1Ruth goeth by chance to glean in the fields of Boaz. 4Boaz taketh notice of her, and sheweth her great favour. 18She returneth with what she had gotten to her mother in law, and telleth her what had happened.
1AND Naomi had a 1kinsman of her 2husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.a
1 Hebr. properly acquaintance; but this word is also taken for a near kinsman, cousin, or brother in law. See Ruth 3:2; Prov. 7:4.
2 Namely, the deceased Elimelech, as follows.
a Mat. 1:5.
2And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and gleanb3ears of corn after him in 4whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.
b collect what the reapers drop at harvest time.
3 Compare Lev. 19:9; 23:22; Deut. 24:19, etc.
4 That is, with whom I shall obtain this favor that he suffers me to glean in his field some ears of corn after the reapers. See of this phrase, Gen. 18 on verse 3. Also verses 10, 13.
3And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and 5her hapc was to light on a part of the field belonging unto 6Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
5 Hebr. her meeting or treatment, chance, accident, happened, or befell, met, treating, etc. This is affirmed in respect of Ruth, who knew not whose field it was; but it was so ordained by God to prepare the way to that which hereafter is related.
c (her hap was) it happened that she … .
6 Mat. 1:5 called Booz.
4¶And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD 7bless thee.
7 See Gen. 12 on verse 2.
5Then said Boaz unto his 8servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
8 That is to say here, his manservant, as in the following verse appears. See of the use of the Hebrew word, Gen. 22 on verse 5.
6And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that 9came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:
9 See Ruth 1 on verses 7, 10.
7And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even 10from the morning until now, that she 11tarried a little in the house.
10 Hebr. from then, of the morning, etc.
11 Or, her tarrying is here, a little while at home; that is, this morning she was a little while at home, for the residue, her tarrying is here. Other, that she now hath sat in the hut or within doors, is but a little while. Understand in the hut of Boaz, which perhaps was made in the field, to hide oneself sometimes a little from the parching heat, or to take sometimes a little rest, perhaps also to eat or take victuals in.
8Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my 12maidens:
12 Understand, maidservants, whom I have in or about my work.
9Let thine eyes be on the field that 13they do reap, and go thou 14after them: 15have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
13 The reapers.
14 The maidservants.
15 As if he would say: I have strictly charged them. See Judges 4 on verse 6.
10Then she fell on her face, and 16bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest 17take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
16 See Gen. 18 on verse 2.
17 That is, that thou talkest familiarly and dealest truly with me, as if I were thine acquaintance or kin to thee.
11And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been 18shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not 19heretofore.
18 Hebr. being told it was told me.
19 Hebr. yesterday, ere yesterday.
12The LORD recompense thy work, and 20a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, 21under whose 22wings thou art come to trust.
20 Which God has graciously promised to those who do well.
21 Or, that art come to take refuge under his wings, or to seek protection, or to entrust thy self.
22 That is, gracious protection, defense and cherishing; a comparison taken from the young ones of birds, which shelter or cover themselves under the wings of the old ones, or of their dams, to be cherished and protected. See Psalm 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 63:7; 91:4; Mat. 23.37.
13Then she said, 23Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken 24friendly unto thine handmaid, though I 25be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
23 Or, I shall find grace, etc.
24 See Gen. 34 on verse 3; Judges 19 on verse 3.
25 Or, shall not be; that is, I will not esteem or carry myself so much, as if I were one of your handmaids, but less.
14And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched 26corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, 27and left.
26 Or, groat, frumenty; ready dressed for food. Compare 2 Sam. 17:28.
27 Compare verse 18.
15And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
16And let fall also 28some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
28 Hebr. robbing rob for her of the handfuls, that is, now and then, or with purpose, or, willingly rob your handfuls, letting ever and anon some ears fall or drop down from them, in order that she may gather and glean the more.
17So she gleaned in the field until even, and 29beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an 30ephahd of barley.
29 See Judges 6 on verse 11.
30 See Exod. 16 on verse 36.
d dry: ten omers, 0.95 bushel or 34 liters.
18¶And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved 31after she was sufficed.
31 See verse 14.
19And 32her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where 33wroughtest thou? 34blessed be he that did take 35knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
32 Naomi unto Ruth.
33 Hebr. done; namely, your work. Also Mat. 20:12: These last have wrought but one hour, namely, work; that is, labored, produced. Also in the following verse. See further Prov. 31 on verse 13.
34 As verse 20.
35 See on verse 10.
20And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of 36the LORD, 37who hath not left off his kindness to the 38living and to the 39dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next 40kinsmen.
36 That is, of the Lord. Compare Gen. 24 on verse 31; Ruth 3:10.
37 Namely Boaz.
38 Namely, to thee and me.
39 To my deceased husband and two sons, who were of his blood, for their sakes and remembrance, to both he has done us good; or, whom he has done good in their life, as he now does to us, for their sakes.
40 That is, who has the right, by reason of his next kinship, to redeem our inheritance and persons (which were aliened and sold) and to buy them back again, and to set them at liberty, and also to make or to take thee by marriage, according to the laws, Lev. 25:25, etc., 47, etc.; Deut. 25:5, etc.; Mat. 22:24, etc.
21And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me 41also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
41 Understand, must he be blessed, from the previous verse. Or, also shalt thou know that he, etc.
22And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they 42meet thee not in any other field.
42 As if she would say, continue still there, where thou art so well dealt with, and go not into another field, where thou mayest be ill-treated.
23So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.