Revelation 21:16

Lieth foursquare

(τετραγωνος κειτα). Present middle indicative of κειμα. The predicate adjective is from τετρα (Aeolic for τεσσαρες four) and γωνος (γωνια corner, Matthew 6:5) here only in N.T. As in Ezekiel 48:16; Ezekiel 48:20. It is a tetragon or quadrilateral quadrangle (Revelation 21:12).The length thereof is as great as the breadth

(το μηκος αυτης οσον το πλατος). It is rectangular, both walls and city within. Babylon, according to Herodotus, was a square, each side being 120 stadia. Diodorus Siculus says that Nineveh was also foursquare.With the reed

(τω καλαμω). Instrumental case (cf. verse Revelation 21:15 for καλαμος) and for μετρεω (aorist active indicative here)Twelve thousand furlongs

(επ σταδιων δωδεκα χιλιαδων). This use of the genitive σταδιων with επ is probably correct (reading of Aleph P), though A Q have σταδιους (more usual, but confusing here with χιλιαδων). Thucydides and Xenophon use επ with the genitive in a like idiom (in the matter of). It is not clear whether the 1500 miles (12,000 furlongs) is the measurement of each of the four sides or the sum total. Some of the rabbis argued that the walls of the New Jerusalem of Ezekiel would reach to Damascus and the height would be 1500 miles high.Equal

(ισα). That is, it is a perfect cube like the Holy of Holies in Solomon's temple (1 Kings 6:19). This same measurement (πλατοσ, μηκοσ, υψος) is applied to Christ's love in Ephesians 3:18, with βαθος (depth) added. It is useless to try to reduce the measurements or to put literal interpretations upon this highly wrought symbolic language. Surely the meaning is that heaven will be large enough for all, as Jesus said (John 14:1) without insisting on the materialistic measurement of a gorgeous apartment house full of inside rooms.