Luke 1:65

And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(65) All the hill country of Judæa.—The district so designated included the mountain plateau to the south of Jerusalem, which reaches its highest point at Hebron. (See Note on Luke 1:39.) The whole verse describes the gradual spread of the report of the events from the immediate neighbourhood to the wider district of which it formed a part.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:57-66 In these verses we have an account of the birth of John the Baptist, and the great joy among all the relations of the family. He shall be called Johanan, or Gracious, because he shall bring in the gospel of Christ, wherein God's grace shines most bright. Zacharias recovered his speech. Unbelief closed his mouth, and believing opened it again: he believers, therefore he speaks. When God opens our lips, our mouths must show forth his praise; and better be without speech, than not use it in praising God. It is said, The hand of the Lord was working with John. God has ways of working on children in their infancy, which we cannot account for. We should observe the dealings of God, and wait the event.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And fear came ... - The word "fear" often denotes 'religious reverence.' The remarkable circumstances attending the birth of John, and the fact that Zechariah was suddenly restored to speech, convinced them that God was there, and filled their minds with awe and veneration.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

65. fear—religious awe; under the impression that God's hand was specially in these events (compare Lu 5:26; 7:16; 8:37).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 65,66. By fear here is to be understood an awe and religions reverence of God, caused by these miraculous operations. Fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles, Acts 2:43.

These sayings, rhmata tauta; it is a Hebraism; these doings, or matters, or things, were published throughout all the parts of Judea adjacent to the city where Zacharias dwelt, Luke 1:39.

And those serious people that heard them pondered on them, considering the work of the Lord, and did think that this child would prove no ordinary person. And the hand of the Lord was with him. By the hand of the Lord is meant, the power of the Lord, his providence, love, favour: thus the Lord is said to have been with Samuel, 1 Samuel 3:19. The hand of the Lord oft signifieth the power, help, and assistance of the Lord, 1 Chronicles 28:19 Psalm 80:17. The hand of the Lord upon a person sometimes signifieth the Spirit of prophecy, Ezekiel 1:3 40:1; but this is a different phrase, denoting only God’s special favour to John, watching over and protecting him, causing him to grow up and thrive, to improve in knowledge, &c.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And fear came on all that dwelt round about them,.... That is, the fear of God, an awful reverence of the divine majesty; they perceived the hand of God was in these things, and that these were effects of divine power; and which made very serious impressions upon their minds, and they thought, and spoke of them with great solemnity; see Acts 2:43.

and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea: the several things relating to the appearance of the angel to Zacharias in the temple; his message to him; the striking him deaf and dumb; the conception of Elisabeth, who had been barren; the birth of her son; the unusual name given him; and the more unusual manner in which it was given; and the opening of Zacharias's mouth, and the loosening of his tongue upon this, were reported, and commonly talked of by all people to that part of Judea, where the parents of John dwelt.

Geneva Study Bible

And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all {d} these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

(d) All this which was said and done.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Luke 1:65 f. An historical digression, narrating the impression which these marvellous events at the circumcision produced in wider circles.

φόβος] not amazement, but fear, the first impression of the extraordinary (comp. Mark 4:41; Acts 2:43).

αὐτούς] applies to Zacharias and Elizabeth. On περιοικεῖν τινα, comp. Herod. v. 78; Xen. Anab. v. 6. 16; Plut. Crass. 34.

διελαλεῖτο] were mutually talked of, Polyb. i. 85. 2, ix. 32. 1.

τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα] these utterances, which had occurred with such marvellous significance at the circumcision of the child from Luke 1:59 to Luke 1:64; Luke 2:19.

ἔθεντο … ἐν τῇ καρδ. αὐτῶν] Comp. שִׂים עַל לֶב (1 Samuel 21:12), and the Homeric τίθημι ἐν στήθεσσι, ἐν φρεσί, and see Valckenaer in loc. They made those utterances the subject of their further reflection. Comp. Luke 2:19.

τί ἄρα] quid igitur, under these circumstances, according to these auspices, what then now will, etc.; see Klotz, ad Devar. p. 176; Nägelsbach, Anm. z. Ilias, ed. 3, p. 10 f. Comp. Luke 8:25, Luke 12:42. On the neuter τί, which is more in keeping with the uncertainty and the emotion of the inquirers than τίς, comp. Acts 12:18; Schaefer, Melet. p. 98; Bornemann, Schol. p. 15.

καὶ γὰρ χεὶρ κυρίου ἦν μετʼ αὐτοῦ] An observation of Luke, in which he would indicate that the people rightly asked this question, expecting something unusual of the child: for also (καὶ γὰρ, see the critical remarks) the hand of the Lord was with him. The emphasis rests on χεὶρ κυρίου, which, with καί, makes known to us the mighty help of God (so χεὶρ κυρίου very frequently in the O. T.; comp. also Hermann, ad Vig. p. 732) as in keeping with the ominous phenomena. Others, like Storr, Kuinoel, Paulus, Ewald, place these words too in the mouth of those asking the question (so also Rettig in the Stud. u. Krit. 1838, p. 219, who, following the Recepta. places a colon after καί: and others said). But this reflective specifying of a reason would have been superfluous in the mouth of those people, and little in keeping with the emotion of their question. And instead of ἦν they would have said ἐστί, inferring, namely, the help of God from the events at the circumcision; while the καί would be but tame and cumbrous.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

65. fear] The minds of men at this period were full of dread and agitated expectancy, which had spread even to the heathen. Virg. Ecl. iv.; Orac. Sibyl. iii.; Suet. Vesp. 4; Tac. Hist. v. 13; Jos. Bell. Jud. vi. 5, § 4.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 1:65. [Φόβος, fear) This whole affair breathed of Divine guidance.]—πάντα, κ.τ.λ., all, etc.) All whatsoever is recorded from Luke 1:11.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 65. - And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. The inspired utterance of the old priest, so long dumb, in his beautiful hymn of praise, completed as it were the strange cycle of strange events which had happened in the priestly family. Luke 1:65

Vincent's Word Studies

Were noised abroad (διαλελεῖτο)

Were mutually (διά) talked of.