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
Neither let the son H1121 of the stranger, H5236 that hath joined H3867 himself to the LORD, H3068 speak, H559 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 hath utterly H914 separated H914 me from his people: H5971 neither let the eunuch H5631 say, H559 Behold, I am a dry H3002 tree. H6086 For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 unto the eunuchs H5631 that keep H8104 my sabbaths, H7676 and choose H977 the things that please H2654 me, and take hold H2388 of my covenant; H1285 Even unto them will I give H5414 in mine house H1004 and within my walls H2346 a place H3027 and a name H8034 better H2896 than of sons H1121 and of daughters: H1323 I will give H5414 them an everlasting H5769 name, H8034 that shall not be cut off. H3772 Also the sons H1121 of the stranger, H5236 that join H3867 themselves to the LORD, H3068 to serve H8334 him, and to love H157 the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 to be his servants, H5650 every one that keepeth H8104 the sabbath H7676 from polluting H2490 it, and taketh hold H2388 of my covenant; H1285 Even them will I bring H935 to my holy H6944 mountain, H2022 and make them joyful H8055 in my house H1004 of prayer: H8605 their burnt offerings H5930 and their sacrifices H2077 shall be accepted H7522 upon mine altar; H4196 for mine house H1004 shall be called H7121 an house H1004 of prayer H8605 for all people. H5971 The Lord H136 GOD H3069 which gathereth H6908 the outcasts H1760 of Israel H3478 saith, H5002 Yet will I gather H6908 others to him, beside those that are gathered H6908 unto him.
And, G2532 behold, G2400 a woman G1135 of Canaan G5478 came G1831 out of G575 the same G1565 coasts, G3725 and cried G2905 unto him, G846 saying, G3004 Have mercy G1653 on me, G3165 O Lord, G2962 thou Son G5207 of David; G1138 my G3450 daughter G2364 is grievously G2560 vexed with a devil. G1139 But G1161 he answered G611 her G846 not G3756 a word. G3056 And G2532 his G846 disciples G3101 came G4334 and besought G2065 him, G846 saying, G3004 Send G630 her G846 away; G630 for G3754 she crieth G2896 after G3693 us. G2257 But G1161 he answered G611 and said, G2036 I am G649 not G3756 sent G649 but G1508 unto G1519 the lost G622 sheep G4263 of the house G3624 of Israel. G2474 Then G1161 came she G2064 and worshipped G4352 him, G846 saying, G3004 Lord, G2962 help G997 me. G3427 But G1161 he answered G611 and said, G2036 It is G2076 not G3756 meet G2570 to take G2983 the children's G5043 bread, G740 and G2532 to cast G906 it to dogs. G2952 And G1161 she said, G2036 Truth, G3483 Lord: G2962 yet G2532 G1063 the dogs G2952 eat G2068 of G575 the crumbs G5589 which G3588 fall G4098 from G575 their G846 masters' G2962 table. G5132 Then G5119 Jesus G2424 answered G611 and said G2036 unto her, G846 O G5599 woman, G1135 great G3173 is thy G4675 faith: G4102 be it G1096 unto thee G4671 even as G5613 thou wilt. G2309 And G2532 her G846 daughter G2364 was made whole G2390 from G575 that very G1565 hour. G5610
Then G1161 Jesus G2424 went G4198 with G4862 them. G846 And G1161 when he G846 was G568 now G2235 not G3756 far G3112 from G575 the house, G3614 the centurion G1543 sent G3992 friends G5384 to G4314 him, G846 saying G3004 unto him, G846 Lord, G2962 trouble G4660 not G3361 thyself: G4660 for G1063 I am G1510 not G3756 worthy G2425 that G2443 thou shouldest enter G1525 under G5259 my G3450 roof: G4721 Wherefore G1352 neither G3761 thought I G515 myself G1683 worthy G515 to come G2064 unto G4314 thee: G4571 but G235 say G2036 in a word, G3056 and G2532 my G3450 servant G3816 shall be healed. G2390
And G2532 fell down G4098 on G1909 his face G4383 at G3844 his G846 feet, G4228 giving G2168 him G846 thanks: G2168 and G2532 he G846 was G2258 a Samaritan. G4541 And G1161 Jesus G2424 answering G611 said, G2036 Were there G2511 not G3780 ten G1176 cleansed? G2511 but G1161 where G4226 are the nine? G1767 There are G2147 not G3756 found G2147 that returned G5290 to give G1325 glory G1391 to God, G2316 save G1508 this G3778 stranger. G241
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.