Revelation of John 21:18-21
18. the building—"the structure" [TREGELLES], Greek, "endomeesis."
gold, like . . . clear glass—Ideal gold, transparent as no gold here is [ALFORD]. Excellencies will be combined in the heavenly city which now seem incompatible.19. And—so Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS. But A, B, and Vulgate omit. Compare Re 21:14 with this verse; also Isa 54:11.
all manner of precious stones—Contrast Re 18:12 as to the harlot, Babylon. These precious stones constituted the "foundations." chalcedony—agate from Chalcedon: semi-opaque, sky-blue, with stripes of other colors [ALFORD].20. sardonyx—a gem having the redness of the cornelian, and the whiteness of the onyx.
sardius—(See on Re 4:3). chrysolite—described by PLINY as transparent and of a golden brightness, like our topaz: different from our pale green crystallized chrysolite. beryl—of a sea-green color. topaz—PLINY [37.32], makes it green and transparent, like our chrysolite. chrysoprasus—somewhat pale, and having the purple color of the amethyst [PLINY, 37, 20, 21]. jacinth—The flashing violet brightness in the amethyst is diluted in the jacinth [PLINY, 37.41].21. every several—Greek, "each one severally."
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