John Gill

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a daughter of…

“There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea,.... This was Herod, the son of Antipater, sometimes called Herod the Great, and is rightly here said to be the king of Judea; for, by deputation from the Roman emperor, he had the government…”

Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.

“And they were both righteous before God,.... Not as the Pharisees, only righteous before men, but in the sight of God, who sees the heart, and whose judgment is according to truth; and therefore were not justified by the deeds of the law; for by…”

Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

“And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord,.... Gabriel, as seem's manifest from Luk 1:19 the same angel that had appeared to Daniel, about the time of the evening oblation, near five hundred years before, and gave him an account of the time…”

When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.

“And when Zacharias saw him,.... The angel; he was troubled, and fear fell upon him; for such appearances of angels were not now so common as formerly: and when they were more usual, generally had such effects on the minds, even of good men; see…”

“I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

“And the angel answering, said unto him, I am Gabriel,.... The name of an angel well known to Zacharias from Daniel's prophecies, Dan 8:16 and is the first time we read of the name of an angel: the Jews say (a), the names of angels…”

After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,

“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…”

and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”

“And he shall reign over the house of Jacob,.... Not over the Jews, the posterity of Jacob, in a literal sense; but over the whole Israel of God, consisting of Jews and Gentiles.”

Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.

“And behold thy cousin Elisabeth,.... For though Elisabeth was of the daughters of Aaron, or of the tribe of Levi by her father's side, yet might be of the tribe of Judah by her mother's side, and so akin to Mary.”

where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

“And entered into the house of Zacharias, &c. Which was in the above city, and might be well known to her: and saluted Elisabeth; not Zacharias; either because he was not at home; or because he was deaf and dumb, and could neither hear her…”

For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

“For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears,.... This she mentions, as the signal by which she knew that she was the mother of her Lord; namely, from that unusual and extraordinary motion of the child, she felt within…”

He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

“He hath showed strength with his arm,.... Of almighty power, in the business of the incarnation, and in working out salvation for his people; which is done by his own arm, he being mighty to save, and travelling in the greatness of his strength; see…”

as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

“As he spake to our fathers,.... To David, of whose family Mary was; and to Jacob, or Israel, of whose stock she was; and to Isaac, in whom the seed was to be, called; and particularly, to Abraham and to his seed for ever: not…”

They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”

“And they said unto her,.... Her neighbours and relations, there is none of thy kindred that is called by this name; from whence it appears, that it was usual to give names to children after their ancestors, relations, and friends.”

So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.

“And they made signs to his father,.... Who was deaf, as well as dumb; otherwise there would have been no occasion to have signs made to him: and so the word used, in Luk 1:20 signifies both deaf and dumb.”

Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.

“And he asked for a writing table,.... That is, he made signs for one, for as yet he could not speak. The Persic version renders it "ink", and the Ethiopic, a book, and the Vulgate Latin, a notebook.”

as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,

“As he spake, by the mouth of his holy prophets,.... Which shows not only the veracity and faithfulness of God in his promises, but the early intimations that were given by him concerning the Messiah: for it follows, which have been since world began; or…”

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire.

“And it came to pass in those days,.... When John the Baptist was born, and Christ was conceived, and his mother pregnant with him, and the time of his birth drew on.”

This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.

“And this taxing was first made,.... Or "this was the first enrolment, or taxing" in the Jewish nation; for there was another afterwards, when Judas the Galilean arose, and drew many after him, Act 5:”

And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the…

“And she brought forth her firstborn son,.... At Bethlehem, as was predicted; and the Jews themselves own, that the Messiah is already born, and born at Bethlehem. They have a tradition, that an Arabian should say to a Jew (k). "Lo!”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.

“And they came with haste,.... In the night, leaving their flocks, to see their incarnate Lord, as Zacchaeus hastened down from the tree to receive the Saviour.”

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

“But Mary kept all these things,.... Which the shepherds had related to her: and pondered them in her heart; or compared them in her mind, with what had been said to herself by the angel, and also by her husband, as well as what was…”

When the eight days until His circumcision had passed, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived.

“And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child,.... According to the original institution of circumcision, Gen 17:12 and which was strictly observed by religious persons, as by the parents of our Lord here, and by those of John the Baptist, Luk…”

(as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”),

“As it is written in the law of the Lord,.... In Exo 13:2. every male that openeth the womb, shall be called holy to the Lord; that is, devoted and consecrated to him, and so to be redeemed.”

For my eyes have seen Your salvation,

“For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,.... The Messiah, who is often so called; see Gen 49:”

a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”

“A light to lighten the Gentiles,.... Or for the revelation of the Gentiles; to reveal the love, grace, and mercy of God, an everlasting righteousness, and the way of life and salvation to them. Reference seems to be had to Isa 42:”