Strong’s Greek 5505 consistently quantifies exceptionally large groups. Whether describing converts, casualties, angelic hosts, or eschatological totals, the term underscores magnitude while affirming divine precision. The twenty-three New Testament occurrences cluster in Acts, 1 Corinthians, Luke, and especially Revelation, where the word anchors several prophetic numbers.

Narrative and Historical References

• Acts 4:4 records “about five thousand” male believers after Peter’s sermon, testifying to the Spirit-empowered expansion of the early church.
• 1 Corinthians 10:8 cites “twenty-three thousand” Israelites who perished for immorality, reminding the church at Corinth of the seriousness of covenant disobedience.
• Luke 14:31 employs “ten thousand” and “twenty thousand” in a parable on counting the cost of discipleship, illustrating prudence before commitment.

Heavenly Worship and Angelic Hosts

Revelation 5:11 pictures an innumerable choir: “myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,” portraying an ordered yet vast angelic assembly exalting the Lamb. The phrase balances incomprehensible scale with deliberate enumeration, affirming that heavenly worship is both boundless and intelligible to God.

The Sealed of Israel and the Redeemed Multitude

Revelation 7:4-8 and 14:1,3 repeatedly list “twelve thousand” from each of Israel’s tribes, culminating in the symbolic 144,000. This measured remnant highlights God’s faithfulness to Israel and His sovereign protection of His servants during tribulation. The repetition (“thousands” occurs twelve times in 7:5-8) reinforces completeness and covenant order.

Judgment and Preservation

Revelation 11:13 speaks of “seven thousand people” killed in a great earthquake, contrasting preserved worshipers with judged inhabitants. The specified casualty figure certifies that divine wrath is exact, not arbitrary. In the same vein, Revelation 21:16 notes the New Jerusalem measured at “twelve thousand stadia,” signaling perfection and symmetry in God’s final dwelling with humanity.

Theological Themes

Precision within Immensity: Each instance affirms that the Lord counts what humans deem innumerable (Psalm 147:4 echoes the principle).

Covenant Consistency: From Israel’s censuses to Revelation’s sealed servants, the repetition of thousands shows continuity between Testaments.

Judgment and Mercy: The same term records both mass death (1 Corinthians 10:8; Revelation 11:13) and mass salvation (Acts 4:4; Revelation 7:4), displaying God’s holiness and grace.

Corporate Identity: “Thousands” frequently denotes communities rather than anonymous crowds, emphasizing that God relates to people both collectively and individually.

Ministry Implications

1. Evangelism: Acts 4:4 encourages confidence that the gospel can penetrate whole populations.
2. Discipleship: Luke 14:31 challenges leaders to gauge resources soberly before major initiatives.
3. Worship: Revelation 5:11 inspires expansive, corporate praise while acknowledging heavenly order.
4. Eschatology: Detailed numbers in Revelation foster expectancy without speculation, grounding hope in Scripture’s clarity.

Intertextual Resonance

Old Testament parallels (e.g., Numbers 31:5; Psalm 68:17) reveal that God habitually works in “thousands,” providing continuity between Sinai, Zion, and the New Jerusalem. The term’s presence in both covenantal histories and prophetic visions underscores a unified redemptive storyline.

Concluding Observation

Strong’s 5505 accentuates God’s sovereignty over vast assemblies—angelic, human, redeemed, or judged—while assuring believers that none are lost in the multitude. The measured thousands of Scripture invite the church to marvel at divine grandeur expressed with exacting care.