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Ruth 2:1-23 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And Naomi H5281 had a kinsman H4129 H3045 of her husband's, H376 a mighty H1368 man H376 of wealth, H2428 of the family H4940 of Elimelech; H458 and his name H8034 was Boaz. H1162

2 And Ruth H7327 the Moabitess H4125 said H559 unto Naomi, H5281 Let me now go H3212 to the field, H7704 and glean H3950 ears of corn H7641 after H310 him in whose sight H5869 I shall find H4672 grace. H2580 And she said H559 unto her, Go, H3212 my daughter. H1323

3 And she went, H3212 and came, H935 and gleaned H3950 in the field H7704 after H310 the reapers: H7114 and her hap H4745 was to light H7136 on a part H2513 of the field H7704 belonging unto Boaz, H1162 who was of the kindred H4940 of Elimelech. H458

4 And, behold, Boaz H1162 came H935 from Bethlehem, H1035 and said H559 unto the reapers, H7114 The LORD H3068 be with you. And they answered H559 him, The LORD H3068 bless H1288 thee.

5 Then said H559 Boaz H1162 unto his servant H5288 that was set H5324 over the reapers, H7114 Whose damsel H5291 is this?

6 And the servant H5288 that was set H5324 over the reapers H7114 answered H6030 and said, H559 It is the Moabitish H4125 damsel H5291 that came back H7725 with Naomi H5281 out of the country H7704 of Moab: H4124

7 And she said, H559 I pray you, let me glean H3950 and gather H622 after H310 the reapers H7114 among the sheaves: H6016 so she came, H935 and hath continued H5975 even H227 from the morning H1242 until now, that she tarried H3427 a little H4592 in the house. H1004

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

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

10 Then she fell H5307 on her face, H6440 and bowed H7812 herself to the ground, H776 and said H559 unto him, Why have I found H4672 grace H2580 in thine eyes, H5869 that thou shouldest take knowledge H5234 of me, seeing I am a stranger? H5237

11 And Boaz H1162 answered H6030 and said H559 unto her, It hath fully H5046 been shewed H5046 me, all that thou hast done H6213 unto thy mother in law H2545 since H310 the death H4194 of thine husband: H376 and how thou hast left H5800 thy father H1 and thy mother, H517 and the land H776 of thy nativity, H4138 and art come H3212 unto a people H5971 which thou knewest H3045 not heretofore. H8543 H8032

12 The LORD H3068 recompense H7999 thy work, H6467 and a full H8003 reward H4909 be given thee of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 under whose wings H3671 thou art come H935 to trust. H2620

13 Then she said, H559 Let me find H4672 favour H2580 in thy sight, H5869 my lord; H113 for that thou hast comforted H5162 me, and for that thou hast spoken H1696 friendly H3820 unto thine handmaid, H8198 though I be not like unto one H259 of thine handmaidens. H8198

14 And Boaz H1162 said H559 unto her, At mealtime H6256 H400 come H5066 thou hither, H1988 and eat H398 of the bread, H3899 and dip H2881 thy morsel H6595 in the vinegar. H2558 And she sat H3427 beside H6654 the reapers: H7114 and he reached H6642 her parched H7039 corn, and she did eat, H398 and was sufficed, H7646 and left. H3498

15 And when she was risen up H6965 to glean, H3950 Boaz H1162 commanded H6680 his young men, H5288 saying, H559 Let her glean H3950 even among the sheaves, H6016 and reproach H3637 her not:

16 And let fall H7997 also some of the handfuls H6653 of purpose H7997 for her, and leave H5800 them, that she may glean H3950 them, and rebuke H1605 her not.

17 So she gleaned H3950 in the field H7704 until even, H6153 and beat out H2251 that she had gleaned: H3950 and it was about an ephah H374 of barley. H8184

18 And she took it up, H5375 and went H935 into the city: H5892 and her mother in law H2545 saw H7200 what she had gleaned: H3950 and she brought forth, H3318 and gave H5414 to her that she had reserved H3498 after she was sufficed. H7648

19 And her mother in law H2545 said H559 unto her, Where hast thou gleaned H3950 to day? H3117 and where H375 wroughtest H6213 thou? blessed H1288 be he that did take knowledge H5234 of thee. And she shewed H5046 her mother in law H2545 with whom she had wrought, H6213 and said, H559 The man's H376 name H8034 with whom I wrought H6213 to day H3117 is Boaz. H1162

20 And Naomi H5281 said H559 unto her daughter in law, H3618 Blessed H1288 be he of the LORD, H3068 who hath not left off H5800 his kindness H2617 to the living H2416 and to the dead. H4191 And Naomi H5281 said H559 unto her, The man H376 is near of kin H7138 unto us, one of our next kinsmen. H1350

21 And Ruth H7327 the Moabitess H4125 said, H559 He said H559 unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast H1692 by my young men, H5288 until they have ended H3615 all my harvest. H7105

22 And Naomi H5281 said H559 unto Ruth H7327 her daughter in law, H3618 It is good, H2896 my daughter, H1323 that thou go out H3318 with his maidens, H5291 that they meet H6293 thee not in any other H312 field. H7704

23 So she kept fast H1692 by the maidens H5291 of Boaz H1162 to glean H3950 unto the end H3615 of barley H8184 harvest H7105 and of wheat H2406 harvest; H7105 and dwelt H3427 with her mother in law. H2545

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Ruth 2

Commentary on Ruth 2 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary


Introduction

Ruth Gleans in the Field of Boaz - Ruth 2

Ruth went to the field to glean ears of corn, for the purpose of procuring support for herself and her mother-in-law, and came by chance to the field of Boaz, a relative of Naomi, who, when he heard that she had come with Naomi from Moabitis, spoke kindly to her, and gave her permission not only to glean ears in his field and even among the sheaves, but to appease her hunger and thirst with the food and drink of his reapers (vv. 1-16), so that in the evening she returned to her mother-in-law with a plentiful gleaning, and told her of the gracious reception she had met with from this man, and then learned from her that Boaz was a relation of her own (Ruth 2:17-23).


Verses 1-7

The account of this occurrence commences with a statement which was necessary in order to make it perfectly intelligible, namely that Boaz, to whose field Ruth went to glean, was a relative of Naomi through her deceased husband Elimelech. The Kethibh מידע is to be read מידּע , an acquaintance (cf. Psalms 31:12; Psalms 55:14). The Keri מודע is the construct state of מודע , lit . acquaintanceship, then an acquaintance or friend (Proverbs 7:4), for which מודעת occurs afterwards in Ruth 3:2 with the same meaning. That the acquaintance or friend of Naomi through her husband was also a relation, is evident from the fact that he was “of the family of Elimelech. ” According to the rabbinical tradition, which is not well established however, Boaz was a nephew of Elimelech. The ל before אישׁהּ is used instead of the simple construct state, because the reference is not to the relation, but to a relation of her husband; at the same time, the word מודע has taken the form of the construct state notwithstanding this ל (compare Ewald , §292 , a ., with § 289, b .). חיל גּבּור generally means the brave man of war (Judges 6:12; Judges 11:1, etc.); but here it signifies a man of property. The name Boaz is not formed from עז בּו , in whom is strength, but from a root, בּעז , which does not occur in Hebrew, and signifies alacrity .

Ruth 2:2-3

Ruth wished to go to the field and glean at (among) the ears, i.e., whatever ears were left lying upon the harvest field (cf. Ruth 2:7), אשׁר אחר , behind him in whose eyes she should find favour. The Mosaic law (Leviticus 19:9; Leviticus 23:22, compared with Deuteronomy 24:19) did indeed expressly secure to the poor the right to glean in the harvest fields, and prohibited the owners from gleaning themselves; but hard-hearted farmers and reapers threw obstacles in the way of the poor, and even forbade their gleaning altogether. Hence Ruth proposed to glean after him who should generously allow it. She carried out this intention with the consent of Naomi, and chance led her to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, a relation of Elimelech, without her knowing the owner of the field, or being at all aware of his connection with Elimelech. מקרה ויּקר , lit., “ her chance chanced to hit upon the field .”

Ruth 2:4-7

When Boaz came from the town to the field, and had greeted his reapers with the blessing of a genuine Israelites, “ Jehovah be with you ,” and had received from them a corresponding greeting in return, he said to the overseer of the reapers, “ Whose damsel is this? ” to which he replied, “ It is the Moabitish damsel who came back with Naomi from the fields of Moab, and she has said (asked), Pray, I will glean (i.e., pray allow me to glean) and gather among the sheaves after the reapers, and has come and stays (here) from morning till now; her sitting in the house that is little .” מאז , lit . a conjunction, here used as a preposition, is stronger than מן , “ from then ,” from the time of the morning onwards (see Ewald , §222, c.). It is evident from this answer of the servant who was placed over the reapers, (1) that Boaz did not prohibit any poor person from gleaning in his field; (2) that Ruth asked permission of the overseer of the reapers, and availed herself of this permission with untiring zeal from the first thing in the morning, that she might get the necessary support for her mother-in-law and herself; and (3) that her history was well known to the overseer, and also to Boaz, although Boaz saw her now for the first time.


Verse 8-9

The good report which the overlooker gave of the modesty and diligence of Ruth could only strengthen Boaz in his purpose, which he had probably already formed from his affection as a relation towards Naomi, to make the acquaintance of her daughter-in-law, and speak kindly to her. With fatherly kindness, therefore, he said to her (Ruth 2:8, Ruth 2:9), “ Dost thou hear, my daughter? (i.e., 'thou hearest, dost thou not?' interrogatio blande affirmat ;) go not to reap in another field, and go not away from here, and keep so to my maidens (i.e., remaining near them in the field). Thine eyes (directed) upon the field which they reap, go behind them (i.e., behind the maidens, who probably tired up the sheaves, whilst the men-servants cut the corn). I have commanded the young men not to touch thee (to do thee no harm); and if thou art thirsty ( צמת , from צמה = צמא : see Ewald , §195, b .), go to the vessels, and drink of what the servants draw.


Verse 10

Deeply affected by this generosity, Ruth fell upon her face, bowing down to the ground (as in 1 Samuel 25:23; 2 Samuel 1:2; cf. Genesis 23:7), to thank him reverentially, and said to Boaz, “ Why have I found favour in thine eyes, that thou regardest me, who am only a stranger? ” הכּיר , to look at with sympathy or care, to receive a person kindly (cf. Ruth 2:19).


Verse 11-12

Boaz replied, “ Everything has been told me that thou hast done to ( את , prep. as in Zechariah 7:9; 2 Samuel 16:17) thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband, that thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and thy kindred, and hast come to a people that thou knewest not heretofore ” (hast therefore done what God commanded Abraham to do, Genesis 12:1). “ The Lord recompense thy work, and let thy reward be perfect (recalling Genesis 15:1) from the Lord the God of Israel, to whom thou hast come to seek refuge under His wings! ” For this figurative expression, which is derived from Deuteronomy 32:11, compare Psalms 91:4; Psalms 36:8; Psalms 57:2. In these words of Boaz we see the genuine piety of a true Israelite.


Verse 13

Ruth replied with true humility, “ May I find favour in thine eyes; for thou hast comforted me, and spoken to the heart of thy maiden (see Judges 19:3), though I am not like one of thy maidens, ” i.e., though I stand in no such near relation to thee, as to have been able to earn thy favour. In this last clause she restricts the expression “thy maiden.” Carpzov has rightly pointed this out: “But what am I saying when I call myself thy maiden? since I am not worthy to be compared to the least of thy maidens.” The word אמצא is to be taken in an optative sense, as expressive of the wish that Boaz might continue towards her the kindness he had already expressed. To take it as a present, “I find favour” ( Clericus and Bertheau ), does not tally with the modesty and humility shown by Ruth in the following words.


Verse 14

This unassuming humility on the part of Ruth made Boaz all the more favourably disposed towards her, so that at meal-time he called her to eat along with his people ( לה without Mappik , as in Numbers 32:42; Zechariah 5:11; cf. Ewald , §94, b . 3). “ Dip thy morsel in the vinegar. Chomez , a sour beverage composed of vinegar (wine vinegar or sour wine) mixed with oil; a very refreshing drink, which is still a favourite beverage in the East (see Rosenmüller , A. and N. Morgenland, iv. p. 68, and my Bibl. Archäologie, ii. p. 16). “ And he reached her parched corn. ” The subject is Boaz, who, judging from the expression “come hither,” either joined in the meal, or at any rate was present at it. קלי are roasted grains of wheat (see at Leviticus 2:14, and my Bibl. Arch. ii. p. 14), which are still eaten by the reapers upon the harvest field, and also handed to strangers.

(Note: Thus Robinson (Pal. ii. p. 394) gives the following description of a harvest scene in the neighbourhood of Kubeibeh: “In one field nearly two hundred reapers and gleaners were at work, the latter being nearly as numerous as the former. A few were taking their refreshment, and offered us some of their 'parched corn.' In the season of harvest, the grains of wheat not yet fully dry and hard, are roasted in a pan or on an iron plate, and constitute a very palatable article of food; this is eaten along with bread, or instead of it.”)

Boaz gave her an abundant supply of it, so that she was not only satisfied, but left some, and was able to take it home to her mother (Ruth 2:18.)


Verse 15-16

When she rose up to glean again after eating, Boaz commanded his people, saying, “ She may also glean between the shaves (which was not generally allowed), and ye shall not shame her (do her any injury, Judges 18:7); and ye shall also draw out of the bundles for her, and let them lie (the ears drawn out), that she may glean them, and shall not scold her, ” sc., for picking up the ears that have been drawn out. These directions of Boaz went far beyond the bounds of generosity and compassion for the poor; and show that he felt a peculiar interest in Ruth, with whose circumstances he was well acquainted, and who had won his heart by her humility, her faithful attachment to her mother-in-law, and her love to the God of Israel, - a face important to notice in connection with the further course of the history.


Verses 17-23

Thus Ruth gleaned till the evening in the field; and when she knocked out the ears, she had about an ephah (about 20-25 lbs.) of barley.

Ruth 2:18

This she brought to her mother-in-law in the city, and “ drew out (sc., from her pocket, as the Chaldee has correctly supplied) what she had left from her sufficiency, ” i.e., of the parched corn which Boaz had reached her (Ruth 2:14).

Ruth 2:19-20

The mother inquired, “ where hast thou gleaned to-day, and where wroughtest thou? ” and praised the benefactor, who, as she conjecture from the quantity of barley collected and the food brought home, had taken notice of Ruth: “ blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee! ” When she heard the name of the man, Boaz, she saw that this relative of her husband had been chosen by God to be a benefactor of herself and Ruth, and exclaimed, “ Blessed be he of the Lord, that he has not left off (withdrawn) his favour towards the living and the dead! ” On חסדּו עזב see Genesis 24:27. This verb is construed with a double accusative here; for את cannot be a preposition, as in that case מאת would be used like מעם in Gen. l.c . “ The living, ” etc., forms a second object: as regards (with regard to) the living and the dead, in which Naomi thought of herself and Ruth, and of her husband and sons, to whom God still showed himself gracious, even after their death, through His care for their widows. In order to enlighten Ruth still further upon the matter, she added, “ The man (Boaz) is our relative, and one of our redeemers. ” He “ stands near to us, ” sc., by relationship. גּאלנוּ , a defective form for גּאלינוּ , which is found in several MSS and editions. On the significance of the goël , or redeemer, see at Leviticus 25:26, Leviticus 25:48-49, and the introduction to Ruth 3.

Ruth 2:21

Ruth proceeded to inform her of his kindness: כּי גּם , “ also (know) that he said to me, Keep with my people, till the harvest is all ended. ” The masculine הנּערים , for which we should rather expect the feminine נערות in accordance with Ruth 2:8, Ruth 2:22, Ruth 2:23, is quite in place as the more comprehensive gender, as a designation of the reapers generally, both male and female; and the expression לי אשׁר in this connection in the sense of my is more exact than the possessive pronoun: the people who belong to my house, as distinguished from the people of other masters.

Ruth 2:22

Naomi declared herself fully satisfied with this, because Ruth would be thereby secured from insults, which she might receive when gleaning in strange fields. “ That they meet thee not, lit . “that they do not fall upon thee.” בּ פּגע signifies to fall upon a person, to smite and ill-treat him.

Ruth 2:23

After this Ruth kept with the maidens of Boaz during the whole of the barley and wheat harvests gleaning ears of corn, and lived with her mother-in-law, sc., when she returned in the evening from the field. In this last remark there is a tacit allusion to the fact that a change took place for Ruth when the harvest was over.