Luke 1:23

23 And ¹when his time of ²service was ended, he went to his home.

Luke 1:23 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 1:23

And it came to pass, that as soon as the days of his
ministration
In the order of the course, which might be three, four, five, or six days, according to the number of the heads of the house of their fathers in the course; (See Gill on Luke 1:5)

were accomplished:
for though he was deaf and dumb, he was not hereby disqualified for service. Deafness and dumbness excused persons from various duties ^F19 but did not disqualify priests: a Levite, if he had lost his voice, was disqualified, but not a priest; ^F20 the reason was this, because it was one part of the work of the Levites to sing, and therefore could not perform it without a voice; but such was the work of the priests, that though deaf and dumb, they could discharge it; as cleansing the altar, trimming the lamps, carrying the parts to the altar, laying them upon it, and burning them, or offering any sacrifice, burning incense which was the business of Zacharias; which when he had fulfilled, he departed to his own house; which was not at Jerusalem, but in the hill country, in a city of Judah there; see ( Luke 1:39 Luke 1:40 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Misn. Trumot, c. 1. sect. 1, 2. Chagiga, c. 1. sect. 1.
F20 Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Cholin, c. 1. sect. 6.

Luke 1:23 In-Context

21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.

22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute.

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 kept herself hidden, saying,

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

Cross References

• 1. 2 Chronicles 23:8; [ver. 8; 2 Kings 11:5; 1 Chronicles 9:25]
• 2. Hebrews 10:11