Apocalypse 21:21

Darby's French Translation

Et les douze portes étaient douze perles; chacune des portes était d'une seule perle; et la rue de la cité était d'or pur, comme du verre transparent.

Parallel Translations

La Bible David Martin (1744)
Et les douze portes [�taient] douze perles; chacune des portes �tait d'une perle; et la rue de la cit� �tait d'or pur, comme du verre le plus transparent.

La Bible Ostervald (1996)
Les douze portes �taient douze perles; chaque porte �tait d'une seule perle, et la place de la ville �tait d'un or pur semblable � du verre transparent.

Louis Segond (1910)
Les douze portes �taient douze perles; chaque porte �tait d'une seule perle. La place de la ville �tait d'or pur, comme du verre transparent.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the twelve: Revelation 21:12, Revelation 17:4, Matthew 13:45, Matthew 13:46

every several: This may denote, that every thing will be superlatively glorious, beyond all comparison with anything ever seen on earth.

pure: Revelation 21:18, Revelation 17:4, Revelation 18:16, Revelation 22:2, 1 Kings 6:20, Isaiah 60:17, Isaiah 60:18

as it: Revelation 21:11, Revelation 21:18

Reciprocal: Job 28:18 - pearls Ezekiel 48:31 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls,.... Denoting the purity and preciousness of Christ, by whom the saints enter, and of the saints who enter in thereat, as well as of the place into which they enter.

Every several gate was of one pearl; the pearl of great price, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only gate, door, and way into this happy state: this shows that this account cannot be taken literally, but mystically, for no such pearl was ever known, large enough to make a gate of.

"A pearl is a hard, white, shining body, usually roundish, found in a shell fish resembling an oyster, but is three or four times the size of the common oyster; and which ordinarily yields ten or twelve pearls, and sometimes more. Those of the largest size that have been known are that of Cleopatra, valued by Pliny at centies H S, or at 80,000 pound sterling; and that brought in 1574 to Philip the Second, of the size of a pigeon's egg, worth 14,400 ducats; and that of the Emperor Rudolph, mentioned by Boetius, called "la peregrina", or the incomparable, of the size of a muscade pear, and weighing 30 carats; and that mentioned by Tavernier, in the hands of the emperor of Persia in 1633, bought of an Arab for 32,000 tomans, which, at three pounds nine shillings the toman, amounts to 110,400 pounds sterling p.''

But what is one of these pearls to make a gate of, for a wall which was an hundred and forty four cubits high? Revelation 21:17. The Jews say q, that the holy blessed God will bring precious stones and "pearls" of thirty cubits by thirty, c. and place them "in the gates of Jerusalem", as it is said, Isaiah 54:12 which must be understood also not in a literal but mystical sense: and L'Empereur r makes mention of an ancient commentary on Psalms 87:1 which says, that the holy blessed God will make a gate at the east (of the temple), and in it two doors, each of one pearl. So R. Joshua ben Levi says s, that there are in paradise two gates of agates or diamonds some render the word rubies.

And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass; denoting the preciousness and delightfulness of the saints' conversation one with another; and the purity and cleanness of it, there being no mire and filth of sin in these streets; and the sincerity and openness of it, each one walking in his uprightness; which will be seen and known of all, as clearly as anything can be beheld in a transparent glass. So the Jews say t of paradise, that the ground is paved with precious stones, the lustre of which may be compared to the light of burning torches.

p Chambers's Cyclopedia in the word "Pearl". q T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 100. 1. & Bava Bathra, fol. 75. 1. & Yalkut, par. 2. fol. 54. 1. r Misn. Middot, c. 4. sect. 2. Vid. Yalkut Simconi, par. 2. fol. 54. 1. s Yalkut Simeoni, par. 1. fol. 7. 1. t Sepher. Avodah Hakkodesh, fol. 46. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the twelve gates - Revelation 21:12.

Were twelve pearls - See the Revelation 17:4 note; Matthew 13:46 note.

Every several gate was of one pearl - Each gate. Of course, this is not to be understood literally. The idea is that of ornament and beauty, and nothing could give a more striking view of the magnificence of the future abode of the saints.

And the street of the city was pure gold - Was paved with gold; that is, all the vacant space that was not occupied with buildings was of pure gold. See the notes on Revelation 21:18.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 21:21. The twelve gates were twelve pearls — This must be merely figurative, for it is out of all the order of nature to produce a pearl large enough to make a gate to such an immense city. But St. John may refer to some relations of this nature among his countrymen, who talk much of most prodigious pearls. I shall give an example: "When Rabbi Juchanan (John) once taught that God would provide jewels and pearls, thirty cubits every way, ten of which should exceed in height twenty cubits, and would place them in the gates of Jerusalem, according to what is said Isaiah 54:12, I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, one of his disciples ridiculed him, saying, Where can such be found, since at present there is none so large as a pigeon's egg? Afterwards, being at sea in a ship, he saw the ministering angels cutting gems and pearls; and he asked them for what purpose they were preparing those. They answered, to place them in the gates of Jerusalem. On his return he found Rabbi Juchanan teaching as usual; to whom he said, Explain, master, what I have seen. He answered, Thou knave, unless thou hadst seen, thou wouldst not have believed; wilt thou not receive the saying of the wise men? At that moment he fixed his eyes upon him, and he was reduced into a heap of bones."-Bava bathra, fol. 77, 1, and Sanhedrim, fol. 100, 1, page 393. Edit. Cocceii. See Schoettgen.