Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 1:24
And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Luk 1:24
And hid herself five months
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.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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 Manoahs 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,
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 peoples thankful acknowledgment.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
24. hid five monthstill theevent was put beyond doubt and became apparent.
Lu1:26-38. ANNUNCIATION OFCHRIST.
(See on Mt1:18-21).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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;
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 Jud 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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Conceived (). Luke uses this word eleven times and it occurs only five other times in the N.T. It is a very old and common Greek word. He alone in the N.T. has it for conceiving offspring (Luke 1:24; Luke 1:31; Luke 1:36; Luke 2:21) though Jas 1:15 uses it of lust producing sin. Hobart (Medical Language of Luke, p. 91) observes that Luke has almost as many words for pregnancy and barrenness as Hippocrates ( , 21:23; , 2:5; , 1:7; , 20:28).
Hid (). Only here in the N.T., but in late Koine writers. Usually considered second aorist active indicative from , though it may be the imperfect indicative of a late form . If it is aorist it is the constative aorist. The preposition makes it mean completely (on all sides) hid.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Conceived [] . Mr. Hobart (” Medical Language of Luke “) says that the number of words referring to pregnancy, barrenness, etc., used by Luke, is almost as large as that used by Hippocrates. Compare Luk 1:31; Luk 1:24; Luk 2:5; Luk 1:7; Luk 20:28. All of these, except Luk 1:24, are peculiar to himself, and all, of course, in common use among medical writers. Hid [] . Only here in New Testament. Peri signifies completely; entire seclusion.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And after those days,” (meta de tautas tas hermeras) “Then after these days,” that the angel Gabriel had come to him in the temple, and Joseph had returned to his home.
2) “His wife Elizabeth conceived,” (suelaben Elisabet he gune autou) “His wife Elizabeth came to conceive,” as the angel Gabriel had told Zacharias that she would.
3) “And hid herself five months, saying,” (kai periekruben heauten menas pente legousa) “And she hid herself for a period of five months repeatedly saying,” without, or before, revealing what had and was happening to her.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
24. And hid herself This appears very strange, as if she had been ashamed of the blessing of God. Some think that she did not, venture to appear in public, so long as the matter was uncertain, for fear of exposing herself to ridicule, if her expectation were disappointed. In my opinion, she was so fully convinced of the promise made to her, that she had no doubt of its accomplishment. When she saw a severe punishment inflicted on her husband for “ speaking unadvisedly with his lips,” (Psa 106:33,) did she, for five successive months, cherish in her mind a similar doubt? But her words show clearly that her expectation was not doubtful or uncertain. By saying, thus hath the Lord done to me, she expressly and boldly affirms that his favor was ascertained. There might be two reasons for the delay. Until this extraordinary work of God was manifest, she might hesitate to expose it to the diversified opinions of men, for the world frequently indulges in light, rash, and irreverent talking about the works of God. Another reason might be that, when she was all at once discovered to be pregnant, men might be more powerfully excited to praise God. [For, when the works of God show themselves gradually, in process of time we make less account of them than if the thing had been accomplished all at once, without our having ever heard of it— Fr. ] It was not, therefore, on her own account, but rather with a view to others, that Elisabeth hid herself
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
‘And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, “Thus has the Lord done to me in the days on which he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.” ’
And sure enough Elisabeth his wife did conceive, and when she did she kept to her private room for five months with joy in her heart at the thought that he reproach had been removed, and no doubt let it be known to some that God had heard their cry and given them a son. He had graciously looked on her and taken away her reproach. The five months of retirement, like Zacharias’ enforced silence, would indicate that something especially remarkable was happening about which she wished to retain silence. Indeed the sign of Zacharias’ dumbness might have made them feel that God did not want them to spread about what was happening. But with such a remarkable birth foretold she would also want time to meditate and prepare herself. We must not underestimate the sense of awe that must have filled her at the thought of what God had promised concerning her baby. She would clearly feel that such a privilege required special preparation, especially in view of the restriction on John. Perhaps she felt that he must not be tainted by the world while in her womb, for his necessary separation from the world had been revealed by the injunction laid on him to avoid wine and strong drink (compare 1Sa 1:15; Jdg 13:4, which she may have taken as a pattern). It was the same sense that would drive John into the wilderness. It may be significant that ‘five’ is the number of the covenant. She was to be seen as revealing her covenant faithfulness.
But there may also have been another parallel explanation which would go along with the previous ones. For some time she had been seen as an old woman past childbearing. And for two or three months she would not be able to say whether what the angel had said was true or not. Probably therefore she felt that she could not face up to the inevitable continual questionings that would assail her if she met with others. And once she did know for certain things might get even worse. Scepticism and comment would be rampant, and she would be an object of continual curiosity. So she probably just did not feel that she could face the public.
Her period of isolation necessarily came to an end after five months because it was ‘in the sixth month’ (Luk 1:26) that Mary visited her and she received her. And Mary would remain for three months. Even in this there was significance. The first to ‘come in contact’ with the newly conceived child in the womb (Luk 1:41) outside of his parents was to be the mother of the Messiah, of Whom he was immediately aware and to Whom he would one day bear witness.
So the promise was given of the great preparer of the way, and now his birth had taken place. The next event could only be of the promise of the coming of the Messiah Himself.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The beginning of the fulfillment:
v. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
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.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Luk 1:24-25. And hid herself five months, The meaning is, either that she saw no company, judging it proper to spend most of her time in the duties of devotion, and in meditating silently on the wonderful goodness of God; or that she concealed her pregnancy for awhile, lest she should expose herself to ridicule. That barrenness was a reproach among the Jews, appears from Gen 30:23. 1Sa 1:11. Isa 4:1; Isa 54:1; Isa 54:4 and many other passages. That a branch of the family of Aaron should fail, would also be looked upon as a particular calamity, and might, by ignorant and uncharitable people, be interpreted as a judgment; and so much the rather, considering the many promises which God had made to increase the families of his obedient people. See Exo 32:13. Lev 26:9. Deu 7:13 and Psa 127:3-5. It may not be improper here just to observe, that considering how the whole Jewish policy was interwoven withthose acts of religion which were to be performed by the priests alone, it might seem wonderful that no provision at all should be made for entailing the priesthood on any other family, if that of Aaron should happen to be extinct. Leaving this contingency unprovided for, was in effect resting the whole credit of the Jewish religion upon the perpetual continuance of the male branches of that family; an issue, on which no man of Moses’s prudence, nor indeed of common sense, would have rested his legislation, if he had not been truly conscious of its divine original; especially after two of Aaron’s four sons had been cut off in one day, for a rash act in the execution of their office as soon as they were initiated into it, and died without any children.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Luk 1:24 f. . . .] in which this vision had occurred, and he had returned at the end of the service-week to his house. Between the return and the conception we are not to place an indefinite interval.
] she hid herself , withdrew her own person completely ( , see Valckenaer) from the view of others.
] is of necessity to be understood of the first , not of the last five months of pregnancy (in opposition to Heumann). See Luk 1:26 ; Luk 1:36 ; Luk 1:56-57 .
. . .] the reason which was uttered by her for this withdrawal; hence is not recitative, but to be rendered because , as at Luk 7:16 : because thus hath the Lord done to me in the days, in which He was careful to take away my reproach among men . Her reflection, therefore, was to this effect: “seeing that her pregnancy was the work of God , whose care, at the setting in of this state of hers, had been directed towards removing from her the reproach of unfruitfulness, she must leave to God also the announcement of her pregnancy, and not herself bring it about. God would know how to attain His purpose of taking away her reproach.” And God knew how to attain this His purpose. After she had kept herself concealed for five months, there occurred in the sixth month, Luk 1:26 ff., the annunciation to Mary, in which the condition of Elizabeth was disclosed to Mary, so that she rose up (Luk 1:39 ff.), etc. Hence the opinions are not in accordance with the text, which represent Elizabeth as having kept herself concealed from shame at being with child in her old age (Origen, Ambrose, Beda, Theophylact, Euthymius Zigabenus), or in order that she might first assure herself of her condition (Paulus), and might in the meantime apply herself to devotion (Kuinoel), or to afford no handle to curiosity (Schegg), or “quo magis appareret postea repente graviditas” (Bengel), or even because it was necessary to keep herself quiet during the first months of pregnancy (de Wette). No; it was because with resignation and confidence she awaited the emerging of the divine guidance.
] without repetition of the preposition. See Bernhardy, p. 203; Bornemann, Schol. p. 5; Khner, ad Xen. Mem. ii. 1. 32.
] looked to it , i.e. took care for it . So more frequently is used of the providence of the gods in the classical writers; Herod. i. 124; Soph. El. 170. Comp. Act 4:29
] Comp. Gen 30:23 . Unfruitfulness was a disgrace , as being a token of the divine disfavour (Psa 113:9 ; Isa 4:1 ; Isa 44:3 ; Isa 47:9 ; Hos 9:11 ); the possession of many children was an honour and blessing (Psalms 127, 128). Comp. the view of the Greeks, Herod. vi. 86; Mller, Dor. II. p. 192.
] belongs to ; among men she had dishonour.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
24, 25. ] either, to avoid defilement: see Jdg 13:13-14 , to hide her pregnancy from her neighbours till it was certain and apparent, or, from the precaution which the first months of pregnancy require.
Kuinoel suggests, that the reason may have been, that she might devote herself more uninterruptedly to exercises of devotion and thankfulness, and that this is expressed by the words following.
If so, must mean ‘ because ,’ as indeed is the usage of these first chapters, see below on Luk 1:45 ; but it seems here to be only the usual particle by which a speech is introduced: see Gen 29:33 . And indeed really carries the reason of her hiding herself “seeing that she said (within herself).”
] There is no ellipsis of or , nor is the meaning, ‘hath looked upon me; ’ but is to be taken with the infinitive following hath condescended to remove: so , Herod. i. 124: cf. , Act 15:14 . [ ] of barrenness: see ref.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 1:24 . : hid herself entirely ( ), here only; : a late form of 2nd aorist. Why, not said, nor whether her husband told her what had happened to him. : after which another remarkable event happened. Whether she appeared openly thereafter is not indicated. Possibly not (J. Weiss). : here and in Act 4:29 = took care, the object being . . = to remove my reproach: keenly felt by a Jewish woman. is understood before (Bornemann, Scholia ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Luk 1:24-25
24After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25″This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.”
Luk 1:25 This shows how she felt about being barren. It was viewed as a curse from God (cf. Gen 30:23). See note at Luk 1:7.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
after. Greek. meta. App-104.
conceived. Greek. sullambano. A medical word, used in this sense in Luke and in Jam 1:15. See App-179.
hid = completely secluded. Probably to avoid all possibility of uncleanness, as in Jdg 13:4, Jdg 13:5, Jdg 13:7, =Jdg 13:1214. Occurs only here in N.T.
saying = saying that (Greek. hoti); giving the words.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
24, 25.] -either, to avoid defilement: see Jdg 13:13-14,-to hide her pregnancy from her neighbours till it was certain and apparent,-or, from the precaution which the first months of pregnancy require.
Kuinoel suggests, that the reason may have been, that she might devote herself more uninterruptedly to exercises of devotion and thankfulness, and that this is expressed by the words following.
If so, must mean because, as indeed is the usage of these first chapters,-see below on Luk 1:45; but it seems here to be only the usual particle by which a speech is introduced: see Gen 29:33. And indeed really carries the reason of her hiding herself-seeing that she said (within herself).
] There is no ellipsis of or , nor is the meaning, hath looked upon me; but is to be taken with the infinitive following-hath condescended to remove: so , Herod. i. 124: cf. , Act 15:14. [] -of barrenness: see ref.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 1:24. , these) the days of which Luk 1:23 makes mention [the days of his ministration].-, She hid herself) that her pregnancy might be unobserved: owing to which, subsequently her pregnancy was suddenly made the more apparent.-, saying) to the partakers of [those who sympathized in] her joy.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Reciprocal: Gen 21:2 – conceived 2Ki 4:17 – General Luk 1:26 – the sixth Luk 1:36 – General Act 1:1 – former
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4
Hid is from PERIKRUPTO which Thayer defines, “to conceal on all sides or entirely, to hide,” and he explains his definition, “to keep one’s self at home.” It is the usual custom for expectant mothers to keep in retirement the last months of the period, but Elizabeth did the reverse. Nothing is said about her continuing the retirement after the five months, hence we would not think the other was done out of false modesty. A reasonable conclusion is that she was still under the feeling that it was “too good to be true,” and before telling the good news to her friends, she decided to await the five months which would be the time for life to be evident.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months; saying,
[She hid herself five months.] “She hid herself five months; saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me, in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.”
She was big with child, it is plain, because God had looked on her, and taken away her reproach among men. She hid herself, because the Lord had dealt so with her, till he had taken away her reproach; giving her so remarkable a son, one who was to be so strict a Nazarite, and so famous a prophet. Lest therefore she should any way defile herself by going up and down, and thereby contract any uncleanness upon the Nazarite in her womb, she withdraws, and sequesters herself from all common conversation. Consult Jdg 13:4.
There were several amongst the Jews that were wont to take upon them the sect of the Nazarites by their own voluntary vow. [Three hundred at once in the days of Jannaeus the king came together to Simeon Ben Shetah.] but there were but two only set apart by divine appointment, Samson and the Baptist: whom the same divine appointment, designing to preserve untouched from all kind of pollution even in their mothers’ wombs, directed that the mothers themselves should keep themselves as distant as might be from all manner of defilement whatsoever. Elizabeth obeys; and for the whole time wherein she bore the child within her, she hid herself; for her more effectually avoiding all kind of uncleannesses; although it is true we have the mention but of five months; by reason of the story of the sixth month; which was to be immediately related, Luk 1:26.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Luk 1:24. And after these days. Probably immediately after.
Hid herself five months, i.e., the first five months of her pregnancy.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
3. The pregnancy of Elizabeth 1:24-25
The angel’s announcement of John’s birth occurred even before Elizabeth conceived him (cf. Mat 1:18-25). This is further evidence of his being a special provision from the Lord. Elizabeth’s self-imposed five-month period of seclusion may have been to safeguard the arrival of her child and her own health as an older woman. Elizabeth gratefully acknowledged God’s grace in removing the disgrace of her childless condition (cf. Gen 30:23; 1Sa 2:1-10; Psa 113:9).
". . . Zechariah and Elizabeth represent two different kinds of righteous people. Zechariah raises doubts about the angel’s message, for the prospective parents are now beyond normal childbearing age (Luk 1:18). Sometimes even good people have doubts about God’s promise. . . .
"Elizabeth pictures the righteous saint who takes her burden to God and rejoices when that burden is lifted." [Note: Bock, Luke, p. 50.]