Luke 1:24

Hid herself. Why Elisabeth concealed herself for the first five months of pregnancy is not clear. No known Jewish custom would have required her to do so, and the context implies that she did so voluntarily. Some commentators suggest that she remained at home until it would be evident that her “reproach” (see on v. 25) was removed. Others think that the mention of a period of five months is inserted merely in anticipation of Mary’s visit in the sixth month. It may be, however, that in anticipation of the dedicated life John was to live, as a Nazirite (see on v. 15), Elisabeth sought to remove herself from the usual contacts with society and to give thought and study to the responsibility of rearing a child to whom so important a task as that assigned John was to be entrusted. Such a motive would seem to be fully in harmony with Elisabeth’s character (see v. 6).