God, in his desire to afford the heirs of the Promise a special proof of the solid character of his purpose, interposed with an oath;

so that by these two solid facts (the Promise and the Oath), where it is impossible for God to be false, we refugees might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us,

For he was confidently looking forward to that city with the solid foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

taking care, lest any one slight the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness spring up and trouble you, and by this many be defiled;

Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

Does a spring produce [both] fresh water and salt water from the same opening?

Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

The merchants who sold these things, who got rich from her, will stand a long way off because they are afraid of her torment. They will weep and mourn,

The solid fabric of the wall was jasper; and the city itself was made of gold, resembling transparent glass.

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each separate gate was of one single pearl. And the street (broad way) of the city was pure gold, like transparent crystal.