Revelation 7:4

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An Exegetical Study of Revelation 7:4

This exegetical study of Revelation 7:4 is based on a b-greek discussion from April 2, 2007. The initial inquiry centered on the precise semantic range of the phrase ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ, specifically questioning whether it denotes that the 144,000 sealed individuals constitute the entirety of Israel (‘of all the tribes of the sons of Israel’) or represent a selective portion (‘out of every tribe of the sons of Israel’). The core issue revolved around whether the Greek grammar of this passage definitively restricts “Israel” to this specific number, or if it implies a larger body from which these 144,000 are drawn.

The main exegetical issue concerns the interpretation of the preposition ἐκ when combined with πάσης φυλῆς. The question is whether this construction expresses an exhaustive or a partitive relationship. If it is exhaustive, the 144,000 would represent the complete totality of Israel, meaning Israel as a whole numbers exactly 144,000. Conversely, if it is partitive, the 144,000 would be a selected remnant “out of” a larger Israel, leaving other Israelites unsealed. Furthermore, the discussion highlighted the unique composition of the tribal list in Revelation 7:5-8, which notably omits the tribes of Dan and Ephraim while including Joseph as a tribal designation, raising questions about the symbolic or literal nature of this list and its implications for the identity of “Israel” in this context.

Greek text (Nestle 1904)

Καὶ ἤκουσα τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἐσφραγισμένων, ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες, ἐσφραγισμένοι ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ:

ἐκ φυλῆς Ἰούδα δώδεκα χιλιάδες ἐσφραγισμένοι, ἐκ φυλῆς Ῥουβῆν δώδεκα χιλιάδες, ἐκ φυλῆς Γάδ δώδεκα χιλιάδες …

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• Nestle 1904 uses τεσσαράκοντα, while SBLGNT (2010) uses τεσσεράκοντα. This represents a minor orthographic variant of the numeral ‘forty’ and does not alter the meaning of the verse.

Textual Criticism (NA28) and Lexical Notes (BDAG)

Regarding textual criticism, a review of the NA28 indicates no significant variants for the phrase ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ in Revelation 7:4. The form of the text essential to this exegetical question is consistently attested across major manuscript traditions.

Lexically, the preposition ἐκ is crucial. BDAG (Arndt, Danker, Bauer, 3rd ed., 2000, p. 297) categorizes the use of ἐκ in Revelation 7:4 as partitive (entry ④), specifically noting its function with numerical expressions (e.g., χιλιάδες ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς). This usage signifies “from, of,” indicating selection out of a larger group. This interpretation is further supported by grammatical analysis in Blass, Debrunner, and Funk (BDF, 1961, §164, §169), which explains that ἐκ is increasingly employed in the Koine period to express the partitive genitive, often replacing the genitive case alone. An illustrative example provided in the discussion, Matthew 26:73 (ἀληθῶς καὶ σὺ ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶ, “Truly you also are one of them”), demonstrates ἐκ‘s clear partitive force: the individual is a part of the larger group (“them”).

The immediate context of Revelation 7:3 also frames the sealed ones as “servants of God,” suggesting a specific designation rather than an undifferentiated whole. Furthermore, the discussion raised important observations about the specific tribal list in Revelation 7:5-8, which deviates from standard Old Testament enumerations of the twelve tribes by omitting Dan and Ephraim and including Joseph. This fluidity and non-standard composition suggest a symbolic rather than a strictly literal representation, reinforcing the notion of a specially selected or representative group rather than an exhaustive census of all physical Israel. Scholarly work on this phenomenon, such as that addressing the exclusion of Ephraim in Revelation 7:4-8, further supports the idea of a selective or symbolic list based on specific theological or polemical considerations.

Translation Variants

The grammatical and rhetorical analysis of Revelation 7:4 reveals two primary approaches to translating the phrase ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ, each carrying distinct theological implications:

1. “of all the tribes of the sons of Israel”: This translation emphasizes a wholative or exhaustive understanding. It suggests that the 144,000 *constitute* the entire entity referred to as “Israel” in this passage. Rhetorically, this would imply that the visionary experience accounts for the full scope of God’s people identified with Israel at that moment. However, the partitive use of ἐκ, as noted by BDAG and BDF, argues against this being the primary sense. The subsequent enumeration of 12,000 from each tribe, totaling 144,000, would be redundant if the 144,000 were already implicitly “all Israel.”
2. “out of every tribe of the sons of Israel”: This translation foregrounds a partitive or selective understanding. It indicates that the 144,000 are a specific, chosen group drawn *from* a larger entity identified as “Israel.” Grammatically, this aligns with the attested usage of ἐκ with numerical expressions and the example from Matthew 26:73. Rhetorically, it portrays the 144,000 as a sealed remnant or elect body, distinguished from the broader population of “Israel.” The specific and non-standard tribal listing (omitting Dan and Ephraim, including Joseph) also lends weight to the idea of a symbolic selection rather than a literal, comprehensive representation.

The grammatical weight of ἐκ as a preposition of separation or origin, coupled with the rhetorical context of the symbolic tribe list, strongly favors the partitive interpretation. The passage does not aim to define “Israel” as a number but to identify a distinct group from within Israel as those who are sealed.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

Based on the grammatical analysis of the partitive preposition ἐκ and the rhetorical implications of the symbolic tribal list, the most accurate interpretation of Revelation 7:4 is that the 144,000 are a selected group or remnant drawn from the tribes of Israel, rather than representing the totality of Israel itself. The explicit numbering of “twelve thousand from each tribe,” culminating in the total of 144,000, further reinforces the idea of a precise selection process. The variations in the tribal enumeration (e.g., the inclusion of Joseph and the omission of Dan and Ephraim) suggest a theological or symbolic purpose for this list, further moving away from a literal census of all Israelites.

1. “And I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel.”
   This translation emphasizes the origin of the sealed ones as being a selection out of each tribe, clearly indicating a partitive relationship.
2. “And I heard the number of those who had been sealed: 144,000, who were sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel.”
   This rendering highlights the selective nature of the sealing process, implying a separation or extraction from a larger group.
3. “And I heard the tally of the sealed ones: 144,000, specifically designated from among all the tribes of the sons of Israel.”
   This option uses “from among” to explicitly convey the partitive sense, underscoring that the 144,000 are a distinct subset of Israel.

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