3 Ioannis 21:19

Jerome's Latin Vulgate

Et fundamenta muri civitatis omni lapide pretioso ornata. Fundamentum primum, jaspis: secundum, sapphirus: tertium, calcedonius: quartum, smaragdus:

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Et fundamenta muri civitatis omni lapide pretioso ornata. Fundamentum primum, jaspis : secundum, sapphirus : tertium, calcedonius : quartum, smaragdus :

Nova Vulgata (1979)
Fundamenta muri civitatis omni lapide pretioso ornata: fundamentum primum iaspis, secundus sapphirus, tertius chalcedonius, quartus smaragdus,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the foundations: Job 28:16-19, Proverbs 3:15, Isaiah 54:11, Isaiah 54:12

sapphire: Exodus 28:17-21, Exodus 29:10-14

Reciprocal: Exodus 24:10 - of a sapphire stone Exodus 39:10 - the first row 1 Kings 7:10 - the foundation Job 28:6 - sapphires Ezekiel 28:13 - every 1 Corinthians 3:10 - I have Revelation 4:3 - like a Revelation 21:11 - her Revelation 21:14 - foundations Revelation 21:18 - was of

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the foundations of the wall of the city,.... Which were twelve; see Revelation 21:14 were garnished with all manner of precious stones: see Isaiah 54:11 not that there were all manner of precious stones in every foundation, but in them all there were, and each foundation had its stone peculiar to it, as follows; and which are not applicable to the persons of the apostles, who were not the foundations, but on them their names only were written: and besides, the order of them, as given in the Evangelists and Acts of the Apostles, is not certain, and always the same, to which these several stories may be adjusted; though they are doubtless comparable to them for their preciousness in the sight of God, and Christ, and all the saints; and for the brightness and purity of their doctrine and lives; and for their zeal in the cause of Christ; and for their solidity, and invincible courage and constancy: much less are these precious stones applicable to a set of ministers in the latter day, who are to be useful in the conversion of the Jews in the several parts of the world, where these stones are found, as Brightman thinks, but to Jesus Christ, the one and only foundation: and without entering into the particular virtues and excellencies of these stones, in general, they set forth the worth and preciousness of Christ, who is the pearl of great price; the pleasure and delight had in viewing his excellencies and perfections; his brightness, purity, and glory, and his firmness and durableness, as a foundation. There may be some allusion to the twelve stones in the breastplate of the high priest, on which the names of the tribes of Israel were written i.

The first foundation was jasper; it was laid with a jasper stone, of which see Revelation 4:3. On this stone, in the breastplate, Benjamin's name was written.

The second, sapphire; its colour is azure, or sky blue; it is transparent, and exceeding hard. Schroder says there are very good ones found in the borders of Bohemia and Silesia; but those which are brought from Pegu are most valuable: on this stone Issachar's name was engraven.

The third, a chalcedony; it is of a misty grey colour, clouded with blue, yellow, or purple; the best is that which has a pale cast of blue; it is very much like the common agate; and the Hebrew word כדכד, "cadcod", is rendered agate in Isaiah 54:12 though it is thought to answer to the carbuncle in the breastplate, on which was written the name of Levi. And Pliny k speaks of carbuncles, called "charcedonies", which R. Leo Mutinensis says l had their name in memory of the city of Carthagena. There is a precious stone mentioned in the Targum of Jonathan, called כדכודין, "cadcodin", which answers to the diamond in the breastplate, on which Zabulon's name was written; and in the Jerusalem Targum it is called כדכדנא, "cadcedana", and answers to the emerald, which had Judah's name on it, and seems to be put for "chalcodin" and "chalcedana", which agrees with the name of this stone.

The fourth, an emerald; of which see Revelation 4:3. The best of this sort are the eastern ones. Schroder says m they are found in Cyprus, Britain, and other places, but not so good as the rest. On this stone Judah's name was written.

i Vid. Targum Jon. & Jerus. in Exod. xxviii. 17. Targum in Cant. v. 14. Shemot Rabba, sect. 38. fol. 138. 2. Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 2. fol. 178. 3. k Nat. Hist. l. 37. c. 7. l Shilte Hagibborim, fol. 45. 4. m Pharmacopoeia, l. 3. c. 5. p. 18.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the foundations of the wall of the city - notes on Revelation 21:14.

Were garnished - Were adorned, or decorated. That is, the foundations were composed of precious stones, giving them this highly ornamented and brilliant appearance.

The first foundation - The first “row, layer, or course.” notes on Revelation 21:14.

Was jasper - See the notes on Revelation 4:3.

The second, sapphire - This stone is not elsewhere mentioned in the New Testament. It is a precious stone, next in hardness to the diamond, usually of an azure or sky-blue color, but of various shades.

The third, a chalcedony - This word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The stone referred to is an uncrystallized translucent variety of quartz, having a whitish color, and of a luster nearly like wax. It is found covering the sides of cavities, and is a deposit from filtrated silicious waters. When it is arranged in “stripes,” it constitutes “agate”; and if the stripes are horizontal, it is the “onyx.” The modern “carnelian” is a variety of this. The carnelian is of a deep flesh red, or reddishwhite color. The name chalcedony is from “Chalcedon,” a town in Asia Minor, opposite to Byzantium, or Constantinople, where this stone was probably first known (Webster’s Dictionary).

The fourth, an emerald - See the notes on Revelation 4:3. The emerald is green.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 21:19. The foundations of the wall — Does not this mean the foundations or thresholds of the gates? The gates represented the twelve tribes, Revelation 21:12; and these foundations or thresholds, the twelve apostles, Revelation 21:14. There was no entrance into the city but through those gates, and none through the gates but over these thresholds. The whole of the Mosaic dispensation was the preparation of the Gospel system: without it the Gospel would have no original; without the Gospel, it would have no reference nor proper object. Every part of the Gospel necessarily supposes the law and the prophets. They are the gates, it is the threshold; without the Gospel no person could enter through those gates. The doctrine of Christ crucified, preached by the apostles, gives a solid foundation to stand on; and we have an entrance into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Hebrews 10:19, c. And in reference to this we are said to be built on the FOUNDATION of the APOSTLES and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, Ephesians 2:20.

The first foundation was jasper — A stone very hard, some species of which are of a sea-green colour but it is generally a bright reddish brown.

The second, sapphire — This is a stone of a fine blue colour, next in hardness to the diamond.

The third, a chalcedony — A genus of the semipellucid gems, of which there are four species:-

1. A bluish white; this is the most common sort.

2. The dull milky veined; this is of little worth.

3. The brownish black; the least beautiful of all.

4. The yellow and red; the most beautiful, as it is the most valuable of all. Hitherto this has been found only in the East Indies.

The fourth, an emerald — This is of a bright green colour without any mixture, and is one of the most beautiful of all the gems, The true oriental emerald as very scarce, and said to be found only in the kingdom of Cambay.