Luke 1:24

24 Now after these days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

Luke 1:24 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 1:24

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 ( Judges 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.

Luke 1:24 In-Context

22 But when he came out he could not speak to them, and they recognised that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, and continued dumb.

23 And it came to pass, when the days of his service were completed, he departed to his house.

24 Now after these days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

25 Thus has [the] Lord done to me in [these] days in which he looked upon [me] to take away my reproach among men.

26 But in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent of God to a city of Galilee, of which [the] name [was] Nazareth,