Corinthians 11:2 (allusion): Paul's image of betrothing the church as a chaste/virgin bride for Christ parallels Revelation's virgin-bridal language for those who follow the Lamb.
- James 1:18 (verbal): Speaks of God bringing forth believers as a kind of 'firstfruits,' echoing Revelation's explicit designation of these redeemed as 'firstfruits to God and the Lamb.'
- Romans 8:23 (verbal): Uses 'firstfruits' language in the context of eschatological redemption (the firstfruits/guarantee of future deliverance), resonating with Revelation's cultic/eschatological firstfruits imagery.
- Psalm 15:2-3 (thematic): Describes the blameless person who 'speaks truth' and does not slander—paralleling Revelation's claim that 'no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.'
Alternative generated candidates
- These are those who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. These follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among men as firstfruits for God and for the Lamb.
- These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and for the Lamb.
Rev.14.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- στοματι: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- ουχ: PART,neg
- ευρεθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- ψευδος·αμωμοι: NOUN,nom,sg,n; ADJ,nom,pl,m
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- John 1:47 (verbal): Jesus about Nathanael: 'Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile' — a close verbal parallel to 'no deceit was found in their mouth,' linking moral sincerity and integrity in speech.
- Psalm 24:4 (thematic): 'He who has clean hands and a pure heart' — expresses the theme of moral and ritual purity before God, echoing the Revelation claim that these are 'without fault before the throne of God.'
- 1 Peter 3:10–11 (thematic): 'Let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit' — connects the idea of holy conduct with truthful speech, paralleling the emphasis on absence of deceit in the mouths of the redeemed.
- Ephesians 4:25 (verbal): 'Put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth' — an ethical injunction against falsehood that resonates with the depiction of the blameless ones whose mouths contain no lie.
- Revelation 7:15 (structural): Describes the blessed standing before God's throne and serving him — closely parallel in context and function to Rev 14:5's statement that these spotless ones stand 'before the throne of God' without fault.
Alternative generated candidates
- And in their mouth no deceit was found; for they are without fault before the throne of God.
- In their mouth no deceit was found; they are blameless before the throne of God.
Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him one hundred forty-four thousand, who had his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; and the voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.
These are the ones who were not defiled with women; they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind as firstfruits for God and for the Lamb. And no lie was found in their mouths; for they are blameless before the throne of God.