UZekhariya lomkakhe u-Elizabethi babehlala eduze leJerusalema ngemva kweminyaka edlula 400 imiduli yedolobho lelo yakhiwe kutsha. Basebeleminyaka eminengi betshadile kodwa bengelabantwana. Ngelinye ilanga uZekhariya wathi etshisa impepha ethempelini kwathutsha ingilosi uGabhariyeli. UZekhariya wethuka kodwa uGabhariyeli wathi kuye: ‘Ungesabi Zekhariya. Ngikuphathele izindaba ezinhle ezivela kuJehova. Umkakho u-Elizabethi uzakuba lomntwana futhi kumele umnike ibizo elithi Johane. UJehova ukhethe uJohane ukuthi enze umsebenzi oqakathekileyo.’ UZekhariya wathi: ‘Kunzima ukuthi ngikukholwe ngoba mina lomkami sesiluphele.’ UGabhariyeli wathi: ‘Ngithunywe nguNkulunkulu ukuthi ngizokutshela lokhu kodwa wena kawungikholwa. Uzakuba yisimungulu umntwana aze abelethwe.’

UZekhariya wahlala isikhathi eside ethempelini. Wathi ephuma wafica abantu bemmelele befuna ukwazi ukuthi kwakuhambe njani. Kodwa uZekhariya wayengasakhulumi. Wayesekhuluma ngezandla. Abantu bahle bananzelela ukuthi wayethole umlayezo ovela kuNkulunkulu.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi u-Elizabethi waba lomntwana njengoba ingilosi yayitshilo. Izihlobo labangane bakhe beza ukuzobona umntwana. Babethabile sibili. U-Elizabethi wathi: ‘Ibizo lakhe nguJohane.’ Bona bathi: ‘Kodwa emulini yenu akulamuntu olebizo elinjalo. Kungcono umnike ibizo likayise elithi Zekhariya.’ Kodwa uZekhariya wabhala phansi wathi: ‘Ibizo lakhe nguJohane.’ UZekhariya wahle waqalisa ukukhuluma. Abantu abanengi bezwa ngokuzalwa kukaJohane njalo babezibuza besithi: ‘Umntwana lo uzakuba yini angakhula?’

UZekhariya waba lomoya ongcwele wasephrofetha  wathi: ‘Kadunyiswe uJehova. Wathembisa u-Abhrahama ukuthi uzathumela uMesiya azosikhulula. UJohane uzakuba ngumphrofethi futhi uzalungisela uMesiya indlela.’

Kwenzakala into efananayo esihlotsheni sika-Elizabethi okuthiwa nguMariya. Sizafunda ngakho esifundweni esilandelayo.