Luke 1 · Verse 11

Luke 1:11

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

Luke 1:11, King James Version

Luke 1:11 in other translations

BSB	Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
WEB	An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
ASV	And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
YLT	And there appeared to him a messenger of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of the perfume,
DARBY	And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense.
BBE	And he saw an angel of the Lord in his place on the right side of the altar.
Webster	And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

What does Luke 1:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. right side--the south side, between the altar and the candlestick, Zacharias being on the north side, in front of the altar, while offering incense [Webster and Wilkinson]. But why there? The right was the favorable side (Mt 25:33) [Schottgen and Westein in Meyer]; compare Mr 16:5.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 There appeared - an angel of the Lord - There had been neither prophecy nor angelic ministry vouchsafed to this people for about 400 years. But now, as the Sun of righteousness is about to arise upon them, the day-spring from on high visits them, that they may be prepared for that kingdom of God which was at hand. Every circumstance here is worthy of remark: 1. That an angel should now appear, as such a favor had not been granted for 400 years. 2. The person to whom this angel was sent - one of the priests. The sacerdotal office itself pointed out the Son of God till he came: by him it was to be completed, and in him it was to be eternally established: - Thou art a priest for ever, Psa 110:4. 3. The place in which the angel appeared - Jerusalem; out of which the word of the Lord should go forth, Isa 2:3, and not at Hebron, in the hill country of Judea, where Zacharias lived, Luk 1:39, which was the ordinary residence of the priests, Jos 21:11, where there could have been few witnesses of this interposition of God, and the effects produced by it. 4. The place where he was when the angel appeared to him - in the temple, which was the place where God was to be sought; the place of his residence, and a type of the human nature of the blessed Jesus, Joh 2:21. 5. The time in which this was done - the solemn hour of public prayer. God has always promised to be present with those who call upon him. When the people and the priest go hand in hand, and heart with heart, to the house of God, the angel of his presence shall surely accompany them, and God shall appear among them. 6. The employment of Zacharias when the angel appeared - he was burning incense, one of the most sacred and mysterious functions of the Levitical priesthood, and which typified the intercession of Christ: confer Heb 7:25, with Heb 9:24. 7. The long continued and publicly known dumbness of the priest, who doubted the word thus miraculously sent to him from the Lord: a solemn intimation of what God would do to all those who would not believe in the Lord Jesus. Every mouth shall be stopped.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 1:5-25

The father and mother of John the Baptist were sinners as all are, and were justified and saved in the same way as others; but they were eminent for piety and integrity. They had no children, and it could not be expected that Elisabeth should have any in her old age. While Zacharias was burning incense in the temple, the whole multitude of the people were praying without. All the prayers we offer up to God, are…

Read the full comment on Luke 1:5-25 →

Luke 1:11 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὬφθηŌphthēAppearedG3700

δὲdethenG1161

αὐτῷautōto himG846

ἄγγελοςangelosan angelG32

κυρίουkuriouof [the] LordG2962

ἑστὼςhestōsalready standingG2476

ἐκekatG1537

δεξιῶνdexiōn[the] rightG1188

τοῦtouof theG3588

θυσιαστηρίουthusiastērioualtarG2379

τοῦtouof theG3588

θυμιάματος·thumiamatosincense;G2368

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 1:11

Exodus 40:26-27
And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail: And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the Lord commanded Moses.
Acts 10:3-4
He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
Judges 13:3
And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
Revelation 9:13
And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Judges 13:9
And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.
Leviticus 16:13
And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:
Luke 2:10
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Exodus 30:1-10
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal. …
Acts 5:19
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
Luke 1:28
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Revelation 8:3-4
And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
Luke 1:19
And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

appeared.
19,28; 2:10; Jud 13:3,9; Ac 10:3,4; Heb 1:14
the altar.
Ex 30:1-6; 37:25-29; 40:26,27; Le 16:13; Re 8:3,4; 9:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Luke 1:10
And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
Luke 1:11
And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Luke 1:12
And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

Read all of Luke 1

Luke 1:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y se le apareció el ángel del Señor puesto en pie á la derecha del altar del incienso.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et un ange du ✶Seigneur lui apparut, se tenant au côté droit de l’autel du parfum.
German Elberfelder 1871	Es erschien ihm aber ein Engel des Herrn, zur Rechten des Räucheraltars stehend.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Apparuit autem illi angelus Domini, stans a dextris altaris incensi.