² Then I saw another angel coming up from the ·east [^Lrising of the sun] who had the seal [5:1] of the living God. And he ·called out [cried out; shouted] in a loud voice to the four angels to whom God had given power to ·harm [damage] the earth and the sea. ³ He said to them, “Do not ·harm [damage] the land or the sea or the trees until we ·mark with a sign [place a seal upon] the foreheads [^Cto spare them from harm; Ezek. 9:4–6] of the ·people who serve [^Lthe slaves/servants of] our God.” ⁴ Then I heard how many people were ·marked with the sign [sealed]. There were one hundred forty-four thousand [^Cthe square of 12 multiplied by 1000; a symbolic number indicating completeness] from every tribe of the ·people [children; sons] of Israel.