A.T. Robertson Commentary Luke 15:15

"And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine." — Luke 15:15 (ASV)

Joined himself (εκολληθη). First aorist passive of κολλαω, an old verb to glue together, to cleave to. In the N.T. only the passive occurs. He was glued to, was joined to. It is not necessary to take this passive in the middle reflexive sense.

The citizens (των πολιτων). Curiously enough this common word citizen (πολιτης from πολις, city) is found in the N.T. only in Luke's writings (15:15; 19:14; Acts 21:39) except in He 8:11 where it is quoted from Jer 38:34.

To feed swine (βοσκειν χοιρους). A most degrading occupation for anyone and for a Jew an unspeakable degradation.