After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
Parallel Translations
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After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
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And after thoose dayes his wyfe Elizabeth conceaved and hyd her sylfe.v. monethes sayinge:
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And after those daies, his wife Elisabet conceiued, and hid her selfe fiue moneths, saying,
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Explain this verse (14 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived,…
24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
Ver. 24. And hid herself] Obscurum qua id fecerit ex causa. It is hard to say why she did this, saith a learned interpreter, but likely out of modesty; and that she may make no show till she was sure, as also that the miracle might appear the greater.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain How long after those days the Scripture saith not,…
How long after those days the Scripture saith not, but it is probable it was soon after, as in the case of Abraham, and in the case of Manoah’s wife, Jdg 13:3, who conceived presently after the revelation.
And hid herself: not that she hid herself from seeing any person, but she concealed from those whom she saw the hopes that she had of her being with child, and perhaps what her husband had let her know by writing of the revelation he had from the angel: not that she herself doubted the thing, that were unreasonable to presume, after the seeing of her husband made dumb for a sign of it, and the next words will let us know the contrary; but to avoid the discourse of people upon so unusual a thing, who might possibly think her too vain in speaking of a thing so improbable and unlikely as this was. In the mean time she did not conceal herself from God, but said,
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Thus hath the Lord dealt with me, ascribing it all to the power of God, who keepeth the key of the womb in his hand, and maketh the fruit of it his reward.
In the days wherein he looked upon me: it is the same with Luk 1:48,
He hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. The favour of God to his creatures is oft expressed under this notion, Psa 25:18; Psa 84:9; 119:132.
To take away my reproach among men. Barrenness is no more than a reproach amongst men; it was more especially a reproach to Jewish women, not only in regard of the expectation of being the mother of the Messias, (for none could expect that but a virgin, Isa 7:14, and she of the tribe of Judah, to which the Messiah was promised, and one of the house of David, to whose family he was promised as a branch), but in regard of the special promise to Abraham, to whom a seed was promised, numerous as the dust, and as the stars, to which the barren woman could contribute nothing. It is a great mercy when God favoureth his people with any in evidences which take away their reproach amongst men, and a just cause for his people’s thankful acknowledgment.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And after those days,.... The days of his ministration…
And after those days,.... The days of his ministration in the temple, quickly after his return home; the Ethiopic version reads, "after two days":
his wife Elisabeth conceived; according to the angels prediction, and notwithstanding her barrenness, and the unbelief of her husband,
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and hid herself five months. The Arabic and Persic versions render it, "hid her size"; but there could be no occasion to take any methods to hide this, since, if she said nothing of it herself, and there could be no suspicion of it in one of her years, it could not be much discerned in her by such a time; but she hid herself, or lived retired, that she might be fully satisfied that she was with child, before she said any thing about it; and that she might not discover any pride or vanity on account of it; and to avoid all discourse with others about it, which might be rumoured abroad; and chiefly to shun all ceremonial uncleanness, which one, that bred a Nazarite, was obliged to; see Jdg 13:14 and most of all, that she might be retired, and spend her time in meditation upon the goodness of God, and in returning thanks to him for the favour she had received; saying; as in the following verse.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Hid herself - She retired from company, that she…
Hid herself - She retired from company, that she might have the more leisure to rejoice and bless God for his wonderful mercy.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 24. Hid herself five months] That she might…
Verse 24. Hid herself five months] That she might have the fullest proof of the accomplishment of God's promise before she appeared in public, or spoke of her mercies. When a Hindoo female is pregnant of her first child, she avoids the presence of those with whom she was before familiar, as a point of delicacy.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Hid herself - Did not go forth into public,…
Hid herself - Did not go forth into public, and concealed her condition. This might have been done that she might spend her time more entirely in giving praise to God for his mercies, and that she might have the fullest proof of the accomplishment of the promise before she appeared in public or spoke of the mercies of God.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain hid five months--till the event was put beyond doubt…
hid five months--till the event was put beyond doubt and became apparent.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 24. hid herself] We can only conjecture her motive.…
24. hid herself] We can only conjecture her motive. It may have been devotional; or precautionary; or she may merely have wished out of deep modesty to avoid as long as possible the idle comments and surmises of her neighbours.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and…
And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months. Various reasons have been suggested for this retirement. It seems most probable that, amazed at the angelic announcement, the saintly woman went into perfect retirement and isolation for a considerable period, to prove well the words of the angel, and to consider how she best could do her part in the training of the expected child, who was to play so mighty a part in the history of her people.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain And hid herself five months
Luk_1:24
And hid herself five months
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Modesty a retiring grace
Desirous of plucking one of the elegant sea-anemones, you extend your hand; but, at the slightest touch, its beautiful coronet begins to curl, and incurve in the form of a cup.
If further annoyed, the rim of this cup contracts more and more, until the animated blossom, now transformed into a shrivelled, shapeless mass, and receding all the time from the rude assault, retires under the cover of its rocky fortress, or clings with such tenacity to the stone to which it is attached, that you will sooner tear it to pieces than make it forego its grasp. (Hartwig.)
Modesty
Virgil, who was called the Prince of the Latin Poets, was naturally modest and of a timorous nature when people crowded to gaze upon him, or pointed at him with the finger with raptures: the poet blushed, and stole away from them, and often hid himself in shops to be removed from the curiosity and admiration of the public. The Christian is called indeed to let his light shine before men; but then it must be with all meekness, simplicity, and modesty. (Buck.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 24. Hid herself. Did not go into society, both…
24. Hid herself. Did not go into society, both from delicacy and that she might have more time for devotion.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain The beginning of the fulfillment:
The beginning of the fulfillment:
v. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
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v. 25. Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein He looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
In His season God remembered Elisabeth and her husband. The aged wife had evidence that her prayers at last seemed about to be heard. The result of this knowledge was that she hid herself entirely, she took no part in any social intercourse. God had taken care to remove her reproach from her. Since fruitfulness was one of the promises of God to His people, Gen 17:6, and since children, on this account, were considered as a. particular blessing from heaven, Exo 23:26; Lev 26:9; Psa 127:3, barrenness was among the Jews considered a reproach, a token of the disapprobation of the Lord, 1Sa 1:6. This stigma was now about to be removed. Though the fact was not yet known, even to her intimate friends and relatives, she was aware of it, and she wanted to escape the pitying glances to which she had never become accustomed, until such a time as her hope would be beyond doubt, when no more reproach could strike her.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 After these days
After these days
The phrase "these days" refers to the time Zechariah was serving in the temple. It is possible to state more clearly what this refers to. AT: "After Zechariah's time of serving at the temple" (See: Introduction of a New Event and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
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his wife
"Zechariah's wife"
kept herself hidden
"did not leave her house" or "stayed inside by herself"
This is what the Lord has done for me
This phrase refers to the fact that the Lord allowed her to become pregnant.
This is what
This is a positive exclamation. She is very happy with what the Lord has done for her.
looked at me with favor
"to look at" here is an idiom that means "to treat" or "to deal with." AT: "regarded me kindly" or "had pity on me" (See: Idiom)
my shame
This refers to the shame she felt when she was not able to have children.
translationWords
day
Elizabeth
conceive
lord
shame
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 1:24 went into seclusion for five months: The reason…
1:24 went into seclusion for five months: The reason for this seclusion is unknown and does not seem related to any Old Testament custom or command. Perhaps it was a spiritual retreat to honor God for answered prayer.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.