Revelation 7:9

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
After	Μετὰ Meta	G3326	properly · preposition
this	ταῦτα taûta	G5023	these things
beheld	εἶδον eidon	G1492	used only in certain past tenses · verb — second aorist active indicative, 1st person singular
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
lo	ἰδοὺ idou	G2400	used as imperative lo! · interjection
great	πολὺς polus	G4183	(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many · adjective — nominative singular masculine
multitude	ὄχλος ochlos	G3793	a throng (as borne along) · noun — nominative singular masculine
which	ὃν hon	G3739	the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun · relative pronoun — accusative singular masculine
no	οὐδεὶς oudeis	G3762	not even one (man · adjective — nominative singular masculine
man	αὐτὸν auton	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — accusative singular masculine
could	ἐδύνατο edunato	G1410	to be able or possible · verb — imperfect middle or passive deponent indicative, 3rd person singular
number	ἀριθμῆσαι arithmēsai	G705	to enumerate or count · verb — aorist active infinitive
of	ἐκ ek	G1537	literal or figurative · preposition
all	παντὸς pantos	G3956	all · adjective — genitive singular neuter
nations	ἔθνους ethnous	G1484	a race (as of the same habit) · noun — genitive singular neuter
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
kindreds	φυλῶν phulōn	G5443	an offshoot · noun — genitive plural feminine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
people	λαῶν laōn	G2992	a people (in general · noun — genitive plural masculine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
tongues	γλωσσῶν glōssōn	G1100	the tongue · noun — genitive plural feminine
stood	ἑστῶτες hestōtes	G2476	to stand (transitively or intransitively) · verb — perfect active participle, nominative plural masculine
before	ἐνώπιον enōpion	G1799	in the face of (literally or figuratively) · preposition
throne	θρόνου thronou	G2362	a stately seat ("throne") · noun — genitive singular masculine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
before	ἐνώπιον enōpion	G1799	in the face of (literally or figuratively) · preposition
Lamb	ἀρνίου, arniou	G721	a lambkin · noun — genitive singular neuter
clothed	περιβεβλημένους peribeblēmenous	G4016	to throw all around · verb — perfect middle participle, accusative plural masculine
white	λευκὰς leukas	G3022	white · adjective — accusative plural feminine
robes	στολὰς stolas	G4749	equipment · noun — accusative plural feminine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
palms	φοίνικες phoinikes	G5404	a palm-tree · noun — nominative plural masculine
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
their	αὐτῶν. autōn	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive plural masculine
hands	χερσὶν chersin	G5495	the hand (literally or figuratively (power) · noun — dative plural feminine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us…
John 12:13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lo…
Psalms 117:1-2 O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
Revelation 7:13-15 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Psalms 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Zechariah 2:11 And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know…
Revelation 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fel…
Isaiah 60:1-14 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Revelation 7:1-12

Here we have, I. An account of the restraint laid upon the winds. By these winds we suppose are meant those errors and corruptions in religion which would occasion a great deal of trouble and mischief to the church of God. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is compared to the wind: here the spirits of error are compared to the four winds, contrary one to another, but doing much hurt to the church, the garden and vineyard of God, breaking the branches and blasting the fruits of his plantation. The devil is called the prince of the power of the air; he, by a great wind, overthrew the house of Job's eldest son. Errors are as wind, by which those who are unstable are shaken, and carried to and fro, Eph 4…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Revelation 7:9

no man--Greek, "no one." of all nations--Greek, "OUT OF every nation." The human race is "one nation" by origin, but afterwards separated itself into tribes, peoples, and tongues; hence, the one singular stands first, followed by the three plurals. kindreds--Greek, "tribes." people--Greek, "peoples." The "first-fruits unto the Lamb," the 144,000 (Rev 14:1-4) of Israel, are followed by a copious harvest of all nations, an election out of the Gentiles, as the 144,000 are an election out of Israel (see on Rev 7:3). white robes--(See on Rev 6:11; also Rev 3:5, Rev 3:18; Rev 4:4). palms in . . . hands--the antitype to Christ's entry into Jerusalem amidst the palm-bearing multitude. This…

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Adam Clarke on Revelation 7:9

A great multitude - This appears to mean the Church of Christ among the Gentiles, for it was different from that collected from the twelve tribes; and it is here said to be of all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues. Clothed with white robes - As emblems of innocence and purity. With palms in their hands, in token of victory gained over the world, the devil, and the flesh.

John Gill on Revelation 7:9

The Church Fathers

By the white robes he means the gift of the Holy Spirit.
— Caesarius of Arles, EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 7:9, HOMILY 6

Clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands. By robes he hints at baptism, by palms, the triumph of the cross, and that they have overcome the world in Christ. Although the clarity which is given through the Holy Spirit is also signified by the robes.
— Bede, Commentary on Revelation

These are the ones of whom David spoke: "I shall number them, and they will be more than the sand." Namely, these are those who long ago struggled as martyrs for the sake of Christ and those from every tribe and tongue who will fight valiantly at the end of time.
— Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 7:9-10

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Fellowship — (1.) With God, consisting in the knowledge of his will (Job 22:21; John 17:3); agreement with his designs (Amos 3:2); mutual affection (Rom. 8: 38, 39); enjoyment of his presence (Ps. 4:6);…
Palm tree — (Heb. tamar), the date-palm characteristic of Palestine. It is described as “flourishing” (Ps. 92:12), tall (Cant. 7:7), “upright” (Jer. 10:5). Its branches are a symbol of victory (Rev. 7:9).…
Tribe — A collection of families descending from one ancestor. The “twelve tribes” of the Hebrews were the twelve collections of families which sprang from the sons of Jacob. In Matt. 24:30 the word has a…
Excellency And Glory Of Christ, The · Celebrated by the redeemed — Celebrated by the redeemed
Feast Of Tabernacles, The · Customs observed at: Bearing branches of palms — Customs observed at: Bearing branches of palms
Lamb Of God · An name of Jesus — An name of Jesus
Palm Tree · .Used as a symbol of victory — .Used as a symbol of victory
Palm Tree, The · The branches of, were: The emblem of victory — The branches of, were: The emblem of victory
Robe · Of righteousness — Of righteousness
Throne · .Of Christ — .Of Christ
Tongue · Language — Language

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Revelation 7:1-12

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Revelation 7:9

Adam Clarke on Revelation 7:9

John Gill on Revelation 7:9

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Revelation 7:1-12

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Revelation 7:9

Adam Clarke on Revelation 7:9

John Gill on Revelation 7:9

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Revelation 7:9-17