Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Luke 1:5 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Lu 1:5	Strong Concordance	There was [1096] in [1722] the days [2250] of Herod [2264], the king [935] of Judaea [2449], a certain [5100] priest [2409] named [3686] Zacharias [2197], of [1537] the course [2183] of Abia [7]: and [2532] his [846] wife [1135] was of [1537] the daughters [2364] of Aaron [2], and [2532] her [846] name [3686] was Elisabeth [1665].
	King James	There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FORERUNNER. (Luke 1:5-25) Herod--(See on Mat 2:1). course of Abia--or Abijah; the eighth of the twenty-four orders of courses into which David divided the priests (see Ch1 24:1, Ch1 24:4, Ch1 24:10). Of these courses only four returned after the captivity (Ezr 2:34-39), which were again subdivided into twenty-four--retaining the ancient name and order of each. They took the whole temple service for a week each. his wife was of the daughters of Aaron--The priests might marry into any tribe, but "it was most commendable of all to marry one of the priests' line" [LIGHTFOOT].

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FORERUNNER. (Luke 1:5-25)

Herod--(See on Mat 2:1).

course of Abia--or Abijah; the eighth of the twenty-four orders of courses into which David divided the priests (see Ch1 24:1, Ch1 24:4, Ch1 24:10). Of these courses only four returned after the captivity (Ezr 2:34-39), which were again subdivided into twenty-four--retaining the ancient name and order of each. They took the whole temple service for a week each.

his wife was of the daughters of Aaron--The priests might marry into any tribe, but "it was most commendable of all to marry one of the priests' line" [LIGHTFOOT].

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
In the days of Herod - See the notes at Mat 2:1. Of the course of Abia - When the priests became so numerous that they could not at once minister at the altar, David divided them into 24 classes or courses, each one of which officiated for a week, 1 Chr. 24. The class or course (shift) of Abia was the "eighth" in order, Ch1 24:10. Compare Ch2 8:14. The word "course" means the same as "class," or order. The Greek-based word "Abia" is the same as the Hebrew-based word "Abijah." His wife was of the daughters of Aaron - A descendant of Aaron, the first high priest of the Jews; so that "John the Baptist" was descended, on the father's and the mother's side, from priests. Our Saviour was not on either side. John would have been legally entitled to a place among the priests; our Saviour, being of the tribe of Judah, would not.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
Herod Herod the Great. (See Scofield) - (Mat 2:1).

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
King A title decreed to Herod by the Roman Senate on the recommendation of Antony and Octavius. The Greek style now gives place to the Hebraized style. See Introduction. Course (ἐφημερίας) Lit., daily service. The college of priests was divided into twenty-four courses. Each of these did duty for eight days, from one Sabbath to another, once every six months. The service of the week was subdivided among the various families which constituted a course. On Sabbaths the whole course was on duty. On feast-days any priest might come up and join in the ministrations of the sanctuary; and at the Feast of Tabernacles all the twenty-four courses were bound to be present and officiate. The course of Abijah was the eighth of the twenty-four. See Ch1 24:10.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
The course of Abia - The priests were divided into twenty - four courses, of which that of Abia was the eighth, Ch1 24:10. Each course ministered in its turn, for seven days, from Sabbath to Sabbath. And each priest of the course or set in waiting, had his part in the temple service assigned him by lot.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
In the days of Herod, the king - This was Herod, surnamed the Great, the son of Antipater, an Idumean by birth, who had professed himself a proselyte to the Jewish religion, but regarded no religion, farther than it promoted his secular interests and ambition. Thus, for the first time, the throne of Judah was filled by a person not of Jewish extraction, who had been forced upon the people by the Roman government. Hence it appears plain that the prophecy of Jacob, Gen 49:10, was now fulfilled; for the scepter had departed from Judah: and now was the time, according to another prophecy, to look for the governor from Bethlehem, who should rule and feed the people of Israel: Mic 5:1, Mic 5:2. See a large account of the family of the Herods, in the note on Mat 2:1 (note). This was before Christ six years. The course of Abiah - When the sacerdotal families grew very numerous, so that all could not officiate together at the tabernacle, David divided them into twenty-four classes, that they might minister by turns, Ch1 24:1, etc., each family serving a whole week, Kg2 11:7; Ch2 23:8. Abiah was the eighth in the order in which they had been originally established: Ch1 24:10. These dates and persons are particularly mentioned as a full confirmation of the truth of the facts themselves; because any person, at the time this Gospel was written, might have satisfied himself by applying to the family of John the Baptist, the family of our Lord, or the surrounding neighbors. What a full proof of the Gospel history! It was published immediately after the time in which these facts took place; and among the very people, thousands of whom had been eye-witnesses of them; and among those, too, whose essential interest it was to have discredited them if they could; and yet, in all that age, in which only they could have been contradicted with advantage, no man ever arose to call them in question! What an absolute proof was this that the thing was impossible; and that the truth of the Gospel history was acknowledged by all who paid any attention to the evidences it produced! Of the daughters of Aaron - That is, she was of one of the sacerdotal families. This shows that John was most nobly descended: his father was a priest and his mother the daughter of a priest; and thus, both by father and mother, he descended from the family of Amram, of whom came Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, the most illustrious characters in the whole Jewish history.

Top

³⁴ The children [01121] of Jericho [03405], three [07969] hundred [03967] forty [0705] and five [02568].
³⁵ The children [01121] of Senaah [05570], three [07969] thousand [0505] and six [08337] hundred [03967] and thirty [07970].
³⁶ The priests [03548]: the children [01121] of Jedaiah [03048], of the house [01004] of Jeshua [03442], nine [08672] hundred [03967] seventy [07657] and three [07969].
³⁷ The children [01121] of Immer [0564], a thousand [0505] fifty [02572] and two [08147].
³⁸ The children [01121] of Pashur [06583], a thousand [0505] two hundred [03967] forty [0705] and seven [07651].
³⁹ The children [01121] of Harim [02766], a thousand [0505] and seventeen [07651] [06240].

¹⁰ The seventh [07637] to Hakkoz [06976], the eighth [08066] to Abijah [029],

⁴ And there were more [07227] chief [07218] men [01397] found [04672] of the sons [01121] of Eleazar [0499] than of the sons [01121] of Ithamar [0385]; and thus were they divided [02505]. Among the sons [01121] of Eleazar [0499] there were sixteen [08337] [06240] chief men [07218] of the house [01004] of their fathers [01], and eight [08083] among the sons [01121] of Ithamar [0385] according to the house [01004] of their fathers [01].

¹ Now these are the divisions [04256] of the sons [01121] of Aaron [0175]. The sons [01121] of Aaron [0175]; Nadab [05070], and Abihu [030], Eleazar [0499], and Ithamar [0385].

¹ Now [1161] when Jesus [2424] was born [1080] in [1722] Bethlehem [965] of Judaea [2449] in [1722] the days [2250] of Herod [2264] the king [935], behold [2400], there came [3854] wise men [3097] from [575] the east [395] to [1519] Jerusalem [2414],

¹⁴ And he appointed [05975], according to the order [04941] of David [01732] his father [01], the courses [04256] of the priests [03548] to their service [05656], and the Levites [03881] to their charges [04931], to praise [01984] and minister [08334] before the priests [03548], as the duty [01697] of every day [03117] required [03117]: the porters [07778] also by their courses [04256] at every gate [08179]: for so had David [01732] the man [0376] of God [0430] commanded [04687].

¹⁰ The seventh [07637] to Hakkoz [06976], the eighth [08066] to Abijah [029],

⁸ So the Levites [03881] and all Judah [03063] did [06213] according to all things that Jehoiada [03077] the priest [03548] had commanded [06680], and took [03947] every man [0376] his men [0582] that were to come in [0935] on the sabbath [07676], with them that were to go [03318] out on the sabbath [07676]: for Jehoiada [03077] the priest [03548] dismissed [06358] not the courses [04256].

⁷ And two [08147] parts [03027] of all you that go forth [03318] on the sabbath [07676], even they shall keep [08104] the watch [04931] of the house [01004] of the LORD [03068] about [0413] the king [04428].

¹ Now these are the divisions [04256] of the sons [01121] of Aaron [0175]. The sons [01121] of Aaron [0175]; Nadab [05070], and Abihu [030], Eleazar [0499], and Ithamar [0385].

² But thou, Bethlehem [01035] Ephratah [0672], though thou be little [06810] among the thousands [0505] of Judah [03063], yet out of thee shall he come forth [03318] unto me that is to be ruler [04910] in Israel [03478]; whose goings forth [04163] have been from of old [06924], from everlasting [03117] [05769].

¹ Now gather [01413] thyself in troops [01416], O daughter [01323] of troops [01416]: he hath laid [07760] siege [04692] against us: they shall smite [05221] the judge [08199] of Israel [03478] with a rod [07626] upon the cheek [03895].

¹⁰ The sceptre [07626] shall not depart [05493] from Judah [03063], nor a lawgiver [02710] from between his feet [07272], until [03588] Shiloh [07886] come [0935]; and unto him shall the gathering [03349] of the people [05971] be.