Elizabeth

Who Elizabeth is

Elisabeth is introduced as the wife of Zacharias, a priest of the course of Abia, and as one of the daughters of Aaron. The narrator says both were righteous before God and walked blameless, and that they had no child because Elisabeth was barren and both were well stricken in years. An angel tells Zacharias that his wife Elisabeth shall bear him a son to be called John. She conceives, hides herself five months, and says the Lord has looked on her to take away her reproach among men. Gabriel names her to Mary as her cousin who has conceived in old age, in her sixth month, and who was called barren. When Mary enters the house of Zacharias and salutes her, the babe leaps in her womb, she is filled with the Holy Ghost, and she speaks out with a loud voice, calling Mary blessed among women and blessed for believing, and asking why the mother of her Lord should come to her. Mary stays about three months. Elisabeth is delivered of a son, and her neighbours and cousins rejoice at the mercy shown her. At the circumcision the family calls the child Zacharias after his father, his mother says, Not so; but he shall be called John, and they object that no one of her kindred bears that name.

Cited passages: Luke 1:5, Luke 1:6, Luke 1:7, Luke 1:13, Luke 1:24, Luke 1:25, Luke 1:36, Luke 1:40, Luke 1:41, Luke 1:42, Luke 1:43, Luke 1:44, Luke 1:45, Luke 1:56, Luke 1:57, Luke 1:58, Luke 1:59, Luke 1:60, Luke 1:61

Historical setting

Every verse that names Elisabeth stands in one chapter. The text establishes her husband, her priestly descent, her righteousness, her barrenness, her age and her kinship with Mary, whom the angel calls her cousin without giving the degree of the relation. Her home is placed only in the hill country, into a city of Juda; no town is named. The spelling in this text is Elisabeth. Her words at the naming are attributed to his mother, and the child's name comes from the angel's word to Zacharias rather than from family custom, which the neighbours state when they say none of her kindred is called by this name. The text records nothing of her life before verse five and nothing after the naming scene: no death, no later meeting with Mary, and no part in her son's ministry.

Cited passages: Luke 1:5, Luke 1:6, Luke 1:7, Luke 1:13, Luke 1:36, Luke 1:39, Luke 1:40, Luke 1:60, Luke 1:61, Luke 1:80

How the story is told

Elisabeth speaks while her husband cannot. His silence runs from the altar to the writing table, and in that stretch the recorded speech in the household is hers: the sentence about her reproach, the loud blessing of Mary, and the refusal at the naming. Her greeting states the meaning of Mary's visit before Mary's own song begins, and it is her word, blessed is she that believed, that sets belief against the disbelief the angel named in her husband. Her pregnancy is also the sign given to Mary, so the two women's stories are tied by the sixth month before they meet. At the naming her single sentence is confirmed when Zacharias writes the same name.

Cited passages: Luke 1:20, Luke 1:24, Luke 1:25, Luke 1:36, Luke 1:41, Luke 1:42, Luke 1:45, Luke 1:46, Luke 1:60, Luke 1:63, Luke 1:64

Story moments

1. Barren and stricken in years (Luke 1:7). The narrator states that the couple had no child.
2. My reproach taken away (Luke 1:25). Elisabeth says the Lord looked on her to take away her reproach.
3. Filled with the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:41). The babe leaps at Mary's salutation and Elisabeth is filled.
4. Blessed art thou among women (Luke 1:42). She speaks out with a loud voice and blesses Mary.
5. She bears a son (Luke 1:57). Her full time comes and she brings forth a son.
6. He shall be called John (Luke 1:60). She refuses the family name and gives the name the angel gave.

Key passages

Luke 1:5

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Luke 1:7

And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

Luke 1:13

But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

Luke 1:24

And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

Luke 1:36

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

Luke 1:40

And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

King James Version. 8 indexed passages in total.

For reflection

Elisabeth hides herself five months and then speaks aloud when Mary arrives. What do those two responses, kept side by side in one chapter, show about how she holds what happened to her?

Books Elizabeth appears in

• Luke

Related people

• Jesus Christ
• Abraham
• David
• Mary, Mother of Jesus
• John the Baptist
• Jacob
• Aaron
• Judah