And she was a widow of about fourscore and four
years
Which is not the date of her whole age, as some have thought, but
of her widowhood state, as distinct from her marriage state, and
the time of her virginity. And this sense all the versions
favour.
Which departed not from the temple
that is, she was constant in her devotion there, at the time of
divine service, whether by night or day; not that she was in it,
for she had been out of it now; otherwise it could not with
propriety be said of her, that
she coming in that instant,
as in the next verse; but that she always was there when there
was any worship performed, in which women might be concerned, and
which is pointed out in the next clause:
but served God with fastings and prayers, night and
day:
she attended to the usual fasts of twice a week, and to such as
were enjoined the whole congregation, and to the several set
times of prayer, and to every act of devotion, private or public,
by night or day. In ( Exodus 38:8 ) we read
of women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation: both the Targums of Onkelos and Ben Uzziel render
it, "who came to pray"; and the Septuagint version, "that
fasted": Anna did both.