Luke 1 · Verse 9

Luke 1:9

According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
Luke 1:9, King James Version

Luke 1:9 in other translations

BSBhe was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
WEBaccording to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
ASVaccording to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
YLTaccording to the custom of the priesthood, his lot was to make perfume, having gone into the sanctuary of the Lord,
DARBYit fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.
BBEAnd as was the way of the priests, he had to go into the Temple to see to the burning of perfumes.
WebsterAccording to the custom of the priests' office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

What does Luke 1:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. his lot was to burn incense--The part assigned to each priest in his week of service was decided by lot. Three were employed at the offering of incense--to remove the ashes of the former service; to bring in and place on the golden altar the pan filled with hot burning coals taken from the altar of burnt offering; and to sprinkle the incense on the hot coals; and, while the smoke of it ascended, to make intercession for the people. This was the most distinguished part of the service (Re 8:3), and this was what fell to the lot of Zacharias at this time [Lightfoot].

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 His lot was, etc. - 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.

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 1:9 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.

κατὰkataaccording toG2596
τὸtotheG3588
ἔθοςethoscustomG1485
τῆςtēsof theG3588
ἱερατείαςhi'erateiaspriesthoodG2405
ἔλαχενelachenthe lot picked [him as]G2975
τοῦtouthe [one]G3588
θυμιᾶσαιthumiasaito burn incenseG2370
εἰσελθὼνeiselthōnenteringG1525
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὸνtontheG3588
ναὸνnaontempleG3485
τοῦtouof theG3588
κυρίου·kuriouLord;G2962

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

Cross references for Luke 1:9

  • 2 Chronicles 29:11

    My sons, be not now negligent: for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.

  • 1 Chronicles 23:13

    The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.

  • Exodus 30:7-8

    And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.

  • Numbers 16:40

    To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the Lord; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the Lord said to him by the hand of Moses.

  • 1 Samuel 2:28

    And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?

  • 2 Chronicles 26:16

    But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

  • Hebrews 9:6

    Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

  • 1 Chronicles 6:49

    But Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, and were appointed for all the work of the place most holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

  • Exodus 37:25-29

    And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same. And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about. And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal. And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
his.
Ex 30:7,8; 37:25-29; Nu 16:40; 1Sa 2:28; 1Ch 6:49; 23:13; 2Ch 26:16
2Ch 29:11; Heb 9:6

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

Context

  • Luke 1:8

    And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,

  • Luke 1:9

    According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

  • Luke 1:10

    And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

Read all of Luke 1

Luke 1:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Conforme á la costumbre del sacerdocio, salió en suerte á poner el incienso, entrando en el templo del Señor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		que, selon la coutume de la sacrificature, le sort lui échut d’offrir le parfum en entrant dans le temple du ✶Seigneur.
German
Elberfelder 1871		traf ihn, nach der Gewohnheit des Priestertums, das Los, in den Tempel des Herrn zu gehen, um zu räuchern.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		secundum consuetudinem sacerdotii, sorte exiit ut incensum poneret, ingressus in templum Domini: