Charles Ellicott Commentary Luke 1:25

"Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked upon [me], to take away my reproach among men." — Luke 1:25 (ASV)

To take away my reproach among men.—The words express in almost their strongest form the Jewish feeling as to maternity. To have no children was more than a misfortune. It seemed to imply some secret sin which God was punishing with barrenness. So we have Rachel’s cry, Give me children, or else I die (Genesis 30:1); and Hannah’s bitterness of soul when her adversary provoked her to make her fret (1 Samuel 1:6–10).