SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:4
Y tenía Juan su vestido de pelos de camellos, y una cinta de cuero alrededor de sus lomos; y su comida era langostas y miel silvestre.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 3:4
Verse 4. His raiment of camel's hair] A sort of coarse or rough covering, which, it appears, was common to the prophets, Zech. xiii. 4. In such a garment we find Elijah clothed, 2 Kings i. 8. And as John had been designed under the name of this prophet, Malachi iv. 5, whose spirit and qualifications he was to possess, Luke i. 17, he took the same habit and lived in the same state of self-denial.
His meat was locusts] akridev. akriv may either signify the insect called the locust, which still makes a part of the food in the land of Judea; or the top of a plant. Many eminent commentators are of the latter opinion; but the first is the most likely. The Saxon translator has grasshoppers.
Wild honey.] Such as he got in the rocks and hollows of trees, and which abounded in Judea: see 1 Sam. xiv. 26. It is most likely that the dried locusts, which are an article of food in Asiatic countries to the present day, were fried in the honey, or compounded in some manner with it. The Gospel according to the Hebrews, as quoted by Epiphanius, seems to have taken a similar view of the subject, as it adds here to the text, ou h geusiv hn tou manna, wv egkriv en elaiw. And its taste was like manna, as a sweet cake baked in oil.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. The same John had his raiment , etc.] The Evangelist goes on to describe this excellent person, the forerunner of our Lord, by his raiment; the same John of whom Isaiah prophesied, and who came preaching the doctrine in the place and manner before expressed, had his raiment of camels hair ; not of camels hair softened and dressed, which the Talmudists F144 call ylmg rmx camels wool; of which wool of camels and of hares, the Jews say F145 the coats were made, with which God clothed Adam and Eve; and which being spun to a thread, and wove, and made a garment of, they call F146 hlymj , and we camlet; for this would have been too fine and soft for John to wear, which is denied of him, ( Matthew 11:8) but either of a camels skin with the hair on it, such was the rough garment, or garment of hair, the prophets used to wear, ( Zechariah 13:4) or of camels hair not softened but undressed; and so was very coarse and rough, and which was suitable to the austerity of his life, and the roughness of his ministry. And it is to be observed he appeared in the same dress as Elijah or Elias did, ( 2 Kings 1:8) in whose spirit and power he came, and whose name he bore, ( Luke 1:17 Matthew 11:14). And a leathern girdle about his loins ; and such an one also Elijah was girt with, ( 2 Kings 1:8) and which added to the roughness of his garment, though it shows he was prepared and in a readiness to do the work he was sent about. And his meat was locusts and wild honey ; by the locusts some have thought are meant a sort of fish called crabs, which John found upon the banks of Jordan, and lived upon; others, that a sort of wild fruit, or the tops of trees and plants he found in the wilderness and fed on, are designed; but the truth is, these were a sort of creatures called locusts, and which by the ceremonial law were lawful to be eaten, (see Leviticus 11:22). The Misnic doctors F147 describe such as are fit to be eaten after this manner; all that have four feet and four wings, and whose thighs and wings cover the greatest part of their body, and whose name is bgj a locust. For it seems they must not only have these marks and signs, but must be so called, or by a word in any other language which answers to it, as the commentators on this passage observe; and very frequently do these writers speak of locusts that are clean, and may be eaten. Maimonides reckons up eight sorts of them, which might be eaten according to the law. Besides, these were eaten by people of other nations, particularly the Ethiopians f151 , Parthians f152 , and Lybians f153 . And wild honey : this was honey of bees, which were not kept at home, but such as were in the woods and fields; of this sort was that which Jonathan found, and eat of, ( 1 Samuel 14:25,26,27) now the honey of bees might be eaten, according to the Jewish laws f154 , though bees themselves might not.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - After Malachi there was no prophet until John the Baptist came. He appeared first in the wilderness of Judea. This was not an uninhabite desert, but a part of the country not thickly peopled, nor muc enclosed. No place is so remote as to shut us out from the visits of Divine grace. The doctrine he preached was repentance; "Repent ye." The word here used, implies a total alteration in the mind, a change in the judgment, disposition, and affections, another and a better bias of the soul. Consider your ways, change your minds: you have thought amiss think again, and think aright. True penitents have other thoughts of God and Christ, sin and holiness, of this world and the other, tha they had. The change of the mind produces a change of the way. That is gospel repentance, which flows from a sight of Christ, from a sense of his love, and from hopes of pardon and forgiveness through him. It is great encouragement to us to repent; repent, for your sins shall be pardoned upon your repentance. Return to God in a way of duty, and he will, through Christ, return unto you in the way of mercy. It is stil as necessary to repent and humble ourselves, to prepare the way of the Lord, as it then was. There is a great deal to be done, to make way for Christ into a soul, and nothing is more needful than the discovery of sin, and a conviction that we cannot be saved by our own righteousness The way of sin and Satan is a crooked way; but to prepare a way for Christ, the paths must be made straight, Heb 12:13. Those whose business it is to call others to mourn for sin, and to mortify it ought themselves to live a serious life, a life of self-denial, an contempt of the world. By giving others this example, John made way for Christ. Many came to John's baptism, but few kept to the professio they made. There may be many forward hearers, where there are few tru believers. Curiosity, and love for novelty and variety, may bring man to attend on good preaching, and to be affected for a while, who neve are subject to the power of it. Those who received John's doctrine testified their repentance by confessing their sins. Those only ar ready to receive Jesus Christ as their righteousness, who are brough with sorrow and shame to own their guilt. The benefits of the kingdo of heaven, now at hand, were thereupon sealed to them by baptism. Joh washed them with water, in token that God would cleanse them from all their iniquities, thereby intimating, that by nature and practice all were polluted, and could not be admitted among the people of God unless washed from their sins in the fountain Christ was to open, Ze 13:1.
Greek Textus Receptus
αυτος 846 P-NSM δε 1161 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM ιωαννης 2491 N-NSM ειχεν 2192 5707 V-IAI-3S το 3588 T-ASN ενδυμα 1742 N-ASN αυτου 846 P-GSM απο 575 PREP τριχων 2359 N-GPF καμηλου 2574 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ ζωνην 2223 N-ASF δερματινην 1193 A-ASF περι 4012 PREP την 3588 T-ASF οσφυν 3751 N-ASF αυτου 846 P-GSM η 3588 T-NSF δε 1161 CONJ τροφη 5160 N-NSF αυτου 846 P-GSM ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S ακριδες 200 N-NPF και 2532 CONJ μελι 3192 N-NSN αγριον 66 A-NSN
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:4 {Now John himself} (autos de ho iwanes). Matthew thus introduces the man himself and draws a vivid sketch of his dress (note eicen, imperfect tense), his habit, and his food. Would such an uncouth figure be welcome today in any pulpit in our cities? In the wilderness it did not matter. It was probably a matter of necessity with him, not an affectation, though it was the garb of the original Elijah (#2Ki 1:8), rough sackcloth woven from the hair of camels. Plummer holds that "John consciously took Elijah as a model."
