Luke 1:24

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself, 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 And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb.

23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself, saying,

25 "Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men."

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,