Thematic Bible: Miraculously removed, instances of
Thematic Bible
Barrenness » Miraculously removed, instances of » Sarai
Barrenness » Miraculously removed, instances of » Hannah
Barrenness » Miraculously removed, instances of » Elisabeth
In the days when Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest whose name was Zechariah, who belonged to the division of Abijah. His wife was also a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Now they were both upright in the sight of God, walking without reproach in all the Lord's commands and requirements. And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both of them were far advanced in years. read more.
Once when he was acting as priest before God, when his division was on duty, it fell to his lot, in accordance with the priests' customs, to go into the sanctuary of the Lord to burn the incense, while all the throng of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense burning. In the meantime, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was agitated, even overwhelmed with fear. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you must name him John. This will bring you gladness and delight, and many will rejoice over his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must drink no wine nor strong drink, and so he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his birth. And he will turn many of Israel's descendants to the Lord their God. He will go before Him in the spirit and the power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the upright, to make ready for the Lord a people perfectly prepared." Then Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years." The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel; I stand in the very presence of God. I have been sent to talk with you and to tell you this good news. Now you will keep silent and be unable to talk until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I told you, for it will be fulfilled at the proper time." Meanwhile the people kept waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he could not speak to them, and so they knew that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. Meanwhile he kept on making signs to them, and remained dumb. But when the period of his service was over, he went back to his home. So after this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, "This is what the Lord has done for me when He smiled upon me to take away my disgrace among men."
Once when he was acting as priest before God, when his division was on duty, it fell to his lot, in accordance with the priests' customs, to go into the sanctuary of the Lord to burn the incense, while all the throng of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense burning. In the meantime, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was agitated, even overwhelmed with fear. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you must name him John. This will bring you gladness and delight, and many will rejoice over his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must drink no wine nor strong drink, and so he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his birth. And he will turn many of Israel's descendants to the Lord their God. He will go before Him in the spirit and the power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the upright, to make ready for the Lord a people perfectly prepared." Then Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years." The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel; I stand in the very presence of God. I have been sent to talk with you and to tell you this good news. Now you will keep silent and be unable to talk until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I told you, for it will be fulfilled at the proper time." Meanwhile the people kept waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he could not speak to them, and so they knew that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. Meanwhile he kept on making signs to them, and remained dumb. But when the period of his service was over, he went back to his home. So after this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, "This is what the Lord has done for me when He smiled upon me to take away my disgrace among men."