The Multitude Before the Throne: Salvation and Comfort
Revelation 7:9-17
Rev.7.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Μετα: PREP,acc
- ταυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- ειδον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- ιδου: PART
- οχλος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- πολυς: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ον: PART,pres,act,nom,sg,m
- αριθμησαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- ουδεις: PRON,nom,sg,m
- εδυνατο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,sg
- εκ: PREP
- παντος: ADJ,gen,sg,masc
- εθνους: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- φυλων: NOUN,gen,pl,f
- και: CONJ
- λαων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
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- ενωπιον: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θρονου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ενωπιον: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αρνιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- περιβεβλημενους: VERB,perf,pass,part,acc,pl,m
- στολας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- λευκας: ADJ,acc,pl,f
- και: CONJ
- φοινικες: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- εν: PREP
- ταις: ART,dat,pl,f
- χερσιν: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- αυτων·: PRON,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Rev.5.9-10 (verbal): Uses the same language of people ‘from every tribe and tongue and people and nation’ redeemed by the Lamb and made a kingdom and priests — directly echoes the universal scope of the multitude before the throne.
- Rev.7.13-14 (structural): Immediate exegetical parallel in the same vision: the elders identify the white‑robed crowd as those who have washed their robes in the Lamb’s blood, explaining their presence before the throne and their white garments.
- John 12.12-13 (thematic): The crowd bearing palm branches in their hands recalls Jesus’ triumphal entry where people spread garments and palms — shared symbolic use of palms to signify victory, honor, and worship.
- Isaiah 56.8 (allusion): God’s declaration that he will ‘gather others to him’ and bring peoples from far away resonates with Revelation’s motif of a gathered multitude drawn from all nations to stand before God.
- Psalm 22.27 (thematic): Speaks of all the families of the nations turning and worshiping before the LORD, paralleling the image of people from every nation standing before the throne to worship.
Alternative generated candidates
- After this I saw a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
- After this I saw a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.
Rev.7.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- κραζουσι: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- φωνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- μεγαλη: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- λεγοντες·Η: PART,pres,act,nom,pl,m
- σωτηρια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θεω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- καθημενω: PART,perf,pass,ptcp,dat,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θρονω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- αρνιω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
Parallels
- Revelation 5:13 (verbal): A nearly identical doxological formula—worship directed 'to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb'—appears in the heavenly chorus, echoing the same address and structure.
- Revelation 19:1-2 (verbal): A great multitude proclaims 'Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,' repeating the theme and even the word 'salvation' applied to God, linking judgment and vindication with praise.
- Revelation 5:9-10 (thematic): These verses celebrate the Lamb's redemptive work—he was slain and has redeemed people—which undergirds the acclamation of salvation to God and the Lamb in Rev 7:10.
- Isaiah 12:2 (allusion): OT language of divine deliverance ('Behold, God is my salvation') provides the theological background for ascribing salvation to God; Rev 7:10 echoes this tradition of naming God as the source and object of salvation.
Alternative generated candidates
- And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
- And they cried out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'
Rev.7.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- αγγελοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ειστηκεισαν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,pl
- κυκλω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θρονου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- πρεσβυτερων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- τεσσαρων: NUM,gen,pl,m
- ζωων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- επεσαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- ενωπιον: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θρονου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- προσωπα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- προσεκυνησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θεω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Rev.5:11-14 (verbal): A nearly identical heavenly scene: many angels encircle the throne together with the elders and the four living creatures, and they sing/praise and worship—echoing the same cast of figures and worshipful action.
- Rev.4:8-10 (verbal): The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down before the one on the throne and worship; the posture and presence of elders and living creatures mirror Rev 7:11.
- Ezekiel 1:4-28 (allusion): Ezekiel’s vision of the four living creatures (cherubim) and the divine throne provides the Old Testament background for Revelation’s imagery of creatures surrounding God’s throne.
- Isaiah 6:2-3 (thematic): In Isaiah’s throne vision the seraphim stand around the Lord and call 'Holy, holy, holy,' paralleling Revelation’s motif of heavenly beings gathered round the throne offering worship.
- Hebrews 1:6 (quotation): The NT citation/command that 'let all God’s angels worship him' reflects the same idea of angels adoring the exalted one, resonating with the worship scene in Revelation 7:11.
Alternative generated candidates
- And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
- All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
Rev.7.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- λεγοντες·Αμην·η: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- ευλογια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δοξα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- σοφια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ευχαριστια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- τιμη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δυναμις: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ισχυς: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θεω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- εις: PREP
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- αιωνας: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- αιωνων·αμην: NOUN,gen,pl,m+INTJ
Parallels
- Rev.5:12-13 (verbal): Nearly identical doxological language: lists of blessing, honor, glory, power, etc., directed to God and the Lamb — same liturgical formula echoed in 7:12.
- Rev.7:10 (structural): Immediate context: the crowd’s cry of salvation to God and the Lamb (’Salvation belongs to our God… and to the Lamb’) sets up the doxology that follows in 7:12.
- Jude 1:25 (thematic): A New Testament doxology concluding the letter that ascribes glory, majesty, dominion/authority to God ‘now and to the ages’ — parallels the eternal, liturgical praise in Rev 7:12.
- 1 Timothy 1:17 (verbal): Contains similar closing formula — ‘Now to the King eternal… be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen’ — echoing the Amen + eternal doxology pattern of Rev 7:12.
- Romans 11:36 (verbal): Concluding doxology (‘To him be glory forever. Amen’) parallels the phrasing and function of the final Amen and eternal praise found in Rev 7:12.
Alternative generated candidates
- saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
- saying, 'Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.'
Rev.7.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- απεκριθη: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- εκ: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- πρεσβυτερων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- λεγων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,m,sg
- μοι·Ουτοι: PRON,dat,sg,1+DEM,nom,pl,m
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- περιβεβλημενοι: VERB,perf,pass,ptc,nom,pl,m
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- στολας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- λευκας: ADJ,acc,pl,f
- τινες: PRON,nom,pl,m
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- ποθεν: ADV
- ηλθον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Revelation 7:14 (structural): Immediate explanation of 7:13: the white-robed ones are those who came out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, answering the elder's question.
- Revelation 6:11 (verbal): Earlier scene where white robes are given to the souls of martyrs under the altar—same motif of rewarding/preserving the saints with white garments.
- Revelation 19:8 (thematic): The bride of the Lamb is granted fine linen, bright and pure (interpreted as righteous deeds), linking white clothing with purity, marriage imagery, and final vindication.
- Matthew 22:11-14 (allusion): Parable of the wedding garment uses clothing as the marker of proper status/acceptance at the heavenly banquet—a parallel symbolic use of garments to indicate righteousness/eligibility.
- Isaiah 61:10 (thematic): The image of being 'clothed with garments of salvation' and a 'robe of righteousness' parallels Revelation's white robes as symbols of salvation and vindicated righteousness.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these who are clothed in white robes, and where have they come from?”
- Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, 'Who are these, clothed in white robes, and where did they come from?'
Rev.7.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ειρηκα: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,sg
- αυτω·Κυριε: PRON,dat,sg,m
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- συ: PRON,nom,sg,2
- οιδας: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- μοι·Ουτοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- ερχομενοι: PART,pres,act,nom,pl,m
- εκ: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- θλιψεως: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- μεγαλης: ADJ,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- επλυναν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- στολας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ελευκαναν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτας: PRON,acc,pl,f
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- αιματι: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αρνιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Revelation 22:14 (verbal): Explicitly links washing robes with blessing/entrance to life: 'Blessed are those who wash their robes' parallels 7:14's 'they have washed their robes...'.
- Matthew 24:21 (thematic): Uses the same phrase 'great tribulation' (μέγας θλῖψις) to describe eschatological suffering from which the Revelation's saved come.
- Revelation 1:5 (verbal): 'To him who loves us and loosed us from our sins by his blood' connects with 7:14's theme of purification effected 'in the blood of the Lamb.'
- Isaiah 1:18 (allusion): The image of sins being transformed from stain to whiteness ('though your sins be like scarlet... white as snow') underlies the 'washed... and made white' language of 7:14.
- Revelation 5:9 (verbal): Speaks of redemption 'by your blood' and a people purchased for God—paralleling 7:14's identification of the washed as those purified by the Lamb's blood.
Alternative generated candidates
- I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
- I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Rev.7.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- δια: PREP
- τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- ενωπιον: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θρονου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- λατρευουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ημερας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- και: CONJ
- νυκτος: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ναω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- καθημενος: PART,nom,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θρονου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- σκηνωσει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- επ᾽αυτους: PREP+PRON,acc,pl,m
Parallels
- Revelation 4:8 (verbal): Both scenes depict continuous worship 'day and night' before God's throne, echoing the heavenly liturgical setting.
- Revelation 21:3 (allusion): 'The tabernacle of God is with men; he will dwell with them' parallels the promise that the One on the throne will dwell among the worshipers.
- Exodus 25:8 (verbal): 'Make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them' supplies the OT background for God's presence in the temple/tabernacle reflected in Rev 7:15.
- Psalm 27:4 (thematic): The longing to 'dwell in the house of the LORD' resonates with the blessed position of those standing before God's throne, serving in his temple.
- Isaiah 66:23 (thematic): The vision of regular, communal worship 'from new moon to new moon' parallels the motif of ongoing worship before God in Rev 7:15.
Alternative generated candidates
- Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple; and the One who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.
- For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
Rev.7.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ου: PART,neg
- πεινασουσιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,pl
- ετι: ADV
- ουδε: CONJ,neg
- διψησουσιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,pl
- ετι: ADV
- ουδε: CONJ,neg
- μη: PART
- πεση: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- επ᾽αυτους: PREP+PRON,acc,pl,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ηλιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ουδε: CONJ,neg
- παν: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- καυμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
Parallels
- Isaiah 49:10 (quotation): Nearly verbatim source language — Isaiah promises they ‘shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the sun smite them nor any heat,’ which Revelation directly echoes.
- John 6:35 (verbal): Jesus: ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall never hunger’ — parallels the declaration of eschatological cessation of hunger in Rev 7:16.
- John 4:14 (verbal): Jesus: ‘whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst’ — parallels the promise in Rev 7:16 that they will no longer thirst.
- Revelation 7:17 (structural): Immediate contextual parallel — the following verse explains the reason for no hunger/thirst: the Lamb will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water.
Alternative generated candidates
- They will hunger no more, neither will they thirst anymore; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
- They will hunger no more, neither will they thirst any longer; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
Rev.7.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οτι: CONJ
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- αρνιον: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- ανα: PREP
- μεσον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θρονου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ποιμανει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- οδηγησει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- επι: PREP
- ζωης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- πηγας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- υδατων·και: NOUN,gen,pl,neut
- εξαλειψει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- παν: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- δακρυον: NOUN,acc,sg,neut
- εκ: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- οφθαλμων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- John 10:11,14 (thematic): Jesus as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life and knows his sheep — parallels the Lamb ‘shepherding’ and guiding the faithful in Rev 7:17.
- Psalm 23:1-2 (verbal): ‘The LORD is my shepherd…He leads me beside still waters’ echoes the shepherd-imagery and the motif of being led to life-giving waters in Rev 7:17.
- Isaiah 25:8 (verbal): ‘He will swallow up death… and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces’—an OT source for the promise that God will remove every tear in Rev 7:17.
- Revelation 21:4 (quotation): Close verbal and thematic parallel within Revelation: ‘He will wipe away every tear…’ repeats the same comfort promised in Rev 7:17.
- John 4:13-14 (allusion): Jesus’ imagery of a spring/stream of ‘living water’ that gives eternal life resonates with Rev 7:17’s ‘springs of living water’ led to by the Lamb.
Alternative generated candidates
- For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
- For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'
After this I saw a vast multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
All the angels stood round about the throne and the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell upon their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
Then one of the elders answered me, saying, "These who are clothed in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?" And I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, neither will they thirst any more; neither will the sun strike them, nor any burning heat.
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.