Devine Scripture

Matthew 3:4

What does Matthew 3:4 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 3:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 3:4 means

John's unusual attire of camel's hair and a leather girdle, along with his diet of locusts and wild honey, underscores his ascetic lifestyle and prophetic identity. This imagery strongly evokes the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8), signaling to a Jewish audience that John is a significant prophet, perhaps even the promised Elijah who was to precede the Messiah. His simplicity contrasts sharply with the religious elite of his day.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Now John himself had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Now John himself had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

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

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And this John had his clothing of camel's hair, and a girdle of skin round his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and honey of the field.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the same John had his garment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins: and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And John himself had his garment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and wild honey.

Context

After detailing John's preaching content and prophetic role in verses 2 and 3, this verse describes his striking physical appearance and diet. This description reinforces his prophetic identity and sets him apart, explaining why people would be drawn to such an unusual figure in the wilderness, as described in the subsequent verses.

v.3For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.

v.4This passage

v.5Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about the Jordan;

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Deuteronomy 32:13

    He made him ride on the high places of the earth, And he did eat the increase of the field; And he made him to suck honey out of the rock, And oil out of the flinty rock;

  • Mark 1:6

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

  • Leviticus 11:22

    even these of them ye may eat: the locust after its kind, and the bald locust after its kind, and the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind.

  • 1 Samuel 14:25

    And all the people came into the forest; and there was honey upon the ground.

  • Matthew 11:8

    But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft raiment are in kings’ houses.

  • Malachi 4:5

    Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come.

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