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Ruth Chapter
Three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO RUTH 3
In
this chapter we have a proposal of Naomi to Ruth
with advice and directions to
get Boaz for her husband
2:1. Ruth's obedience to
the instructions she gave her
2:5
the notice
Boaz took of her
and the conversation that passed between them
2:8 the dismission of her in the morning to her
mother-in-law with a gift
to whom she returned
and acquainted her with what
had passed
2:14.
Ruth
3:1 Then Naomi her
mother-in-law said to her
“My daughter
shall I not seek security for you
that it may be well with you?
YLT 1And Naomi her mother-in-law saith to her
`My
daughter
do not I seek for thee rest
that it may be well with thee?
Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her
.... After the
harvests were over
and so gleaning likewise; when Naomi and Ruth were together
alone in their apartment
the mother addressed the daughter after this manner:
my daughter
shall I not seek for thee
that it may be well with
thee? that is
in the house of an husband
as in 1:9 her meaning is
to seek out for an husband for her
that she might have an house of her own to rest in
and an husband to provide
her; that so she might be free from such toil and labour she had been lately
exercised in
and enjoy much ease and comfort
and all outward happiness and
prosperity in a marriage state with a good husband. This interrogation carries
in it the force of a strong affirmation
may suggest that she judged it to be
her duty
and that she was determined to seek out such a rest for her; and the
Targum makes her way of speaking stronger still
for that is
"by an oath I
will not rest
until the time that I have sought a rest for thee.'
Ruth
3:2 2 Now Boaz
whose young
women you were with
is he not our relative? In fact
he is winnowing
barley tonight at the threshing floor.
YLT 2and now
is not Boaz of our acquaintance
with whose young women thou hast been? lo
he is winnowing the threshing-floor
of barley to-night
And now is not Boaz of our kindred
with whose maidens thou wast?.... He was
and her question supposes and concludes it
and which she observes
that Ruth
might take notice of it
and encouragement from it; and the rather
since she
had been admitted into the company and conversation of his maidens; and which
was more
though not mentioned
into the company and conversation of himself
and whom Ruth knew full well; and who being
Naomi thought
the next nearest
kinsman
and obliged by the law in Deuteronomy 25:5 to
marry Ruth
with which view his relation is mentioned:
behold
he winnoweth barley tonight in the threshingfloor; which
afforded a fit opportunity of meeting with him
being at night
and out of the
city
from his own house
and alone
and after a feast for his reapers and
threshers of corn
seems
from 2:7 as it was usual
to have threshingfloors in an open place without the city
so to winnow at
them
whereby the chaff was more easily separated from the corn
and that
in
the evening
when in those countries there were the strongest breezes of wind
to carry it off; hence the Targum here has it
"behold
he is winnowing the
barley floor with the wind
which is in the night.'For before the invention and
use of fans in winnowing
it was only done by the wind carrying off the chaff
as the oxen trod the corn
for it was done in the threshingfloor
as here:
hence HesiodF13Opera & Dies
l. 2. ver. 221. advises that the
threshingfloors should be χωρω εν
ευαει
in a place exposed to wind; and so VarroF14De re
Rustica
l. 1. c. 41. observes
the floor should be in the higher part of the
field
that the wind might blow through it; to this manner of winnowing VirgilF15"Cum
graviter tunsis"
&c. Georgic. l. 3. Vid. Homer. Iliad 5. ver. 499.
& Iliad
13. ver. 588
&c. has respect. Nor was it unusual for great
personages
owners of farms and fields
to attend and overlook such service.
PlinyF16Nat. Hist. l. 22. c. 25. reports
that Sextus Pomponius
father of the praetor and prince of the hither Spain
presided over the
winnowing of his reapers; so Gideon
another judge Israel
was found threshing
wheat
Judges 6:11.
Ruth
3:3 3 Therefore wash yourself
and anoint yourself
put on your best garment and go down to the
threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has
finished eating and drinking.
YLT 3and thou hast bathed
and anointed thyself
and put thy garments upon thee
and gone down to the threshing-floor; let not
thyself be known to the man till he complete to eat and to drink;
Wash thyself
therefore
.... Thy flesh
as Ben
Melech
that she might appear clean and neat
and free from all spots
and
every thing that might occasion a disagreeable aspect
or an ill scent
and so
be acceptable to the man proposed:
and anoint thee; not with aromatic ointments
as great
personages
both men and women
used as Aben Ezra notes
but with common oil
Ruth being a poor widow that she might look sleek and smooth:
and put thy raiment upon thee; that is
her best
raiment; for it cannot be supposed that she was now without clothes; or else
her ornaments as the Targum; her mother-in-law advises her to put off her
widow's weed
the time of mourning for her husband being perhaps at an end
and
put on her ornamental dress she used to wear in her own country
and in her
husband's lifetime. Jarchi interprets it of her sabbath day clothes:
and get thee down to the floor; to the threshingfloor
where Boaz was winnowing
and which it seems lay lower than the city of
Bethlehem:
but make not thyself known unto the man; some
understand it
that she should not make herself known to any man
not to any of
the servants of Boaz; who
though they knew her before
when in the habit of a
gleaner
would not know her now in her best and finest clothes
unless she made
herself known to them; but rather Boaz is meant
to whom it was not advisable
to make herself known; and who also
for the same reason
though he might see
her at supper time
might not know her because of her different dress: and the
rather he is particularly intended
since it follows:
until he shall have done eating and drinking; when Naomi
thought it would be the fittest time to make herself known unto him in order to
gain the point in view
marriage with him.
Ruth
3:4 4 Then it shall be
when he
lies down
that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in
uncover his feet
and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.”
YLT 4and it cometh to pass when he lieth down
that thou hast known the place where he lieth down
and hast gone in
and
uncovered his feet
and lain down
-- and he doth declare to thee that which
thou dost do.'
And it shall be
when he lieth down
.... On the
threshingfloor
under the open air
in order to sleep
and take rest:
that thou shall mark the place where he shall lie; the spot he
shall lie on
and the direction in which he shall lie
whether east
west
&c. that when the light shall be taken away
and the darkness of the night
come on
she might pretty easily find the place where he lay:
and thou shall go in and uncover his feet
and lay thee down; go into the
threshingfloor
or to the place where he lay down and gently lay aside the
covering upon his feet
whether a blanket
or rug
or his own long clothes
with which his feet were wrapped
and then lay herself down at his feet; this
seems to be advised to
in order to give him a hint that there was somebody at
his feet. This may seem to us to be strange advice
and not consistent with the
character of pious and virtuous women
which they both bore
and with that
modesty they otherwise seem to be possessed of; to clear this
let it be
observed
that this man was
as Naomi thought
the next kinsman
and so in
right of the law in Deuteronomy 25:5
was the husband of Ruth
and therefore might take such a freedom with him as
she did; and it seems by the same law as if the woman was to make the demand of
marriage
which may serve to reconcile the carriage of Ruth to her character:
besides
what things in one age
and in one nation
are reckoned immodest
are
not so accounted in another age
and in another nation; add to this the age and
gravity of Boaz
and the well known virtue of Ruth to Naomi
she might think
herself quite safe in the advice she gave: and yet after all
it must be owned
it is somewhat difficult to account for her simplicity and wisdom in it; since
she could not be sure that sin and folly would not be committed
considering
the infirmity of human nature; or that such a behaviour in Ruth would not
alienate the affection of Boaz from her
and cause him to consider her as a
light and loose woman
and unfit to be his wife:
and he will tell thee what thou shall do; being a judge
of Israel
and expert in the law
he would inform her whether he was the next
kinsman
and had the right of redemption or not
and what methods must be
taken
and what rites used
in order to her marriage with him
or another
person.
Ruth
3:5 5 And she said to her
“All
that you say to me I will do.”
YLT 5And she saith unto her
`All that thou sayest
-- I do.'
And she said unto her
.... Having the highest
opinion of her piety and prudence
and being confident she would never advise
her to what was contrary to true religion and virtue:
all that thou sayest unto me I will do; observe every
instruction and direction she gave her
and attend strictly to every
circumstance pointed out to her
as she did; the word for "unto me"
is one of those instances
the Masora observes
is not written but read; the
letters of the word are not in the text
only the vowel points
the reason of
which cannot well be said; what the MidrashF17Midrash Ruth
ut
supra. (fol. 33. 3.) gives can never satisfy.
Ruth
3:6 6 So she went down to the
threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her.
YLT 6And she goeth down [to] the threshing-floor
and doth according to all that her mother-in-law commanded her
And she went down unto the floor
.... From the city of
Bethlehem
from her mother-in-law's house there
to the threshingfloor of Boaz
which was at some distance from it
and lower:
and did according to all that her mother in law bade her; both before
she went
and after: she washed and anointed herself
and put on her best
clothes before she went down
and when she was there took care not to make
herself known to any
especially to Boaz
and marked the place where he lay
down after he had supped.
Ruth
3:7 7 And after Boaz had eaten
and drunk
and his heart was cheerful
he went to lie down at the end of the
heap of grain; and she came softly
uncovered his feet
and lay down.
YLT 7And Boaz eateth and drinketh
and his heart
is glad; and he goeth in to lie down at the end of the heap; and she cometh in
gently
and uncovereth his feet
and lieth down.
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk
and his heart was merry
.... Having
ate and drank freely
though not to excess; and innocent mirth was always
allowed in the time of harvest
and of the vintage
and of gathering the fruits
of the earth
see Judges 9:27 or
"his heart was good"; he was in a good frame and disposition of mind
praising God for his goodness to him
and to his people; so the
Targum
"and his heart was good
and he blessed the name of the Lord who
had received his prayer
and removed the famine from the land of Israel:'he
went to lie down at the heap of corn; in the threshingfloor
which had either
been threshed out
or lay in sheaves to be threshed out: however
it seems
probable that he had laid himself down on some of the straw of the corn
threshed out
with his clothes on
covering his feet with the lower part of his
garment; it being usual in those countries to wear long garments
which served
to sleep in by nights
as well as to cover them by day; nor was it thought mean
and unworthy of persons of note to sleep in such a place
and in such a manner
as thisF18"Nec pudor in stipula"
&c. Ovid. Fast. l.
1. . And it might be chosen for coolness in those hot countries. Jarchi thinks
it was to preserve his corn from thieves; though it might be because it was
late ere the festival was over
and too late to go home
and besides he was
ready for his business the next morning:
and she came softly; with stillness and
quietness
as Jarchi
making as little noise as possible; or secretly
as the
Targum
that no one might see her
and have knowledge of what she did:
and uncovered his feet; turned up the skirt of
the garment that was upon his feet
or removed whatever covering was laid on
them:
and laid her down; not on the side of him
which would have
seemed immodest
but at his feet
perhaps across them.
Ruth
3:8 8 Now it happened at
midnight that the man was startled
and turned himself; and there
a woman was
lying at his feet.
YLT 8And it cometh to pass
at the middle of the
night
that the man trembleth
and turneth himself
and lo
a woman is lying at
his feet.
And it came to pass at midnight
.... So long Boaz slept
without knowledge of any person being at his feet
and so long Ruth had lain
there; but awaking
and perceiving something at his feet
which pressed them
it made him look about and feel
and so affected him:
that the man was afraid; though a man
and a man
of spirit
he was afraid
a panic seized him
not knowing but it might be a
spectre
a spirit
or a demon
as Jarchi; and such an instance we have in
historyF19Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 2. c. 9. of an apparition
which seemed to put off clothes
and place itself in a bed where a man lay
&c.
and turned himself; to see who it was:
and
behold
a woman lay at his feet; which he knew
by putting his hand upon her head
as Jarchi thinks
and so knew her by her
headdress
or vail; or rather by her voice
as Aben Ezra
and who supposes the
moon might shine
and he might be able to discern she had no beard
as well as
also discover her by her clothes.
Ruth
3:9 9 And he said
“Who are
you?” So she answered
“I am Ruth
your maidservant. Take your
maidservant under your wing
[a] for you
are a close relative.”
YLT 9And he saith
`Who [art] thou?' and she
saith
`I [am] Ruth thy handmaid
and thou hast spread thy skirt over thy
handmaid
for thou [art] a redeemer.'
And he said
who art thou?.... He spoke quick and
short
as one displeased
or however surprised and frightened
just coming out
of sleep
and in the night:
and she answered
I am Ruth thine handmaid; that had
gleaned in his fields with his maidens
and with whom he had conversed there
and knew her by name:
spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid; which seems
to account for the reason of her uncovering his feet
or turning up the skirt
of his garment that was upon them; not through wantonness and immodesty
but to
direct him
when opportunity offered
to spread it over her as a token of his
taking her in marriage
and of her being under his care and protection
and of
her subjection to him; so the Targum
"let thy name be called upon me to
take me for a wife
'Whether the custom now used with the Jews at marriage
for
a man to cast the skirt of his "talith"
or outward garment
over the
head of his spouse
and cover it
was in use so early
is questionable; and yet
something like it seems to have been done
as this phrase intimates
and to
which there is an allusion in Ezekiel 16:8. So
Jarchi
"spread the skirt of thy garments to cover me with thy talith
and
this is expressive of marriage;'and Aben Ezra says
it intimates taking her to
him for wife; though as the word signifies a wing
the allusion may be to the
wings of birds spread over their young
to cherish and protect them
which are
acts to be done by a man to his wife:
for thou art a near kinsman; as she had been informed
by Naomi
to whom the right of redemption of her husband's estate belonged
and
in whom it lay to marry her
and raise up seed to his kinsman
her former
husband.
Ruth
3:10 10 Then he said
“Blessed are
you of the Lord
my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning
in that you did not go after young men
whether poor or rich.
YLT 10And he saith
`Blessed [art] thou of Jehovah
my daughter; thou hast dealt more kindly at the latter end than at the
beginning -- not to go after the young men
either poor or rich.
And he said
blessed be thou of the Lord
my daughter
.... Instead
of calling her an immodest woman for laying herself down at his feet
and a
bold impudent woman
she being poor
to ask marriage of him; and instead of
being angry with her
and chiding and reproving her for disturbing and
frightening him in the night
he blesses her
and pray's to God to bless her
and prosper her in what she had engaged
and in a kind and loving manner calls
her his daughter:
for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the
beginning; that is
to her husband's family; she had shown much love to her
husband living and dying
and to her mother-in-law
in leaving her country and
kindred to come with her into a strange country
and in labour to support her
as she had done
all which was great kindness; to which the Targum adds
her
being proselyted; but the kindness she now showed exceeded all the former
in
that she was desirous
according to the law of God
to build up her husband's
family
to marry the next near kinsman
even though an old man
to raise up
seed to the name and memory of her husband:
inasmuch as thou followedst not the young men
whether poor or
rich; the phrase of following young men is not to be understood of
committing fornication with them
as the Targum explains it
but of marriage to
them: she shunned their company and conversation
and did not put herself in
the way of being caressed and addressed by them
and refused everything of that
sort; and did not choose to follow any young man
rich or poor
as a bride
follows her husband when married to him. Now Boaz mentions this as an instance
of her virtue
and of her great respect to her husband's family
that a woman of
such amiable qualities
virtuous
young
and beautiful
who doubtless might
have been married to a young man in her own country
or in Israel
but chose to
marry the nearest of kin in her husband's family
to perpetuate his name and
memory; the Jews sayF20Midrash Ruth
fol. 31. 4. & 34. 2. Boaz
was now eighty years of age
and Ruth forty.
Ruth
3:11 11 And
now
my daughter
do not fear. I will do for you all that you request
for all
the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.
YLT 11And now
my daughter
fear not
all that thou
sayest I do to thee
for all the gate of my people doth know that thou [art] a
virtuous woman.
And now
my daughter
fear not
.... Either of being
forced and defiled
to which he had exposed herself by lying down at a man's
feet
or of being reproached as an immodest woman for so doing
or of being
despised as a poor woman
and of not succeeding in her suit and enterprise:
and I will do to thee all that thou requirest; which could
be done according to the law of God
and without injury to another person after
mentioned:
for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous
woman; or righteous
as the Targum; a good woman
possessed of grace
and virtue
having every agreeable qualification to recommend to the marriage
state; and therefore
should they come to the knowledge of the step taken to
obtain it
will never reproach thee for it
nor blame me for marrying a person
though poor
of such an excellent character
which
by her conduct and
behaviour
was universally established. It is in the original text
"all
the gate of my people"F21כל־שער עמי "tota porta populi mei"
Montanus; so
Vatablus
Tigurine version. ; meaning either all the people that pass through
the gate of the city
that is
all the inhabitants of it
or the whole court of
judicature
the elders of the city
that sit in judgment there
as was usual in
gates of cities
see 4:1. So the Targum
"it
is manifest before all that sit in the gate of the great sanhedrim of my people
that thou art a righteous woman'
Ruth
3:12 12 Now it is true that I am
a close relative; however
there is a relative closer than I.
YLT 12And now
surely
true
that I [am] a
redeemer
but also there is a redeemer nearer than I.
And now it is true
that I am thy near kinsman
.... Her
husband and he being brothers' sons
so own cousins:
howbeit
there is a kinsman nearer than I
who was
the
Jews sayF23Midrash Ruth
ut supra. (31. 4. & 34. 2) Jarchi in
loc.
the brother of her husband's father
and so his uncle
which was a
nearer relation than an own cousin.
Ruth
3:13 13 Stay this night
and in
the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative
for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for
you
then I will perform the duty for you
as the Lord lives! Lie
down until morning.”
YLT 13Lodge to night
and it hath been in the
morning
if he doth redeem thee
well: he redeemeth; and if he delight not to
redeem thee
then I have redeemed thee -- I; Jehovah liveth! lie down till the
morning.'
Tarry this day
.... Or lodge here tonight
where she was;
this he said not from any design upon her
but for her own safety and honour
that she might not be exposed to danger or disgrace
by returning home at such
an unseasonable time of night. The first letter in the word for
"tarry" is larger than usual in the Hebrew text; which may be done to
raise the attention of the reader
to observe it as a thing very singular
that
a widow should lodge with a man without any diminution of her chastity; so
BuxtorfF24Tiberias
c. 14. p. 38. says
that hereby attention is
noted
even the honesty of Boaz ordering Ruth to lodge without a man
and wait
until a nearer kinsman
according to the law
should come
and promising that
on failure thereof he would be the lawful redeemer; but Dr. LightfootF25Works
vol. 1. p. 48. observes
that as there is a special mark over a word in the
story of Lot's eldest daughter lying with her father
Genesis 19:34 and a
special mark on this word here
in the story of Ruth going to Boaz his bed
seems to relate one to the other
and both together to point at the great
providence of God in bringing light out of darkness
Ruth
a mother of Christ
out of the incest of Lot:
and it shall be
in the morning
that if he will perform unto thee
the part of a kinsman
well
let him do the kinsman's part; by marrying
Ruth
and redeeming her husband's estate
which if he did
it would be all very
well
and right according to law; and it would be very well for Ruth
as Aben
Ezra and Abendana interpret it; seeing
as they observe
that kinsman was a
very respectable man
a man of great esteem and worth
a man of wealth and
authority
and she would be well matched to him. Some think
as the same
writers observe
that the word "Tob"
translated "well"
is
the name of the kinsman
the same with Tobias; so R. Joshuah saysF26In
Midrash Ruth
ut supra. (fol. 31. 4. & 34. 2.)
that Salmon (who was the
father of Boaz)
and Elimelech (the father of Ruth's husband)
and Tob (this
near kinsman)
were brethren:
but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee
then will I
do the part of a kinsman to thee
as the Lord liveth: that is
he
swore he would marry her
and redeem the inheritance
if the other would not;
for the phrase
"as the Lord liveth"
is the form of an oath
it is
swearing by the living God; so the Targum
"I say with an oath before the
Lord
that as I have spoken unto thee
so will I do:"
lie down until the morning; and take some sleep and
rest
and be at ease in mind
depending upon the performance of what I have
promised.
Ruth
3:14 14 So she lay at his feet
until morning
and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said
“Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
YLT 14And she lieth down at his feet till the
morning
and riseth before one doth discern another; and he saith
`Let it not
be known that the woman hath come into the floor.'
And she lay at his feet until the morning
.... In the same
place where she first lay herself down:
and she rose up before one could know another
because of
the darkness
as the Targum
it not being yet break of day:
and he said
let it not be known that a woman came into the floor
to whom he
spoke these words is not said
perhaps to Ruth
whom he might call to arise so
early as she did
before one could know another
and distinguish a man from a
woman; and so sent her away
and bid her be cautious
as much as in her lay
that it might not be known she had been there; for though they were both
conscious of their purity and chastity
yet it became them to be careful of
their good name
and to prevent scandal upon them
or hinder the nearer kinsman
from doing his part
who might refuse upon hearing that Boaz and Ruth had been
together; or this was said to his young men
as the Targum adds
charging them
to let no one know of it; which is not so likely: it is the sense of some
Jewish writersF1Midrash Ruth
fol. 34. 14. so some in Abendana in
Miclol Yophi in loc.
that Boaz said this in his heart
in an ejaculatory
prayer to God
entreating that affair might be a secret
that it might not be
known that a woman had been in the floor that night
lest the name of God
should be blasphemed
and he and Ruth be wrongfully reproached.
Ruth
3:15 15 Also he said
“Bring the
shawl that is on you and hold it.” And when she held it
he measured six
ephahs of barley
and laid it on her. Then she[b] went into
the city.
YLT 15And he saith
`Give the covering which [is]
on thee
and keep hold on it;' and she keepeth hold on it
and he measureth six
[measures] of barley
and layeth [it] on her; and he goeth into the city.
Also he said
.... Which seems to confirm the first sense
that what he had said before was to Ruth
beside which he also said to her what
follows:
bring the vail which thou hast upon thee
and hold it; by which it
appears that he rose also thus early
since he ordered her to bring her vail to
him
and hold it with both her hands
while he filled it from the heap of corn:
this vail was either what she wore on her head
as women used to do
or a
coverlet she brought with her to cover herself with
when she lay down; the
Septuagint renders it a "girdle"
that is
an apron she tied or girt
about her; which is as likely as anything: and when she held it
he measured
six measures of barley; what these measures were is not expressed; the Targum
is six seahs or bushels
as the Vulgate Latin version
but that is too much
and more than a woman could carry; unless we suppose
with the Targum
that she
had strength from the Lord to carry it
and was extraordinarily assisted by him
in it
which is not very probable; rather six omers
an omer being the tenth
part of an ephah
and so was a quantity she might be able to carry:
and laid it upon her; upon her shoulder
or
put it on her head
it being
no doubt
as much as she could well bear
and
which required some assistance to help her up with it:
and she went into the city; of Bethlehem
with her
burden; or rather he wentF2ויבא "et
ingressus est"
Tigurine version. Drusius
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. ; for the word is masculine
and to be understood of Boaz
who
accompanied her to the city
lest she should meet with any that should abuse
her; and so the Targum expresses it
"Boaz went into the city.'
Ruth
3:16 16 When she came to her
mother-in-law
she said
“Is that you
my daughter?”
Then she told her all that the man had done for her.
YLT 16And she cometh in unto her mother-in-law
and
she saith
`Who [art] thou
my daughter?' and she declareth to her all that the
man hath done to her.
And when she came to her mother in law
.... To Naomi
in Bethlehem:
she said
who art thou
my daughter? it being near dusk
she
could not discern her
or perhaps she put the question before she opened the
door and saw her; though one would think
if Ruth had called to her
she would
have known her voice: rather therefore the particle may be rendered
"what" or "how"F3מי את "quid egisti?" V. L. "quid tibi?"
Tigurine version; so R. Jonah in Aben Ezra
& Abendana in loc.
"quomodo tu filia mea?" Nold. p. 602. No. 1626.
instead of
"who"; and the sense be
what had befallen her? what success had she
had? how had things gone with her? was she married or not? or rather
had she
got a promise of it? or was it likely that she should be married? with which
the answer agrees:
and she told her all that the man had done to her; what kindness
he had shown her
what promises he had made to her
that either he
or a nearer
kinsman
would marry her
and redeem her husband's estate.
Ruth
3:17 17 And she said
“These six ephahs
of barley he gave me; for he said to me
‘Do not go empty-handed to your
mother-in-law.’”
YLT 17And she saith
`These six [measures] of
barley he hath given to me
for he said
Thou dost not go in empty unto thy
mother-in-law.'
And she said
these six measures of barley gave he me
.... Which she
laid down before her
which was a proof of his kindness to her
that she was
acceptable to him
and had well sped; of these six measures
see 3:15 which by some are allegorically interpreted of six
blessings that should be bestowed upon her
as the spirit of wisdom
understanding
&c. as Isaiah 11:2 so
Jarchi; or of six persons that should spring from her
as David
Daniel
and
his companions
and the King Messiah
as the Targum:
for he said unto me
go not empty unto thy mother in law; which
as it
expressed a regard to Naomi
and a compassionate concern for her support
so
would give her assurance of the success Ruth met with
she would relate to her.
Ruth
3:18 18 Then she said
“Sit still
my daughter
until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not
rest until he has concluded the matter this day.”
YLT 18And she saith
`Sit still
my daughter
till
thou dost know how the matter falleth
for the man doth not rest except he hath
completed the matter to-day.'
Then
said she
sit still
my daughter
.... Keep at
home
say nothing of this affair to any person
be easy about it
take no other
steps in it
wait the issue of it:
until thou know how the matter will fall; not that she
thought it was a chance matter
a fortuitous and contingent event with respect
to God; for all decrees come from heaven
as Aben Ezra on the text says
and
particularly marriages are decreed in heaven
and come about according to such
decrees; so the Targum
"sit
my daughter
with me
in the house
until the
time thou shall know how it is decreed from heaven:"
for the man will not be at rest until he have finished the thing
this day; which she concluded
partly from his known integrity and
faithfulness
diligence and industry
and partly from his affection to Ruth
and her interest in it; for she perceived
she had got his heart
both by what
he had said to her
and by the present he had sent by her
and she was
satisfied he would not be easy until he knew whether he should have her or not.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)