Ngemva kweminyaka lengu-400 lubondza lwaseJerusalema lwakhiwe, umphristi Zakhariya nemfati wakhe Elizabethe bebahlala edvute nalelidolobha. Besebaneminyaka leminyenti bashadile kodvwa bebangabatfoli bantfwana. Ngalelinye lilanga Zakhariya asethempelini ashisa imphepho, wavakashelwa yingilosi Gabriyeli. Zakhariya wesaba, kodvwa lengilosi yatsi: ‘Ungesabi. Ngikuletsele tindzaba letimnandzi letivela kuJehova. Elizabethe umkakho utakutalela indvodzana, futsi kufanele uyetse utsi nguJohane. Jehova ukhetse Johane kutsi ente umsebenti lokhetsekile.’ Zakhariya watsi: ‘Ngingakwetsemba njani? Mine nemkami sesigugile kutsi singaba nemntfwana.’ Gabriyeli watsi: ‘NguNkulunkulu longitfume kutsi ngitokutjela letindzaba. Ngenca yekutsi awukangetsembi, angeke uze ukhone kukhuluma aze atalwe lomntfwana.’

Zakhariya wahlala ethempelini sikhatsi lesidze. Nakaphuma bantfu bebammele ngaphandle bafuna kwati kutsi kwentekeni. Zakhariya abengakhoni kukhuluma. Abekhuluma ngetandla kuphela. Labantfu babona kutsi Zakhariya utfole umlayeto lovela kuNkulunkulu.

Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi Elizabethe wakhulelwa futsi watala umfana njengobe ingilosi beyishito. Bangani netihlobo tabo beta kutobona lomntfwana. Bajabula kakhulu. Elizabethe watsi: ‘Ligama lakhe kutawuba nguJohane.’ Letihlobo tatsi: ‘Akekho emndenini wakho lokutsiwa nguJohane. Metse ligama lababewakhe Zakhariya.’ Kodvwa Zakhariya wabhala phasi watsi: ‘Ligama lakhe nguJohane.’ Ngaleso sikhatsi, Zakhariya wabese uyakhona kukhuluma. Tindzaba letimayelana nalomntfwana tagcwala kulo lonkhe lakaJuda futsi bantfu bebatibuta kutsi lomntfwana utawukhula abe yini.

Ngako Zakhariya wagcwala umoya longcwele. Waphrofetha watsi: ‘Akadvunyiswe Jehova. Wetsembisa Abrahama  kutsi utawutfumela Mesiya kutsi atosisindzisa. Johane utawuba ngumphrofethi futsi utawulungiselela kuta kwaMesiya.’

Kukhona intfo lemangalisako leyenteka kuMariya sihlobo sa-Elizabethe. Kutsi kwentekani sitawuva kulesihloko lesilandzelako.