1 Then Naomi H5281 her mother in law H2545 said H559 unto her, My daughter, H1323 shall I not seek H1245 rest H4494 for thee, that it may be well H3190 with thee?
2 And now is not Boaz H1162 of our kindred, H4130 with whose maidens H5291 thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth H2219 barley H8184 to night H3915 in the threshingfloor. H1637
3 Wash H7364 thyself therefore, and anoint H5480 thee, and put H7760 thy raiment H8071 upon thee, and get thee down H3381 to the floor: H1637 but make not thyself known H3045 unto the man, H376 until he shall have done H3615 eating H398 and drinking. H8354
4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, H7901 that thou shalt mark H3045 the place H4725 where he shall lie, H7901 and thou shalt go in, H935 and uncover H1540 his feet, H4772 and lay thee down; H7901 and he will tell H5046 thee what thou shalt do. H6213
5 And she said H559 unto her, All that thou sayest H559 unto me I will do. H6213
6 And she went down H3381 unto the floor, H1637 and did H6213 according to all that her mother in law H2545 bade H6680 her.
7 And when Boaz H1162 had eaten H398 and drunk, H8354 and his heart H3820 was merry, H3190 he went H935 to lie down H7901 at the end H7097 of the heap of corn: H6194 and she came H935 softly, H3909 and uncovered H1540 his feet, H4772 and laid her down. H7901
8 And it came to pass at midnight, H2677 H3915 that the man H376 was afraid, H2729 and turned H3943 himself: and, behold, a woman H802 lay H7901 at his feet. H4772
9 And he said, H559 Who art thou? And she answered, H559 I am Ruth H7327 thine handmaid: H519 spread H6566 therefore thy skirt H3671 over thine handmaid; H519 for thou art a near kinsman. H1350
10 And he said, H559 Blessed H1288 be thou of the LORD, H3068 my daughter: H1323 for thou hast shewed H3190 more kindness H2617 in the latter end H314 than at the beginning, H7223 inasmuch as thou followedst H3212 H310 not H1115 young men, H970 whether poor H1800 or rich. H6223
11 And now, my daughter, H1323 fear H3372 not; I will do H6213 to thee all that thou requirest: H559 for all the city H8179 of my people H5971 doth know H3045 that thou art a virtuous H2428 woman. H802
12 And now it is true H551 that I am thy near kinsman: H1350 howbeit there is H3426 a kinsman H1350 nearer H7138 than I.
13 Tarry H3885 this night, H3915 and it shall be in the morning, H1242 that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, H1350 well; H2896 let him do the kinsman's part: H1350 but if he will H2654 not do the part of a kinsman H1350 to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman H1350 to thee, as the LORD H3068 liveth: H2416 lie down H7901 until the morning. H1242
14 And she lay H7901 at his feet H4772 until the morning: H1242 and she rose up H6965 before H2958 one H376 could know H5234 another. H7453 And he said, H559 Let it not be known H3045 that a woman H802 came H935 into the floor. H1637
15 Also he said, H559 Bring H3051 the vail H4304 that thou hast upon thee, and hold H270 it. And when she held H270 it, he measured H4058 six H8337 measures of barley, H8184 and laid H7896 it on her: and she went H935 into the city. H5892
16 And when she came H935 to her mother in law, H2545 she said, H559 Who art thou, my daughter? H1323 And she told H5046 her all that the man H376 had done H6213 to her.
17 And she said, H559 These six H8337 measures of barley H8184 gave H5414 he me; for he said H559 to me, Go H935 not empty H7387 unto thy mother in law. H2545
18 Then said H559 she, Sit still, H3427 my daughter, H1323 until thou know H3045 how the matter H1697 will fall: H5307 for the man H376 will not be in rest, H8252 until H518 he have finished H3615 the thing H1697 this day. H3117
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ruth 3
Commentary on Ruth 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
Ru 3:1-13. By Naomi's Instructions, Ruth Lies at Boaz's Feet, Who Acknowledges the Duty of a Kinsman.
2. he winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing-floor—The winnowing process is performed by throwing up the grain, after being trodden down, against the wind with a shovel. The threshing-floor, which was commonly on the harvest-field, was carefully leveled with a large cylindric roller and consolidated with chalk, that weeds might not spring up, and that it might not chop with drought. The farmer usually remained all night in harvest-time on the threshing-floor, not only for the protection of his valuable grain, but for the winnowing. That operation was performed in the evening to catch the breezes which blow after the close of a hot day, and which continue for the most part of the night. This duty at so important a season the master undertakes himself; and, accordingly, in the simplicity of ancient manners, Boaz, a person of considerable wealth and high rank, laid himself down to sleep on the barn floor, at the end of the heap of barley he had been winnowing.
4. go in, and uncover his feet and lay thee down—Singular as these directions may appear to us, there was no impropriety in them, according to the simplicity of rural manners in Beth-lehem. In ordinary circumstances these would have seemed indecorous to the world; but in the case of Ruth, it was a method, doubtless conformable to prevailing usage, of reminding Boaz of the duty which devolved on him as the kinsman of her deceased husband. Boaz probably slept upon a mat or skin; Ruth lay crosswise at his feet—a position in which Eastern servants frequently sleep in the same chamber or tent with their master; and if they want a covering, custom allows them that benefit from part of the covering on their master's bed. Resting, as the Orientals do at night, in the same clothes they wear during the day, there was no indelicacy in a stranger, or even a woman, putting the extremity of this cover over her.
9. I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman—She had already drawn part of the mantle over her; and she asked him now to do it, that the act might become his own. To spread a skirt over one is, in the East, a symbolical action denoting protection. To this day in many parts of the East, to say of anyone that he put his skirt over a woman, is synonymous with saying that he married her; and at all the marriages of the modern Jews and Hindus, one part of the ceremony is for the bridegroom to put a silken or cotton cloak around his bride.
15. Bring the veil that thou hast upon thee, and hold it—Eastern veils are large sheets—those of ladies being of red silk; but the poorer or common class of women wear them of blue, or blue and white striped linen or cotton. They are wrapped round the head, so as to conceal the whole face except one eye.
17. six measures of barley—Hebrew, "six seahs," a seah contained about two gallons and a half, six of which must have been rather a heavy load for a woman.