Study · Name
Elizabeth
Elizabeth's name comes from the Hebrew Elisheba, meaning 'My God is an oath' or 'My God is abundance,' rooted in the same name borne by Aaron's wife in Exodus 6:23. In the New Testament, Elizabeth is introduced as a righteous woman who walked blamelessly in all the commandments of the Lord (Luke 1:6), yet carried the deep sorrow of barrenness well into old age. She was the wife of the priest Zechariah and a relative of Mary of Nazareth. When the angel Gabriel announced to Zechariah that Elizabeth would bear a son, the child was already designated as the forerunner of the Messiah. When Mary traveled to visit her, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and the child leaped in her womb — a prenatal recognition of the incarnate Christ (Luke 1:41). Elizabeth then spoke a profound blessing over Mary, becoming the first person in Scripture to proclaim Mary as 'the mother of my Lord' (Luke 1:43). Her story is one of faithful waiting, unlikely fulfillment, and Spirit-empowered recognition of God's work in the world.
Name meaning
My God is an oath
- Language
- Hebrew