και 2532 CONJ επεθυμει 1937 5707 V-IAI-3S γεμισαι 1072 5658 V-AAN την 3588 T-ASF κοιλιαν 2836 N-ASF αυτου 846 P-GSM απο 575 PREP των 3588 T-GPN κερατιων 2769 N-GPN ων 3739 R-GPN ησθιον 2068 5707 V-IAI-3P οι 3588 T-NPM χοιροι 5519 N-NPM και 2532 CONJ ουδεις 3762 A-NSM εδιδου 1325 5707 V-IAI-3S αυτω 846 P-DSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
16. He would fain (epequmei). Longing desire. Imperfect tense, he was longing, all the while he was tending the swine.Filled his belly (gemisai thn koilian). The texts vary. The Rev. follows the reading cortasqhnai, "He would fain have been filled," using the same word which is employed by filling those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matt. v. 6, see note), and of the five thousand (Matt. xiv. 20). He had wanted the wrong thing all along, and it was no better now. All he wanted was to fill his belly.
Husks (keratiwn). Carob-pods. The word is a diminutive of kerav, a horn, and means, literally, a little horn, from the shape of the pod. The tree is sometimes called in German Bockshornbaum, Goat's-horn-tree. "The fleshy pods are from six to ten inches long, and one broad, lined inside with a gelatinous substance, not wholly unpleasant to the taste when thoroughly ripe" (Thomson, "Land and Book"). The shell or pod alone is eaten. It grows in Southern Italy and Spain, and it is said that during the Peninsular War the horses of the British cavalry were often fed upon the pods. It is also called Saint John's bread, from a tradition that the Baptist fed upon its fruit in the wilderness. Edersheim quotes a Jewish saying, "When Israel is reduced to the carob-tree, they become repentant."
Robertson's NT Word Studies
15:16 {He would fain have been filled} (epequmei cortasqenai). Literally, he was desiring (longing) to be filled. Imperfect indicative and first aorist passive infinitive. cortasqenai is from cortazw and that from cortos (grass), and so to feed with grass or with anything. Westcott and Hort put gemisai tn koilian autou in the margin (the Textus Receptus). {With the husks} (ek twn keratiwn). The word occurs here alone in the N.T. and is a diminutive of keras (horn) and so means little horn. It is used in various senses, but here refers to the pods of the carob tree or locust tree still common in Palestine and around the Mediterannean, so called from the shape of the pods like little horns, _Bockshornbaum_ in German or goat's-horn tree. The gelatinous substance inside has a sweetish taste and is used for feeding swine and even for food by the lower classes. It is sometimes called Saint John's Bread from the notion that the Baptist ate it in the wilderness. {No man gave unto him} (oudeis edidou autwi). Imperfect active. Continued refusal of anyone to allow him even the food of the hogs.
