The Meaning of Revelation 21:13 Explained

Revelation 21:13

KJV: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

YLT: at the east three gates, at the north three gates, at the south three gates, at the west three gates;

Darby: On the east three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

ASV: on the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

On  the east  three  gates;  on  the north  three  gates;  on  the south  three  gates;  and  on  the west  three  gates. 

What does Revelation 21:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Evidently geographical directions will exist in the new creation as they do in the old, suggesting that space will exist throughout eternity as well as time (cf. Revelation 20:10). Which names will be on which gate-towers remains to be seen. The placement of the tribes around the tabernacle in the wilderness and the gates in the millennial temple do not necessarily provide this information.

Context Summary

Revelation 21:9-27 - "the Holy City"
The "new Jerusalem" is the redeemed Church united with her Lord in the act of governing the whole world. A city is obviously the seat of imperial rule. In that blessed condition the saints will rule the earth as the powers of darkness rule it now. We shall enjoy the fellowship of the good and great of every age. In a literal sense we shall be fellow-citizens with the saints. All ages and dispensations will blend there. Angels at the gates; the names of the twelve tribes and twelve Apostles engraved in imperishable characters to indicate the blending of the dispensations; the differing stones, representing variety of character and function but all blending in the light of the Lamb on the throne.
The happy throngs pour through the gates with never-ending rapture. Those gates, facing every quarter, stand always open; but none desire to go forth, except commissioned on some errand by the King. All the glory and honor of the world are gathered within those walls, because Jesus will be king over every department of human life. There will be room for all beauty, art, and culture in the city of eternal light and love. [source]

Chapter Summary: Revelation 21

1  A new heaven and a new earth
10  The heavenly Jerusalem, with a full description thereof
23  She needs no sun, the glory of God being her light
24  The kings of the earth bring their riches unto her

Greek Commentary for Revelation 21:13

Three gates [πυλωνες τρεις]
(πυλωνες τρεις — pulōnes treis) on each of the four sides as in Ezekiel 42:16.; “on the east” (απο ανατολης — apo anatolēs as in Revelation 16:12, starting from the east), “on the north” (απο βορρα — apo borrā from the north, as in Luke 13:29), “on the south” (απο νοτου — apo notou from the south, as in Luke 13:29), “on the west” (απο δυσμων — apo dusmōn from the west, as in Matthew 8:11). [source]
East [ἀνατολῆς]
See on Matthew 2:2, and see on day-spring, Luke 1:78. See the tribes arranged by gates in Ezekiel 48:31-34. [source]
West [δυσμῶν]
Lit., the goings down or settings. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 21:13

Revelation 21:12 Having a wall great and high [εχουσα τειχος μεγα και υπσηλον]
John returns, after the parenthesis in Revelation 21:11, to the structure in Revelation 21:10, only to use the accusative εχουσαν — echousan as before to agree with πολιν — polin but the nominative εχουσα — echousa as again with “twelve gates” Πυλων — Pulōn is an old word (from πυλη — pulē gate) for a large gate as in Luke 16:20 and six times in Rev for the gate tower of a city wall (Revelation 21:12, Revelation 21:13, Revelation 21:15, Revelation 21:21, Revelation 21:25; Revelation 22:14) as in 1 Kings 17:10; Acts 14:13. See Ezekiel 48:31. for these twelve gates, one for each tribe (cf. Revelation 7:1-8). [source]

What do the individual words in Revelation 21:13 mean?

On [the] east [were] gates three and [the] north gates [the] south [the] west
ἀπὸ ἀνατολῆς πυλῶνες τρεῖς καὶ βορρᾶ πυλῶνες νότου δυσμῶν

ἀνατολῆς  [the]  east 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἀνατολή  
Sense: a rising (of the sun and stars).
πυλῶνες  [were]  gates 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: πυλών  
Sense: a large gate: of a palace.
τρεῖς  three 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: τρεῖς 
Sense: three.
βορρᾶ  [the]  north 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: βορρᾶς  
Sense: Boreas, the north-north-east wind.
πυλῶνες  gates 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: πυλών  
Sense: a large gate: of a palace.
νότου  [the]  south 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: νότος  
Sense: the south wind.
δυσμῶν  [the]  west 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: δυσμή  
Sense: the setting of the sun.

What are the major concepts related to Revelation 21:13?

Loading Information...