beth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.5

m

8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the Priest's office before God in the order of his course,

9 According to the custom of the Priest's office, his lot was "to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

5 advanced in their days. Wh. Pu.

m 1 CHR. xxiv. 19: These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him. 2 CHR. viii. 14: And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate : for so had David the man of God commanded. do. xxi. 2: And he had brethren, the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shepatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.

n EXOD. XXX. 7, 8: And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD, throughout your generations. 1 SAM. ii. 28: And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, &c. 1 CHR. xxiii. 13: The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever. 2 CHR. XXIX. 11: My sons, be not thou negligent; for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.

"LEV. xvi. 17: There shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. Ps. cxli. 2: Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense. REV. viii. 3, 4: And another angel came and

11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

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.

r

14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall 'rejoice at his birth.

15 For he shall be 'great in the sight of the Lord, and shall "drink neither wine nor strong

stood at the altar, having a golden censor; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

P EXOD. XXX. 1: Thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon.

JUDG. vi. 22: And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O LORD God! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. do. xiii. 22: And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. DAN. X. 8: Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and. I retained no strength. LUKE, ii. 9: And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid. ACTS, x. 4: And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. REV. i. 17: And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last.

Ver. 60, 63.

s Ver. 58.

:

LUKE, vii. 28: For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. "NUM. vi. 3: He [the Nazarite] shall separate himself from

drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17 And he shall go before him in the 'spirit and power of Elias, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the 'wisdom' of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

6 with those of the childreu. Dod. ' by the wisdom. A. V. 8 make the people ready for the Lord. Ma.

wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes or dried. JUDG. xiii. 4: Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing. LUKE, vii. 33: For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.

JER. i. 5: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. GAL. i. 15: Who separated me, from my mother's womb.

W

MAL. iv. 5, 6: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

× MAL. iv. 4: Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. MAT. xi. 14: If ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

▾ MARK, ix. 12: Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things.

ECCLUS. xlviii. 10: Who wast ordained for reproofs-to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

a Ps. cxi. 10: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

1 PET. ii. 9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his arvellous light.

18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, "Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.9

19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings.

20 And, behold, thou shalt be 'dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

9 is of a great age. Gen.

© GEN. XV. 8: [Abram] said, LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

a GEN. xvii. 17: Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? And shall Sarah, that is ninety years old,

bear?

e DAN. viii. 16: Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. do. ix. 21-23: The man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, Ŏ Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee; for thou art greatly beloved therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. MAT. xviii. 10: Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. HEB. i. 14: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

EZEK. iii. 26: I will make thy tongue cleave to thy mouth, and thou shalt be dumb. do. xxiv. 27: Thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb, and thou shalt be a sign unto them, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

8 GEN. Xviii. 13: The LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? NUM. xx. 12: And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel; therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

:

22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the "days of his ministration 10 were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked11 on me, to 'take away my reproach among men.

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

k

27 To a virgin espoused1 to a man whose

10 time of his office. Ma. had respect. Rh. 19 betrothed. Br.

h2 KINGS, Xi. 5: A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath. 1 CHR. ix. 25: Their brethren- -were to come after seven days from time to time with them.

GEN. XXX. 23: And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach. 1 SAM. i. 6: And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. ISA. iv. 1: In that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. do. liv. 1, 4: Sing, Ŏ barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

* MAT. i. 18: The birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise; when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph. LUKE, ii. 4, 5: And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.