This crowd is truly international, consisting of people from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.
The Lord had promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4; see also Genesis 35:11; Genesis 48:19), and now in keeping with that promise the Lord shows John that he indeed fulfills what he promised. In fact, the Lord goes beyond nations to every tribe and people and language within nations.
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,