Luke 1:7 (LSB)

Passage

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

Nearby Context

Luke 1:5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah, and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

Luke 1:6 And they were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the Lord.

Luke 1:7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

Luke 1:8 Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the order of his division,

Luke 1:9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "child", "elizabeth", "barren", "both", "advanced", and "years". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "child" and "elizabeth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "And they were both righteous in the..." into verse 8's "Now it happened that while he was...", so "child" and "elizabeth" belong inside that flow. In Luke context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "child" and "elizabeth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.