Luke 1:13. For thy prayer is heard. The doubt of Zacharias (Luke 1:18) indicates that he had ceased to pray for a son. The prayer was doubtless a Messianic one, even if he still cherished some hope of a son in his old age. The answer includes both the public and private blessing. The Messiah will appear in his days, and the forerunner promised of old (Malachi 4) shall be his son.

John, ‘God graciously gave.' Comp. 2 Kings 25:23; 2 Chronicles 17:15; 2Ch 23:1; 2 Chronicles 28:12; Nehemiah 6:18; Nehemiah 12:13; where the Hebrew name occurs in different forms. See on Matthew 1:1.

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Old Testament