{Round about the throne} (kuklothen tou thronou). Here as a
preposition with the genitive, though only adverb in  4:8  (only
N.T. examples save Textus Rec. in  5:11 ). {Four and twenty
thrones} (	hronoi eikosi tessares). So P Q, but Aleph A have
accusative 	hronous (supply eidon from  4:1 ) and 	essares
(late accusative in -es). This further circle of thrones beyond
the great throne. {I saw four and twenty elders} (eikosi
tessaras presbuterous). No eidon in the text, but the
accusative case calls for it. Twenty-four as a symbolic number
occurs only in this book and only for these elders ( 4:4,10  5:8  11:16  19:4 ). We do not really know why this number is chosen,
perhaps two elders for each tribe, perhaps the twelve tribes and
the twelve apostles (Judaism and Christianity), perhaps the
twenty-four courses of the sons of Aaron ( 1Ch 24:1-19 ), perhaps
some angelic rank ( Col 1:16 ) of which we know nothing. Cf.  Eph
2:6 . {Sitting} (kath(886d)enous). Upon their thrones. {Arrayed}
(peribebl(886d)enous). Perfect passive participle of periball(935c)
(to throw around). {In white garments} (himatiois leukois).
Locative case here as in  3:5  (with en), though accusative in
 7:9,13 . {Crowns of gold} (stephanous chrusous). Accusative
case again like presbuterous after eidon ( 4:1 ), not idou.
In  19:14  ech(936e) (having) is added. John uses diad(886d)a
(diadem) for the kingly crown in  12:3  13:1  19:12 , but it is
not certain that the old distinction between diadem as the
kingly crown and stephanos as the victor's wreath is always
observed in late Greek.