*H After she was returned to her mother in law, Noemi said to her: My daughter, I will seek rest for thee, and will provide that it may be well with thee.
Ver. 1. I will. Heb. and Sept. may be read with an interrogation in the same sense. "Shall I not seek rest?" H. — By this expression she means a husband. C. i. 9. Marriage fixes the unsettled condition of women. C. — Noemi being apprised of the law, entertained hopes that she could engage Booz to marry Ruth. H. — Thus her penury would cease, and she would perhaps have children, as she earnestly desired. M.
*H This Booz, with whose maids thou wast joined in the field, is our near kinsman, and behold this night he winnoweth barley in the threshingfloor.
Ver. 2. Night. In Palestine, and other maritime countries, a breeze generally arises from the sea in the evening. It was then that Booz seized the opportunity of winnowing his barley; so that, at an early hour, he gave Ruth six measures, and retired to rest, beside some of the remaining sheaves (C.) in an adjoining apartment, erected for the protection of the reapers during the great heats, and to contain the corn in case of a shower. Columella, i. 7. and ii. 51. This shade was probably in the same field where Ruth had been gleaning. C. — She might lawfully seize this opportunity (H.) to obtain an honest marriage. D.
*H Wash thyself therefore and anoint thee, and put on thy best garments, and go down to the barnfloor: but let not the man see thee, till he shall have done eating and drinking.
Ver. 3. Garments. External cleanliness has many attractions. Judith x. 3. Many editions of the Heb. are very confused, by the improper insertion of i: "I will put the garments on thee, and get me down," &c. Ken.
*H And when he shall go to sleep, mark the place wherein he sleepeth: and thou shalt go in, and lift up the clothes wherewith he is covered towards his feet, and shalt lay thyself down there: and he will tell thee what thou must do.
Ver. 4. Sleepeth. People of fortune did not disdain to sleep among the corn.
*H And when Booz had eaten, and drunk, and was merry, he went to sleep by the heap of sheaves, and she came softly, and uncovering his feet, laid herself down.
Ver. 7. Merry. Heb. "good," yet by no means intoxicated. D. M. — It was formerly the custom, as it is still in many places, (H.) to conclude the harvest with a feast; (C.) on which day Cato observes, that the men and oxen did not work. De re Rust. c. 131. Hence the vacuna of Ovid. Fast. vi. T. — The pagans did this in honour of Jupiter and Ceres. But the true God had enjoined his people (H.) to offer the first-fruits to him, and to feast in his presence. Lev. xxiii. 10. Deut. xxvi. 21. — Sheaves, either of corn or of straw. Sept. — The Arabs and neighbouring nations still delight to rest upon the ground, with some clothes thrown over them. C.
*H And behold, when it was now midnight the man was afraid, and troubled: and he saw a woman lying at his feet,
Ver. 8. Troubled. Heb. may be rendered, "and turned himself, or felt," &c. C. — He perceived something at his feet, when he awoke, and was in consternation, particularly when he perceived, through the glimmering light, a woman at his feet. H..
*H And he said to her: Who art thou ? And she answered: I am Ruth, thy handmaid: spread thy coverlet over thy servant, for thou art a near kinsman.
Ver. 9. Kinsman. Heb. "a redeemer;" (C.) one bound to defend and to espouse a brother's widow, if others more nearly akin refuse. H. — Ruth modestly admonishes him of this duty, and begs that he would take her to wife, (C.) as he might then have done without any other formality. Serar. q. vii. — We find a similar expression, Ezec. xvi. 8. Deut. xxii. 80. Some think that she only asked for protection. The custom of the husband, stretching a part of his garment over his bride, was perhaps already established among the Hebrews. C. — Heb. and Sept. "stretch thy wing over," &c. Chal. "Let thy name be invoked upon thy handmaid, to take me to wife." M. Is. iv. 1.
*H And he said: Blessed art thou of the Lord, my daughter, and thy latter kindness has surpassed the former: because thou hast not followed young men either poor or rich.
Ver. 10. Thy latter kindness; viz. to thy husband deceased, in seeking to keep up his name and family, by marrying his relation according to the law, and not following after young men: for Booz, it seems, was then in years. Ch. — Salien supposes about seventy years old. H. — The affection which Ruth had all along displayed towards her husband, deserved applause. C. — Much more did her present endeavours to comply with God’s law. W.
*H Fear not therefore, but whatsoever thou shalt say to me I will do to thee. For all the people that dwell within the gates of my city, know that thou art a virtuous woman.
Ver. 11. Woman. Virtuous here may denote, "strong, generous," &c. Prov. xxxi. 10. C. — But it includes the assemblage of all virtues. H.
*H Neither do I deny myself to be near of kin, but there is another nearer than I.
Ver. 12. Than I. The Jews think that he was brother of Elimelech, while Booz was only his nephew. But they might be in the same degree; the other being only older. C.
*H Rest thou this night: and when morning is come, if he will take thee by the right of kindred, all is well: but if he will not, I will undoubtedly take thee, so the Lord liveth: sleep till the morning.
Ver. 13. Well. Heb. tob. H. — Hence the Jews would translate, "If Tob will redeem thee, let him." They say that Tob was the paternal uncle of Mahalon: but it is not probable that his proper name should be only here mentioned, and not C. iv. The Sept. and Chaldee are conformable to the Vulg. and the opinion of the Jews is abandoned by most interpreters; (C.) and by the Prot. "well, let him do the kinsman's part." H. — Liveth. Chal. "Bound by an oath, before the Lord, I say that I will fulfil my promise unto thee."
*H So she slept at his feet till the night was going off. And she arose before men could know one another, and Booz said: Beware lest any man know that thou camest hither.
Ver. 14. Hither. The next kinsman might otherwise allege this as a pretext for not marrying her, (Salien) as people are but too apt to suspect the worst, though nothing amiss had passed between them. H. — Booz consulted his own as well as Ruth's reputation: for the apostle admonishes us to abstain from every appearance of evil. 1 Thess. v. 22. M.
*H And again he said: Spread thy mantle, wherewith thou art covered, and hold it with both hands. And when she spread it and held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it upon her. And she carried it, and went into the city,
Ver. 15. Mantle. The Syrian and Arab. ladies cover themselves all over with a large white veil, or piece of cloth, which has no holes, so that Ruth might conveniently carry the barley in it. — Measures is not in Heb. or Sept. Most people supply ephi. S. Jerom, who has translated six bushels, (allowing three to the ephi; C. ii. 17,) has understood that Booz gave Ruth two ephi. If we explain it of six ephi, the burden would be great enough, consisting of 180 pints or pounds of barley. Bonfrere would supply six gomers, each of which consisted of only the tenth part of the ephi, or three pints, in all 18. But such a present seems too inconsiderable. We may therefore stick to S. Jerom, whose six measures (C.— modios, bushels; H.) make about 60 pints; (C.) or, according to others, 160 pounds, which, though heavy, a woman might carry. The Sept. insinuate, that Ruth carried the barley in her apron. M. — And. Heb. "he went." But the text is probably corrupted. C.
*H And came to her mother in law; who said to her: What hast thou done, daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
Ver. 16. What, &c. Heb. "Who art thou?" It was yet so dark that she did not know her. C.