And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit
That is, John, the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, grew in
stature of body, and increased in wisdom and knowledge, and
fortitude in his soul:
and was in the deserts;
or "desert", as the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read;
not in the wilderness of Judea, where he came preaching, but
either of Ziph or Maon, which were near to Hebron; see ( 1 Samuel
23:14 1 Samuel
23:24 1 Samuel
23:25 ) ( Joshua 15:54
Joshua
15:55 ) he was not brought up in the schools of the prophets,
nor in the academies of the Jews, or at the feet of any of their
Rabbins and doctors; that it might appear he was not taught and
sent of men, but of God: nor did he dwell in any of the cities,
or larger towns, but in deserts; partly that he might be fitted
for that gravity and austerity of life, he was to appear in; and
that it might be clear he had no knowledge of, nor correspondence
with Jesus, whose forerunner he was, and of whom he was to bear
testimony, till such time he did it; and in this solitude he
remained,
till the day of his showing unto Israel;
either till the time came that he was to appear before, and be
examined by the sanhedrim, that judged of persons fitness and
qualifications for the priesthood, in order to be admitted to it;
which should have been when he was thirty years of age, but that
he was designed for other service; or rather therefore till he
appeared in his prophetic office, and showed himself to the
people of Israel; to whom he came preaching the doctrine of
repentance and remission of sins, administering the ordinance of
baptism, giving notice of the near approach of the Messiah, and
pointing him out unto the people.