Ἦν δέ τις ἀσθενῶν. “Now a certain man was ill;” δέ connects this narrative with the preceding, and introduces the cause of our Lord's leaving His retirement in Peraea. “Lazarus,” the Greek form of Eleazar = God is my Help (cf. Luke 16:20), “of Bethany”. ἀπό is commonly used to designate residence or birthplace, see John 1:45; Hebrews 13:24, etc.; ἐκ is used similarly, see Acts 23:34. Bethany lay on the south-east slope of Olivet, nearly two miles from Jerusalem, John 11:18; it is now named El-'Azirîyeh, after Lazarus; “from the village of Mary and Martha her sister,” a description of Bethany added not so much to distinguish it from the Bethany of John 1:28 (cf. John 10:40) as to connect it with persons already named in the evangelic tradition, Luke 10:38.

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Old Testament