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Contemporary English Version

Luke 1:9

According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the Lord's temple that day and to burn incense,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Barrenness;   Elisabeth (Elizabeth);   Joy;   Lot, the;   Priest;   Temple;   Zacharias (Zechariah);   Scofield Reference Index - Sanctification;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Incense;   Offerings;   Priests;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Elisabeth;   John;   Priest;   Temple;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - John the baptist;   Temple;   Tradition;   Zechariah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Jerusalem;   John the Baptist;   Miracle;   Priest, Priesthood;   Vision(s);   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Angel;   Union Hypostatical;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Lot;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Censer;   Incense;   Juttah;   Lot (2);   Luke, the Gospel According to;   Priest;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ethics;   Gabriel;   Incense;   Jesus, Life and Ministry of;   John;   Lots;   Luke, Gospel of;   Mother;   Plants in the Bible;   Resurrection of Jesus Christ;   Zacharias;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Gabriel;   Incense;   John the Baptist;   Vision;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Deaf and Dumb;   Incense;   Lots;   Lots ;   Prayer (2);   Priest (2);   Temple (2);   Winter ;   Zacharias ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Elisabeth ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Theophilus;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elisabeth;   Incense;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Censer;   Priest;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - John the Baptist;   Priest;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - John, the Baptize;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Custom (2);   Incense;   Office;   Priesthood in the New Testament;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Bell;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - John the Baptist;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
King James Version (1611)
According to the custome of the Priests office, his lot was to burne incense when he went into the Temple of the Lord.
King James Version
According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
English Standard Version
according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
New American Standard Bible
according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
New Century Version
According to the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Amplified Bible
as was the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter [the sanctuary of] the temple of the Lord and burn incense [on the altar of incense].
New American Standard Bible (1995)
according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Legacy Standard Bible
according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
Berean Standard Bible
he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Complete Jewish Bible
he was chosen by lot (according to the custom among the cohanim) to enter the Temple and burn incense.
Darby Translation
it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.
Easy-to-Read Version
The priests always chose one priest to offer the incense, and Zechariah was the one chosen this time. So he went into the Temple of the Lord to offer the incense.
Geneva Bible (1587)
According to the custome of the Priests office, his lot was to burne incense, when he went into the Temple of the Lord.
George Lamsa Translation
According to the custom of the priesthood, his turn came to burn incense; so he entered the temple of the Lord.
Good News Translation
According to the custom followed by the priests, he was chosen by lot to burn incense on the altar. So he went into the Temple of the Lord,
Lexham English Bible
according to the custom of the priesthood he was chosen by lot to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.
Literal Translation
according to the custom of the priests, entering into the Holy Place of the Lord, it was Zacharias' lot to burn incense.
American Standard Version
according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Bible in Basic English
And as was the way of the priests, he had to go into the Temple to see to the burning of perfumes.
Hebrew Names Version
according to the custom of the Kohen's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
International Standard Version
he was chosen by lot to go into the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense, according to the custom of the priests.Exodus 30:7-8; 1 Samuel 2:28; 1 Chronicles 23:13; 2 Chronicles 29:11;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
according to the custom of the priesthood he came to set on incense, and entered into the temple of the Lord.
Murdock Translation
according to the usage of the priesthood, it fell to him to offer the incense. And he went into the temple of the Lord,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Accordyng to ye custome of the priestes office, his lot was to burne incence, whe he went into the temple of the Lorde.
English Revised Version
according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
World English Bible
according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn the incense, going into the temple of the Lord.
Weymouth's New Testament
it fell to his lot--according to the custom of the priesthood--to go into the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn the incense;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
aftir the custome of the preesthod, he wente forth bi lot, and entride in to the temple, to encense.
Update Bible Version
according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Webster's Bible Translation
According to the custom of the priests' office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
New English Translation
he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the holy place of the Lord and burn incense.
New King James Version
according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
New Living Translation
As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
New Life Bible
The religious leaders were given certain kinds of work to do. Zacharias was chosen to go to the house of God to burn special perfume.
New Revised Standard
he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
according to the custom of his priesthood, it fell to his lot to offer incense, entering into the Temple of the Lord;
Douay-Rheims Bible
According to the custom of the priestly office, it was his lot to offer incense, going into the temple of the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
(accordinge to the custome of the prestes office) his lot was to bourne incece.
Young's Literal Translation
according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot was to make perfume, having gone into the sanctuary of the Lord,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
(acordinge to the custome of the presthode) it fell to his lott to burne incense.
Mace New Testament (1729)
and according to the custom of distributing the parts, it fell to his lot to burn incense in the sanctuary.
Simplified Cowboy Version
One preacher was always chosen to carry the incense for the services, and old Zechariah was the one they chose.

Contextual Overview

5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest by the name of Zechariah from the priestly group of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was from the family of Aaron. 6 Both of them were good people and pleased the Lord God by obeying all that he had commanded. 7 But they did not have children. Elizabeth could not have any, and both Zechariah and Elizabeth were already old. 8 One day Zechariah's group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest. 9 According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the Lord's temple that day and to burn incense, 10 while the people stood outside praying. 11 All at once an angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar. 12 Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel. 13 But the angel told him: Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John. 14 His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

his: Exodus 30:7, Exodus 30:8, Exodus 37:25-29, Numbers 16:40, 1 Samuel 2:28, 1 Chronicles 6:49, 1 Chronicles 23:13, 2 Chronicles 26:16, 2 Chronicles 29:11, Hebrews 9:6

Reciprocal: Leviticus 2:1 - frankincense Leviticus 10:1 - put incense Deuteronomy 33:10 - they shall put incense 2 Kings 11:5 - that enter 2 Chronicles 13:11 - sweet incense 2 Chronicles 23:4 - entering Psalms 141:2 - as incense Song of Solomon 4:6 - the mountain Luke 18:10 - into Hebrews 10:11 - daily

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:2
The earth was barren, with no form of life; it was under a roaring ocean covered with darkness. But the Spirit of God was moving over the water.
Genesis 1:5
and named the light "Day" and the darkness "Night." Evening came and then morning—that was the first day.
Genesis 1:6

The Second Day

God said, "I command a dome to separate the water above it from the water below it."
Genesis 1:8
and named it "Sky." Evening came and then morning—that was the second day.
Genesis 1:9

The Third Day

God said, "I command the water under the sky to come together in one place, so there will be dry ground." And that's what happened.
Genesis 1:11
God said, "I command the earth to produce all kinds of plants, including fruit trees and grain." And that's what happened.
Genesis 1:28
God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.
Genesis 1:29
I have provided all kinds of fruit and grain for you to eat.
Job 26:7
who hung the northern sky and suspended the earth on empty space.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

According to the custom of the priest's office,.... In which, every man took his part in the execution of it by lot; and which was not an original settled law of God; but a custom, which, in process of time, through the number of the priests, took place, and prevailed: the occasion of it was this;

"at first, whoever would, might sweep the altar, or cleanse it----it happened that two alike ran, and came up to the ascent of the altar, and one thrust down the other, and he fell, and his leg was broke; and when the sanhedrim saw that they came into danger, they ordered that they should not cleanse the altar, but by lot d.''

And so likewise all other sorts of service were settled by lot:

his lot was to burn incense, when he went into the temple of the Lord; where was the altar of incense, and which was burnt upon it morning and evening; see Exodus 30:1, and was typical of the continual intercession of Jesus Christ; and this part of service was assigned him by lot. The priests used to cast lots, what part they should take in the service of the temple, in the order of the course, to which they belonged e.

"There were four lots there, and this was the first lot (i.e. to cleanse the altar); the second lot was, who should slay (the sacrifice,) who should sprinkle (the blood), who should remove the ashes from the innermost altar, who should cleanse the candlestick, who should bring the members (or parts of the sacrifice) to the ascent of the altar----the third lot was, ye new ones, to the incense come, והפיסו, and "cast lots"; and the fourth, ye new ones, with the old ones, who shall bring up the parts from the ascent of the altar to the altar.''

And this was not only the case on the day of atonement, to which these rules belong; but every day in the daily service and sacrifice, when the same rules were observed, as appears from the rubric of the daily sacrifice: f

"the president said unto them (the priests), come and cast lots who shall slay, who shall sprinkle, who shall remove the ashes from the innermost altar, who shall remove the ashes from the candlestick, who shall bring up the parts to the ascent of the altar, c.''

Again, g,

"he says to them, O ye new ones, to the incense come, and cast lots and they cast lots, and he is worthy, whom he accounts worthy--and he that is accounted worthy of the incense, takes a vessel, and the vessel is like to a large golden bushel, that holds three kabs, and a bowl in the middle of it, full and heaped up with incense, with a cover, and a sort of a linen cloth put over it.''

And it is afterwards said h,

"he that is worthy of the incense, takes the bowl out of the vessel, and gives it to his friend, or he that is near to him; and if it is scattered from it, in the midst of it, he puts it into his fist; and they teach him, "saying", take care that thou dost not begin before thy face, that thou art not burnt: when he begins, he spreads it and goes out; and he that burns incense, may not do it, until the president says, burn incense.''

The account Maimonides gives i of this matter, is as follows;

"all the services that they do every day, they do, בפייס, by lot; and how do they do it? All the priests of the houses of the fathers, of the day, go into the paved chamber, after the pillar of the morning has ascended, and clothe themselves with the priestly garments; and the president who is over the lots is with them, and they stand in a circle; and the president takes a mitre from off the head of one of them, and goes round with it, and the man from whom he begins to number, and they cast lots, as has been explained----how do they cast lots? they stand in a circle, and agree upon a number, eighty, a hundred, or a thousand, or whatsoever number they may agree upon; and the president says to them, put out your fingers, and they put out their fingers, one, or two; and if one puts out three, they number him three; and they do not put out the thumb in the sanctuary, because of deceivers; for the thumb is short, and easy to be put out, and to bend; and he that puts out the thumb, they do not number for him: and the president begins to number from the man that is known, whose mitre he took off first, and he numbers by their fingers, and returns in the round, until he has perfected the number they agreed upon; and the man that completes the number with his finger, he is he that goes out by the first lot to service: and why does he number the number they agree upon, by their fingers that they put out, and does not number them by the men themselves? Because it is forbidden to number Israel, but by means of another thing; as it is said, 1 Samuel 15:4 "And numbered them in Telaim". There were four lots they cast every day in the morning; the first lot; was, who should cleanse the altar: they cast lots, and he was worthy that was accounted worthy to cleanse it; and he sets the row in order, and brings up the two pieces of wood to the altar, and he brings in the censer full of fire, from the outer altar, to the golden altar, to burn incense upon it: and the second lot, thirteen were worthy of it, according to the order of their standing; how? the president says to them, put out your fingers, and he numbers in the way that has been explained; and he that goes out by the first lot, is he that slays the daily sacrifice of the morning; and the second that stands by his side, is he that receives the blood of the daily sacrifice, and sprinkles it; and the third that is next to the second, receives the ashes from the innermost altar, which is the altar of incense; and the fourth, that is by his side, cleanses the candlestick, and trims the lamps; and the fifth brings up the head of the daily sacrifice, and its leg to the ascent of the altar: and the sixth brings up the two shoulders; and the seventh brings up the extreme part of the backbone, and the other leg; and the eighth brings up the breast and the gullet; and the ninth brings up the two sides; and the tenth brings up the inwards; and the eleventh brings up the fine flour, and the drink offerings; and the twelfth brings up the things that were fried; and the thirteenth brings up the wine of the drink offerings: the third lot, the president says to them, "even" to all the men of the house of the father of that day, whoever has never burnt incense, let him come and "cast lots"; and they gather together to the president, and cast lots; and he that goes out by the lot first, he is he that is worthy to burn incense; the fourth lot, they all gather together, and cast lots to know who shall bring up the parts from the ascent of the altar, to the altar; they cast lots, and he is worthy who is accounted worthy: the daily evening sacrifice, they do not cast another lot for it; but every priest that is worthy of any service of the services of the morning, is worthy of the evening, except that of the incense; for they cast another lot for that in the evening; and every one may come, who has never burnt incense of the men of that house of the fathers, and cast lots for it; but if they have all of them burnt incense already, they all of them cast lots, in the morning, at the third lot; and he that is worthy of it in the morning, burns incense in the evening.''

Hence it appears, that the burning of incense, as other parts of the priest's service, was by lot; and that they were new priests, or such who had never burnt incense, that cast lots for it: for it is a tradition k, that no man ever burnt incense twice; the reason assigned for it is, because it makes a man rich; and therefore that every one might partake of the blessing in their turns, new ones were called unto it: whether Zacharias had ever burnt incense before, and whether he now did it in the morning or evening, is not certain.

d Misn. Yoma, c. 2. sect. 1, 2. e Ib. sect. 2, 3, 4. f Misn. Tamid. c. 3. sect. 1. g Ib. c. 5. sect. 2. 4. h Misn. Tamid. c. 6. sect. 3. i Hilchot Tamidin, c. 4. sect. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Vid. T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 25. 1. & Gloss in fol. 22. 1. & Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Yoma, c. 2. sect. 1. k T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 26. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was. - The Jewish writers inform us that it was customary for the priests to divide their daily task by “lot.”

To burn incense - Incense is an aromatic or white rosin procured from trees, chiefly in Arabia. It is obtained by making incisions in the tree, and the gum flows out. It is distinguished for an especially pleasant “smell” when burned, and was therefore used in ancient worship. It was burned by the priest twice a day Exodus 30:7, and it seems to have been emblematic of prayer and praise, or of the grateful offerings of the heart wafted toward heaven. The incense used in the temple was made of stacte, onycha, and galbanum Exodus 30:34, with pure frankincense, and it was not lawful for this compound to be used elsewhere than in the house of God.

Into the temple - See the notes at Matthew 21:12. The part of the temple where incense was burned was the “holy place.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 1:9. His lot was, &c.] We are informed in the Talmud, that it was the custom of the priests to divide the different functions of the sacerdotal office among themselves by lot: and, in this case, the decision of the lot was, that Zacharias should at that time burn the incense before the Lord, in the holy place.


 
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