Luke 2:36

ἦν : either there was there, aderat (Meyer, Godet, Weizsäcker), or there was, there lived (De Wette, J. Weiss, Schanz, Hahn). Ἅννα = חַנָּה, 1 Samuel 1:20 (Ἄννα in Sept [31]) = grace. Of this woman some particulars are given, e.g., her father and her tribe, which makes the absence of such details in Simeon's case more noteworthy. The two placed side by side give an aspect of historicity to the narrative. αὕτη (or αὐτή, the sense much the same) introduces some further details in a loosely constructed sentence, which looks like biographic notes, with verbs left out = she advanced in years, having lived with a husband, seven years from virginity, the same a widow till eighty-four years all which may be regarded, if we will, as a parenthesis, followed by a relative clause containing a statement of more importance, describing her way of life = who departed not from the temple, serving (God) by fasts and prayers, night and day.

[31] Septuagint.