Verses 21-25 “21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
22And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
23And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.”
Having completed his appointed time for his temple service, Zacharias returned to his home, being deaf and dumb. We say deaf as well as dumb because we can think of no other reason for his relatives and neighbors communicating with him through hand gestures (see v 62). He returned home to his wife, Elisabeth, and soon she was with child, as the Lord had promised. This proves once again that nothing that is in keeping with His nature is too hard for the Lord (see v 37). Elisabeth “hid herself five months,” and there has been much speculation for this course of action. Some have said that she did not want to seem to boast that she was with child, and so stayed in her own house. Others have speculated that she was somewhat embarrassed to be having a baby at such an advanced age. We think the true reason that she hid herself had to do with her desire to protect her unborn child. There was some natural danger of miscarriage because of her age, and having been childless for so long , she was motivated to stay at home for her unborn child’s safety.