Chapter 3

1
shall I not Ruth 1:9; 1Cor 7:36; 1Tim 5:8, 1Tim 5:14

may be Gen 40:14; Deut 4:40; Ps 128:2; Jer 22:15-16


2
is not Boaz Ruth 2:20-23; Deut 25:5-6; Heb 2:11-14

with whose Ruth 2:8, Ruth 2:23

he winnoweth It is probable that the winnowing of grain was effected by taking up a portion of the corn in a sieve, and letting it down slowly in the wind; thus the grain would, by its own weight, fall in one place, while the chaff, etc., would be carried a distance by the wind. It is said here that this was done at night; probably what was threshed out in the day was winnowed in the evening, when the sea breeze set in, which was common in Palestine.


3
anoint thee 2Sam 14:2; Ps 104:15; Eccl 9:8; Matt 6:17

put thy Esth 5:1; 1Tim 2:9-10


4
uncover his feet or, lift up the clothes that are on his feet, 1Thess 5:22


6
and did Exod 20:12; Prov 1:8; John 2:5, John 15:14


7
his heart Gen 43:34; Judg 16:25, Judg 19:6, Judg 19:9, Judg 19:22; 2Sam 13:28; Esth 1:10; Ps 104:15; Eccl 2:24, Eccl 3:12-13, Eccl 8:15, Eccl 9:7, Eccl 10:19; 1Cor 10:31; Eph 5:18

went to lie Such was the simplicity of those early times, that the most wealthy persons looked after their own affairs, both at home and in the field. These threshing-floors were covered at top to keep off the rain, but lay open on all sides, that the wind might come in freely, for winnowing the corn; which being done, it is probable they were shut up at night, with doors fitted to them, that if any one lay there he might be kept warm, and the corn be secured from robbers.


9
Ruth Ruth 2:10-13; 1Sam 25:41; Luke 14:11

spread therefore Hebrew "spread thy wing;" the emblem of protection; and a metaphor taken from the young of fowls, which run under the wings of their mother from birds of prey. Even to the present day, when a Jew marries a woman, he throws the skirts of his talith over her, to signify that he has taken her under his protection. Ezek 16:8

a near kinsman or, one that has right to redeem, Ruth 3:12, Ruth 2:20


10
Blessed Ruth 2:4, Ruth 2:20; 1Cor 13:4-5

at the beginning Ruth 1:8


11
city Heb. gate, Prov 12:4, Prov 31:10, Prov 31:29-31


12
there is Ruth 4:1; Matt 7:12; 1Thess 4:6


13
if he will Ruth 2:20, Ruth 4:5; Deut 25:5-9; Matt 22:24-27

the Lord liveth Judg 8:19; Jer 4:2; 2Cor 1:23; Heb 6:16


14
Let it not Eccl 7:1; Rom 12:17, Rom 14:16; 1Cor 10:32; 2Cor 8:21; 1Thess 5:22; 1Pet 2:12


15
veil or sheet, or apron, The word mitpachath has been variously rendered. The LXX translate it περιζωμα, an apron, and Vulgate, pallium, a cloak. By the circumstances of the story, it must have been of a considerable size; and accordingly Dr. Shaw thinks it was no other than the hyke, the finer sort of which, such as are still worn by ladies and persons of distinction among the Arabs, he takes to answer to the πεπλος, or robe, of the ancient Greeks.

he measured Isa 32:8; Gal 6:10

six measures The quantity of this barley is uncertain. The Targum renders it, shith sein, "six seahs." A seah contained about two gallons and a half, six of which must have been a very heavy load for a woman, and so the Targumist thought, for he adds, "And she received strength from the Lord to carry it."


16
Who art thou Or, as the Vulgate renders, Quid egisti filiȧ "What hast thou done, my daughter?" Ruth 3:16


18
Sit still Ps 37:3-5; Isa 28:16, Isa 30:7


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