Verse 8. - Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand, Ephraim is omitted, while Manasses is inserted. Wordsworth considers that this is on account of the rebellions character of the tribe of Ephraim (see 1 Kings 12:25; Isaiah 7:9, 17; Hosea 5, etc.). But Ephraim is sometimes identical with Joseph (cf. Psalm 78:67; Ezekiel 37:16), who here finds a place among the twelve.

7:1-8 In the figurative language of Scripture, the blowing of the four winds together, means a dreadful and general destruction. But the destruction is delayed. Seals were used to mark for each person his own possessions. This mark is the witness of the Holy Ghost, printed in the hearts of believers. And the Lord would not suffer his people to be afflicted before they were marked, that they might be prepared against all conflicts. And, observe, of those who are thus sealed by the Spirit, the seal must be on the forehead, plainly to be seen alike by friends and foes, but not by the believer himself, except as he looks stedfastly in the glass of God's word. The number of those who were sealed, may be understood to stand for the remnant of people which God reserved. Though the church of God is but a little flock, in comparison with the wicked world, yet it is a society really large, and to be still more enlarged. Here the universal church is figured under the type of Israel.Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand,.... Which signifies "dwelling", Genesis 30:20; and was the tribe in which Christ had his dwelling, and where he much conversed; and may denote his gracious inhabitation, as well as that of God the Father, md of the Spirit, among the saints and sealed ones.

Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand; whose name signifies "adding", Genesis 30:24; and may intend the additions both of numbers, and of gifts and graces to the churches of those times.

Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand; this word signifies "the Son of the right hand", Genesis 35:18; showing, that these sealed ones are as a signet on God's right hand, and are as near and dear unto him as a man's right hand is to him; see Psalm 80:17. Now twelve thousand out of each tribe make just the number of a hundred forty and four thousand, Revelation 7:4; the tribe of Dan is not mentioned, it may be because of the apostasy of that tribe, one of Jeroboam's golden calves being set up there; showing that God had no sealed ones of that sort, and instead of him Levi is reckoned; though that tribe had no part in the division of the land of Israel, yet had a part in Christ, and is therefore mentioned in this mystical account. Nor is the name of Ephraim used, it may be for the same reason; there having been a great defection in that tribe from the pure worship of God, and instead of him the name of Joseph appears.