Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
Parallel Translations
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Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
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And beholde thy cosen Elizabeth she hath also conceaved a sonne in her age. And this is hyr sixte moneth though she be called barren:
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And behold, thy cousin Elisabet, she hath also conceiued a sonne in her olde age: and this is her sixt moneth, which was called barren.
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Explain this verse (14 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain This is now the sixth month from the time…
This is now the sixth month from the time when she conceived.
Though Elizabeth were of the tribe of Levi, yet she might be Mary’s cousin: for whereas it was forbidden by the Law, for maidens to be married to men of other tribes, this could not let, but that the Levites might take them wives out of any tribe: for the Levites had no portion allotted them, when the land was divided among the people.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also…
36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
Ver. 36. Who was called barren] It is observed that the barren women (so called in both Testaments) had the best children, as Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Elisabeth, &c., because long held off, and much humbled. Some also have observed that the New Testament affords more store of good women than the Old. (Dr Hall’s Contemplation on the New Testament.)
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 What a particular notice doth God take of the…
What a particular notice doth God take of the children of men! he knoweth our relations:
thy cousin Elisabeth. Here some make a question how Elisabeth, who was one of the daughters of Aaron, Luk 1:5, and consequently of the tribe of Levi, could be cousin to Mary, who was of the house of David, and consequently of the tribe of Judah, (as our evangelist proveth, Luk 1:3), because of the law, Num 36:6,7. But cousin may be taken in a large sense, as Paul calleth all the Jews his kinsmen, Rom 9:3; or they might be cousins in a strict sense, for the daughters of the tribe of Levi might marry into any other tribes, having no inheritance to carry away, to prevent which was the law, Num 36:1-13.
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And this is the sixth month from her conception, by which time women use to be at some certainly about their quickening; you must not therefore think this impossible, for you know Elisabeth was counted barren, and was old, yet she hath conceived.
For with God nothing shall be impossible. I bring you a message from God, to whom all things are possible. This was an ordinary saying amongst them, Nothing is impossible with God. Our Saviour useth it several times, Mat 19:26; Mar 10:27. Nor needed we any Scripture to prove that nothing could be impossible to him who is the first Being, the first Cause, and the Fountain of all power, and to whom all things are subject. No considerate man will from hence conclude that things are possible to God which would derogate from the perfection of the Divine Being, and are imperfections in us; nor yet that any thing is possible to God the contrary to which he hath willed, but God can do whatsoever he can will.
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 behold thy cousin Elisabeth,.... For though Elisabeth was…
And behold thy cousin Elisabeth,.... For though Elisabeth was of the daughters of Aaron, or of the tribe of Levi by her father's side, yet might be of the tribe of Judah by her mother's side, and so akin to Mary. The Persic version calls her "aunt by the mother's side": intermarriages between the two tribes of Levi and Judah were frequent; nor were they at all contrary to the intention of that law, that forbid the tribes to intermarry, which was to preserve the inheritance in each tribe, since the tribe of Levi had none at all. Though she might be called her cousin in a more general sense; it being usual with the Jews to call all of their own nation their kinsmen and kinswomen, according to the flesh: but the former sense seems more agreeable; and so Mary is directed to her own family, and to her own relations, and known friends, for a sign, by which her faith might be confirmed, in what the angel had said unto her; for if she found the one to be true, she might conclude the other was also; which is as follows:
she hath also conceived a son in her old age: though Mary asked no sign, yet one is given her, whereby she might know the truth of what was spoken: for if it should appear that Elisabeth had received strength to conceive, as was declared by the angel; and that a son, too, which he could not have known without a divine revelation; and that in her old age, which, was extraordinary and supernatural, she might assure herself, that the message brought to her was from God; and that she likewise, though a virgin, might conceive, and bear a son: the angel adds, as a further testimony of the truth of things,
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and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. Elisabeth, was generally known to be barren, and was, by way of reproach, usually called so, but was now six months gone with child; so that it was a plain case, and out of question; the signs of her pregnancy were very apparent.
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 And behold, thy cousin Elisabeth - Though Elisabeth was…
And behold, thy cousin Elisabeth - Though Elisabeth was of the house of Aaron, and Mary of the house of David, by the fathers side, they might be related by their mothers. For the law only forbad heiresses marrying into another tribe. And so other persons continually intermarried; particularly the families of David and of Levi.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 36. Thy cousin Elisabeth] Thy kinswoman, συγγενης. As…
Verse 36. Thy cousin Elisabeth] Thy kinswoman, συγγενης. As Elisabeth was of the tribe of Levi, Lu 1:5, and Mary of the tribe of Judah, they could not be relatives but by the mother's side.
She hath also conceived] And this is wrought by the same power and energy through which thou shalt conceive. Thus God has given thee a proof and pledge, in what he has done for Elisabeth, of what he will do for thyself; therefore, have faith in God.
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Who was called barren.] It is probable that Elisabeth got this appellative by way of reproach; or to distinguish her from some other Elisabeth also well known, who had been blessed with children. Perhaps this is the reproach which Elisabeth speaks of, Lu 1:25, her common name among men, among the people who knew her, being Elisabeth the barren.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Thy cousin Elizabeth ... - The case of Elizabeth…
Thy cousin Elizabeth ... - The case of Elizabeth is mentioned to inspire Mary with confidence, and to assure her that what was now promised would be fulfilled. It was almost as improbable that Elizabeth should have a child at her time of life, as it was that Mary should under the circumstances promised.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain We find that Aaron, who was of the tribe…
We find that Aaron, who was of the tribe of Levi, took a wife of the tribe of Juda, viz. Elizabeth, the sister of Naasson. In the successors of David we find that Joiada, the chief priest, took a wife of the family of David, viz. the daughter of Joram; from which it appears that both the royal and sacerdotal tribes were united, and that Mary and Elizabeth were relatives. It was certainly proper that Christ should be born of both these tribes, because he was in himself both king and priest. (Ven. Bede)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain thy cousin--"relative," but how near the word says not.
thy cousin--"relative," but how near the word says not.
conceived, &c.--This was to Mary an unsought sign, in reward of her faith.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 36. Thy cousin E1isabeth—Mary was of the tribe of…
36. Thy cousin E1isabeth—Mary was of the tribe of Judah, and Elisabeth of the tribe of Levi. That is, their fathers probably were; for it was the father’s descent which assigned any family to its tribeship. The two women, therefore, may have been cousins by the mother’s side, by their mothers having been sisters. But the word rendered cousin may signify kindred of any degree.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 36. thy cousin] Rather, “thy kinswoman.” What the actual…
36. thy cousin] Rather, “thy kinswoman.” What the actual relationship was we do not know. It is a mistake to infer from this, as Ewald does, that Mary too was of the tribe of Levi, for except in the case of heiresses there was free intermarriage between the tribes (Exo_6:23; Jdg_17:7; Philo De Monach. ii. 11; Jos. Vit. i).
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.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (36) Thy cousin Elisabeth.—See Notes on Luk_1:27; Luk_1:32. Taking…
(36) Thy cousin Elisabeth.—See Notes on Luk_1:27; Luk_1:32. Taking the word in its usual sense, it would imply that either the father or the mother of Mary had been of the house of Aaron, or that the mother of Elizabeth had been of the house of David.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 See, your relative
See, your relative
"Pay attention, because what I am about to say is both true and important: your relative"
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your relative Elizabeth
If you need to state a specific relationship, Elizabeth was probably Mary's aunt or great-aunt.
has also conceived a son in her old age
"Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son, even though she is already very old" or "Elizabeth, even though she is old, has also become pregnant and will bear a son." Make sure it does not sound as though both Mary and Elizabeth were old when they conceived.
the sixth month for her
"the sixth month of her pregnancy"
For nothing
"Because nothing" or "This shows that nothing"
nothing will be impossible for God
Elizabeth's pregnancy was proof that God was able to do anything—even enable Mary to become pregnant without her sleeping with a man. The double negatives in this statement can be stated with positive terms. AT: "God can do anything" (See: Double Negatives)
See, I am the female servant
"Here I am, the female servant" or "I am glad to be the female servant." She is responding humbly and willingly.
I am the female servant of the Lord
Choose an expression that shows her humility and obedience to the Lord. She was not boasting about being the Lord's servant.
Let it be for me
"Let this happen to me." Mary was expressing her willingness for the things to happen that the angel had told her were about to happen.
translationWords
Elizabeth
conceive
barren
God
Mary
lord
servant
angel
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 1:36 your relative Elizabeth: The King James Version identifies…
1:36 your relative Elizabeth: The King James Version identifies Elizabeth as Mary’s cousin, but the Greek term is more general.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.