8 Then said H559 Boaz H1162 unto Ruth, H7327 Hearest H8085 thou not, my daughter? H1323 Go H3212 not to glean H3950 in another H312 field, H7704 neither go H5674 from hence, but abide H1692 here fast by my maidens: H5291
And the LORD H3068 called H7121 yet again, H3254 Samuel. H8050 And Samuel H8050 arose H6965 and went H3212 to Eli, H5941 and said, H559 Here am I; for thou didst call H7121 me. And he answered, H559 I called H7121 not, my son; H1121 lie down H7901 again. H7725
Then Eli H5941 called H7121 Samuel, H8050 and said, H559 Samuel, H8050 my son. H1121 And he answered, H559 Here am I.
And his servants H5650 came near, H5066 and spake H1696 unto him, and said, H559 My father, H1 if the prophet H5030 had bid H1696 thee do some great H1419 thing, H1697 wouldest thou not have done H6213 it? how much rather then, H637 when he saith H559 to thee, Wash, H7364 and be clean? H2891
Tell H5046 me, O thou whom my soul H5315 loveth, H157 where thou feedest, H7462 where H349 thou makest thy flock to rest H7257 at noon: H6672 for H4100 why should I be as one that turneth aside H5844 by the flocks H5739 of thy companions? H2270 If thou know H3045 not, O thou fairest H3303 among women, H802 go thy way forth H3318 by the footsteps H6119 of the flock, H6629 and feed H7462 thy kids H1429 beside the shepherds' H7462 tents. H4908
And, G2532 behold, G2400 they brought G4374 to him G846 a man sick of the palsy, G3885 lying G906 on G1909 a bed: G2825 and G2532 Jesus G2424 seeing G1492 their G846 faith G4102 said G2036 unto the sick of the palsy; G3885 Son, G5043 be of good cheer; G2293 thy G4675 sins G266 be forgiven G863 thee. G4671
But G1161 Jesus G2424 turned him about, G1994 and G2532 when he saw G1492 her, G846 he said, G2036 Daughter, G2364 be of good comfort; G2293 thy G4675 faith G4102 hath made G4982 thee G4571 whole. G4982 And G2532 the woman G1135 was made whole G4982 from G575 that G1565 hour. G5610
And G1161 as ye go, G4198 preach, G2784 saying, G3004 G3754 The kingdom G932 of heaven G3772 is at hand. G1448 Heal G2323 the sick, G770 cleanse G2511 the lepers, G3015 raise G1453 the dead, G3498 cast out G1544 devils: G1140 freely G1432 ye have received, G2983 freely G1432 give. G1325 Provide G2932 neither G3361 gold, G5557 nor G3366 silver, G696 nor G3366 brass G5475 in G1519 your G5216 purses, G2223 Nor G3361 scrip G4082 for G1519 your journey, G3598 neither G3366 two G1417 coats, G5509 neither G3366 shoes, G5266 nor G3366 yet staves: G4464 for G1063 the workman G2040 is G2076 worthy G514 of his G846 meat. G5160 And G1161 into G1519 whatsoever G302 G3739 city G4172 or G2228 town G2968 ye shall enter, G1525 enquire G1833 who G5101 in G1722 it G846 is G2076 worthy; G514 and there G2546 abide G3306 till G302 G2193 ye go thence. G1831
Finally, G3063 brethren, G80 whatsoever things G3745 are G2076 true, G227 whatsoever things G3745 are honest, G4586 whatsoever things G3745 are just, G1342 whatsoever things G3745 are pure, G53 whatsoever things G3745 are lovely, G4375 whatsoever things G3745 are of good report; G2163 if there be any G1536 virtue, G703 and G2532 if there be any G1536 praise, G1868 think G3049 on these things. G5023
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ruth 2
Commentary on Ruth 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Ru 2:1-3. Ruth Gleans in the Field of Boaz.
2. Ruth … said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean—The right of gleaning was conferred by a positive law on the widow, the poor, and the stranger (see on Le 19:9 and De 24:19). But liberty to glean behind the reapers [Ru 2:3] was not a right that could be claimed; it was a privilege granted or refused according to the good will or favor of the owner.
3. her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz—Fields in Palestine being unenclosed, the phrase signifies that portion of the open ground which lay within the landmarks of Boaz.
Ru 2:4-23. He Takes Knowledge of Her, and Shows Her Favor.
4. Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you—This pious salutation between the master and his laborers strongly indicates the state of religious feeling among the rural population of Israel at that time, as well as the artless, happy, and unsuspecting simplicity which characterized the manners of the people. The same patriarchal style of speaking is still preserved in the East.
5. his servant that was set over the reapers—an overseer whose special duty was to superintend the operations in the field, to supply provision to the reapers, and pay them for their labor in the evening.
7. she said … Let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves—Various modes of reaping are practised in the East. Where the crop is thin and short, it is plucked up by the roots. Sometimes it is cut with the sickle. Whether reaped in the one way or the other, the grain is cast into sheaves loosely thrown together, to be subjected to the process of threshing, which takes place, for the most part, immediately after the reaping. Field labors were begun early in the morning—before the day became oppressively hot.
she tarried a little in the house—that is, the field tent, erected for the occasional rest and refreshment of the laborers.
8, 9. said Boaz unto Ruth, … bide here fast by my maidens—The reaping was performed by women while the assortment of sheaves was the duty of men-servants. The same division of harvest labor obtains in Syria still. Boaz not only granted to Ruth the full privilege of gleaning after his reapers, but provided for her personal comfort.
9. go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn—Gleaners were sometimes allowed, by kind and charitable masters, to partake of the refreshments provided for the reapers. The vessels alluded to were skin bottles, filled with water—and the bread was soaked in vinegar (Ru 2:14); a kind of poor, weak wine, sometimes mingled with a little olive oil—very cooling, as would be required in harvest-time. This grateful refection is still used in the harvest-field.
14. he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left—some of the new grain, roasted on the spot, and fit for use after being rubbed in the hands—a favorite viand in the East. He gave her so much, that after satisfying her own wants, she had some (Ru 2:18) in reserve for her mother-in-law.
16. let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her—The gleaners in the East glean with much success; for a great quantity of corn is scattered in the reaping, as well as in their manner of carrying it. One may judge, then, of the large quantity which Ruth would gather in consequence of the liberal orders given to the servants. These extraordinary marks of favor were not only given from a kindly disposition, but from regard to her good character and devoted attachment to her venerable relative.
17. and beat out that she had gleaned—When the quantity of grain was small, it was beat out by means of a stick.
an ephah—supposed to contain about a bushel.
20. the man is … one of our next kinsmen—Hebrew, "one of our redeemers," on whom it devolves to protect us, to purchase our lands, and marry you, the widow of his next kinsman. She said, "one of them," not that there were many in the same close relationship, but that he was a very near kinsman, one other individual only having the precedence.
21. all my harvest—both barley and wheat harvests. The latter was at the end of May or the beginning of June.
22. Naomi said unto Ruth … It is good … that thou go out with his maidens—a prudent recommendation to Ruth to accept the generous invitation of Boaz, lest, if she were seen straying into other fields, she might not only run the risk of rude treatment, but displease him by seeming indifferent to his kind liberality. Moreover, the observant mind of the old matron had already discerned, in all Boaz' attentions to Ruth, the germs of a stronger affection, which she wished to increase.