Elizabeth (biblical figure)

Elizabeth
Elizabeth (left) visited by Mary, the Visitation, by Philippe de Champaigne
Righteous
Born	1st century BC Hebron
Died	1st century BC (or early AD) (probably Hebron)
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodox Church Anglican Church Lutheran Church
Canonized	Pre-Congregation
Feast	November 5 (Roman Catholic, Lutheran) September 5 (Eastern Orthodox, Anglican)
Patronage	Pregnant women

Elizabeth, also spelled Elisabeth (Greek Ἐλισάβετ) or Elisheba (from the Hebrew אֱלִישֶׁבַע / אֱלִישָׁבַע "My God has sworn"; Standard Hebrew Elišévaʿ Elišávaʿ, Tiberian Hebrew ʾĔlîšéḇaʿ ʾĔlîšāḇaʿ; Arabic أليصاباتAlyassabat), was the mother of John the Baptist and the wife of Zechariah, according to the Gospel of Luke.

According to the Gospel of Luke, Elizabeth was "of the daughters of Aaron" (1:5). She and her husband Zacharias were "righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" (1:6–7), but childless. While he was in the temple of the Lord (1:8–12), Zacharias was visited by the angel Gabriel:

But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.

Zacharias doubted whereby he could know this since both he and his wife were old. The angel identified himself as Gabriel and told Zacharias that he would be "dumb, and not able to speak" until the words were fulfilled, because he did not believe. When the days of his ministry were complete, he returned to his house (Luke 1:16–23).