Mark 1:6

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

American Standard Version (1901)

And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leathern girdle about his loins, and did eat locusts and wild honey.

Bible in Basic English

And John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather band about him; and his food was locusts and honey.

Free Bible Version

John wore clothes made of camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.

Geneva Bible 1599

Nowe Iohn was clothed with camels heare, and with a girdle of a skinne about his loynes: and he did eate Locusts and wilde hony,

King James (Authorized) Version

And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

One Unity Resource Bible

John [Yah is gracious] was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.

Translation for Translators

John wore rough clothes made of camel’s hair. And as the prophet Elijah had done, he wore a leather belt around his waist; and what he ate was only grasshoppers and honey that he found in that desolate area.

Unlocked Literal Bible

John was wearing a coat of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and he was eating locusts and wild honey.

Noah Webster Bible

And John was clothed with camels hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he ate locusts and wild honey;

World English Bible

John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.

Young's Literal Translation

And John was clothed with camel's hair, and a girdle of skin around his loins, and eating locusts and honey of the field,

Context

The Mission of John the Baptist

⁵People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.⁶John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.⁷And he began to proclaim: “After me will come One more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

Summary

This verse describes John the Baptist's appearance and lifestyle in the wilderness, wearing camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist and eating locusts and wild honey. These details highlight John's humility, simplicity, and dedication to his mission of preparing the way for Jesus. His unconventional attire and diet symbolize his separation from worldly comforts and his focus on spiritual matters. John's unique lifestyle served as a powerful testimony to his commitment to God and his role as the forerunner of Christ.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John was clothed, etc. - See the note on Mat 3:4.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And John was clothed with camel's hair,.... This is a description of John by his clothes; See Gill on Mat 3:4, to which may be added, that it was usual for penitents, and men of austere lives, and of the first class for holiness and religion, to live in deserts, to fare hard, and wear coarse apparel. Mention is made of one man, who is called, (f), because he had on a garment of goat's hair, which cut his flesh, that so it might atone for him, for he was a penitent: and with a girdle or skin about his loins; a leathern one, as in Mat 3:4, not a golden one, such as the high priest wore, though the (g) Jews call John an high priest: he was indeed of the priestly race: his father was a priest, but he did not wear a priestly girdle, nor any of the priest's garments; and he ate locusts and wild honey. The Ethiopic version renders it, "honey of earth bees": in Ethiopia was a sort of bees, little bigger than flies, and without a sting, which had their hives in the earth, where they produced honey of a white colour, very pleasant and wholesome; and this is thought, by the Ethiopians, to be the honey which John ate (h); but then there must have been the same in Judea, which does not appear. Moreover, in the land of Judea, there was , "the honey of palm trees"; and it is said (i), that it is the best honey; and therefore the Scripture calls, honey of the palm trees, honey; and the palm trees which grow in the plains and valleys, abound most with it; wherefore there was much of this about Jericho, the city of palm trees: there was also , "honey of figs"; which in some places was in great plenty: "R. Jacob ben Dosthai says (k), it is three miles from Lud to Ono (see Ezr 2:33) one time I walked before break of day, and I went up to my ankles in honey of figs.'' Dr. Lightfoot thinks, this was the honey the evangelist speaks of, and John ate of. I have observed on Mat 3:4 that with the Jews, the honey of bees was lawful to eat (l) though the bees themselves were not. So Jonathan ben Uzziel paraphrases, Lev 11:20, "Let the species of bees be an abomination to you, but the honey of bees may be eaten;'' they being reckoned among reptiles that fly: and it may be further observed, that according to them, the honey of wasps and hornets was lawful to be eaten, as well as the honey of bees (m) and this may be truly called, as here, wild honey; for which they give these reasons (n), because it is not of the substance of their bodies, but they gather it from herbs; and because in the same manner as bees, they take it into their bodies, but do not produce it from them; though some of the doctors dissent, and think it not lawful (o). (f) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 56. 2. Vid. Buxtorf. not. in Sepher Cosri, p. 156, 157. (g) Gauz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 25. 2. (h) Ludolph. Lex. Ethiop. p. 447. (i) Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Biccurim, c. 1. sect. 10. (k) T. Bab. Cetubot, fol. 111. 2. (l) Vid. Piske Tosephot Becorot, art. 13. (m) Misn. Macshirin, c. 6. sect. 4. T. Bab. Becorot, fol. 7. 2. (n) Maimon. Hilch. Maacalot Asurot, c. 3. sect. 3. Ib. & Bartenora in Misn. Macshirin, ibid. (o) In Piske Tosephot Becorot, art. 13. Maggid Misna in Maimon. Hilch. Maacolot ib.

Mark 1:6

The Mission of John the Baptist

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

American Standard Version (1901)

And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leathern girdle about his loins, and did eat locusts and wild honey.

Bible in Basic English

And John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather band about him; and his food was locusts and honey.

Free Bible Version

John wore clothes made of camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.

Geneva Bible 1599

Nowe Iohn was clothed with camels heare, and with a girdle of a skinne about his loynes: and he did eate Locusts and wilde hony,

King James (Authorized) Version

And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

One Unity Resource Bible

John [Yah is gracious] was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

John was wearing a coat of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and he was eating locusts and wild honey.

Noah Webster Bible

And John was clothed with camels hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he ate locusts and wild honey;

World English Bible

John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.

Young's Literal Translation

And John was clothed with camel's hair, and a girdle of skin around his loins, and eating locusts and honey of the field,

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John was clothed, etc. - See the note on Mat 3:4.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Mark 1:6

Verse

Context

The Mission of John the Baptist

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Mark 1:6

The Mission of John the Baptist

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes