The name occurs 811 times in the King James Version of Scripture. (It also is called by other names in our Holy Book, but right now I am particularly interested in the word “Jerusalem” itself.) For example, it is the “City of the Great King,” Whom I take to ultimately be Jesus!

This little nugget I learned recently. Though I should have already deduced the obvious fact!

The Name of Israel’s best-known City is actually “plural” in Hebrew. (In the English language we generally pluralize our nouns by simply adding an “s.” But in Hebrew most often one adds an “im,” pronounced “eem.”

So actually, by grammatical definition “Jerusalem” (here “em” in English duplicates “im” in Hebrew) means “Jerusalems!” (My spell checker is having to learn this fact right now!) Yes, “Jerusalems!”

I am so thankful that our wise (KJV) translators did not try to pluralize this major Bible noun 811 times. That would have been confusing. (In fact, I cannot find the plural form even once in our Bible!)

But still, the grammar is unrelenting, “plural!”

How is this truth to be explained?

Could there somehow be “two” Jerusalems?

In fact, YES!

An earthly one, with which everybody is cognizant.

And a heavenly one!

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven …” Revelation 21:4

Actually, the last two chapters in the Bible give quite a tour of that coming heavenly “Jerusalem!”

This “prepared” City comes down to earth, probably the new earth of Revelation 21:1 and 2 Peter 3:12. (As well as Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22!)

It will be our eternal home with our dear Saviour!

Bible theology, Bible eschatology … wrapped up in a plural noun!

Amazing!

I may never see the literal Jerusalem. I’ve never been there. But I shall see the “new Jerusalem” someday. And live there perpetually!

I just found this interesting and though you might as well!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

But Preacher Bagwell … a “plural” in any language can be two or more! Which is correct, of course. But in this case another Hebrew rule of grammar prevails. If the word ends in “ayim,” as does our “Jerusalem” example (when spelled in Hebrew) it then consists of two and only two!

Two Jerusalems!

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