Luke 1:39-45

Mary arose in those days That is, soon after the time that she had received the extraordinary message mentioned above; and went into the hill-country Where Elisabeth dwelt, although it was at least seventy miles distant from Nazareth. It is probable she was eager to know the certainty of her cousin's pregnancy, which the angel had mentioned, to show her the possibility of her own. Into a city of Juda Probably Hebron, which belonged to the house of Aaron, and was situated in Judea, the mountains of which, running from south to north, gave the name of the hill-country to a part of it. And saluted Elisabeth Immediately on her entering Zacharias's house: and she no sooner spake than the child in the womb of Elisabeth leaped, as transported with joy, as if sensible of the approach of Him whose forerunner he was appointed to be. And the holy woman Elisabeth was so enlightened by the extraordinary influence of the Holy Ghost, that she instantly knew her cousin Mary had conceived with child of the Messiah, and therefore saluted her by the grand title of, the mother of my Lord. Being also in a divine and prophetic ecstasy, she uttered things which had an evident relation to the particulars of Mary's interview with the angel; things, therefore, which she could only know by revelation; so that she astonished Mary exceedingly, and exalted her faith beyond every doubt. And she spake with a loud voice Such as testified the greatness of the emotion of her mind; and said, Blessed art thou among women The same salutation wherewith Gabriel had addressed Mary; and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Alluding probably to the child's being the promised seed in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed, and who for that reason was blessed himself. Psalms 72:17. And whence is this, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? If Elisabeth had not been extraordinarily inspired, she could not so much as have suspected that Mary was to be the mother of the Messiah; but this being revealed to her, she was greatly struck with the honour that was done her, and expressed her sense thereof by asking, in a rapture of astonishment, how it came to be conferred upon her. As if she had said, “How have I deserved this honour, that the mother of the Messiah, my Lord and Saviour, should deign to visit me?” And blessed is she that believed Here Elisabeth plainly commends the faith and humility which Mary had expressed, when the angel assured her that she should become pregnant in her virgin state; contrary to the behaviour of Zacharias, who, it seems, had informed Elisabeth by writing of all that had happened, or she might come to the knowledge of it by revelation. For there shall be a performance of those things, &c. Dr. Campbell reads this clause in connection with the preceding, thus: Happy is she who believed that the things which the Lord hath promised her shall be performed; understanding the latter clause to be the object of Mary's faith: and for this reading he assigns solid reasons. Indeed, it is the reading of the margin.