Luke 2:37

37 And she had bene a wedowe aboute .iiii. scoore and .iiii. yere which went never oute of the temple but served God with fastinge and prayer nyght and daye.

Luke 2:37 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 2:37

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.

Luke 2:37 In-Context

35 And morover the swearde shall pearce thy soule yt the thoughtes of many hertes maye be opened.
36 And ther was a Prophetesse one Anna the doughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Aser: which was of a greate age and had lyved with an husbande. vii. yeres from her virginite.
37 And she had bene a wedowe aboute .iiii. scoore and .iiii. yere which went never oute of the temple but served God with fastinge and prayer nyght and daye.
38 And the same came forth that same houre and praysed the Lorde and spake of him to all that loked for redempcion in Hierusalem.
39 And assone as they had performed all thinges accordinge to the lawe of the Lorde they returned into Galile to their awne cite Nazareth.
The Tyndale Bible is in the public domain.