2. Just as it has been written in Yeshayah HaNavi, HINNENI SHOLEIACH MALACHI (Behold, I send my messenger) before your face, UPINNAH DERECH LEFANAI (and he will prepare the way before me, [SHEMOT 23:20; MALACHI 3:1]), he will prepare your way.
3. KOL KOREY BAMIDBAR (A voice of one shouting in the wilderness, TARGUM HASHIVIM YESHAYAH 40:3): Prepare the Derech Hashem (the way of the L-rd). Make his paths yashar (straight)!
4. Yochanan came with a mikveh mayim in the midbar, preaching a tevilah of teshuva for the selichat avon.
5. And all Yehudah and all Yerushalayim were going out to him, and they were submitted to a tevilah using the Yarden River as a mikveh mayim, making vidduy [to Hashem] of their averos (sins).
6. And Yochanan had camel hair clothing and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was arbe and devash. [MELACHIM BAIS 1:8; VAYIKRA 11:22]
7. And he was preaching, crying out as a maggid [for the Moshiach], saying, Hu Habah (He who Comes, i.e. Moshiach) after me has more chozek (strength) than me. I am not worthy to stoop down and remove his sandals.
8. I give you a tevilah in a mikveh mayim, but he [Moshiach] will give you a tevilah in the Ruach Hakodesh.
9. And it was during that period that Yehoshua from Natzeret of the Galil came and submitted to Yochanan's tevilah in the mikveh mayim of the Yarden.