9 Let thine eyes H5869 be on the field H7704 that they do reap, H7114 and go H1980 thou after H310 them: have I not charged H6680 the young men H5288 that they shall not touch H5060 thee? and when thou art athirst, H6770 go H1980 unto the vessels, H3627 and drink H8354 of that which the young men H5288 have drawn. H7579
We know G1492 that G3754 whosoever G3956 is born G1080 of G1537 God G2316 sinneth G264 not; G3756 but G235 he that is begotten G1080 of G1537 God G2316 keepeth G5083 himself, G1438 and G2532 that wicked one G4190 toucheth G680 him G846 not. G3756
And G2532 whosoever G3739 G1437 shall give to drink G4222 unto one G1520 of these G5130 little ones G3398 a cup G4221 of cold G5593 water only G3440 in G1519 the name G3686 of a disciple, G3101 verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 he shall in no wise G3364 lose G622 his G846 reward. G3408
And she said, H559 Drink, H8354 my lord: H113 and she hasted, H4116 and let down H3381 her pitcher H3537 upon her hand, H3027 and gave him drink. H8248 And when she had done H3615 giving him drink, H8248 she said, H559 I will draw H7579 water for thy camels H1581 also, until they have done H3615 drinking. H8354 And she hasted, H4116 and emptied H6168 her pitcher H3537 into the trough, H8268 and ran H7323 again unto the well H875 to draw H7579 water, and drew H7579 for all his camels. H1581
So he that goeth in H935 to his neighbour's H7453 wife; H802 whosoever toucheth H5060 her shall not be innocent. H5352
There cometh G2064 a woman G1135 of G1537 Samaria G4540 to draw G501 water: G5204 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto her, G846 Give G1325 me G3427 to drink. G4095 (For G1063 his G846 disciples G3101 were gone away G565 unto G1519 the city G4172 to G2443 buy G59 meat.) G5160 Then G3767 saith G3004 the woman G1135 of Samaria G4542 unto him, G846 How is it that G4459 thou, G4771 being G5607 a Jew, G2453 askest G154 drink G4095 of G3844 me, G1700 which am G5607 a woman G1135 of Samaria? G4542 for G1063 the Jews G2453 have G4798 no G3756 dealings G4798 with the Samaritans. G4541 Jesus G2424 answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto her, G846 If G1487 thou knewest G1492 the gift G1431 of God, G2316 and G2532 who G5101 it is G2076 that saith G3004 to thee, G4671 Give G1325 me G3427 to drink; G4095 thou G4771 wouldest G302 have asked G154 of him, G846 and G2532 he would G302 have given G1325 thee G4671 living G2198 water. G5204 The woman G1135 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Sir, G2962 thou hast G2192 nothing G3777 to draw with, G502 and G2532 the well G5421 is G2076 deep: G901 from whence G4159 then G3767 hast thou G2192 that living G2198 water? G5204
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.