f She did nor bo!dy intrude her ſelf, but modeſtly ask leave of us. g She 1s not retired through idlenefs, for ſhe hath been dilicenr and conſtant in her Jabours. þ Not in Naomies houſe, as many un- derſtand it, as may be gathered from w: 18: 19. but in the little Houſe or Tent, which was ſet up in the Fields at theſe times, and was neceflary in thoſe hot Countries, where the labourers or ethers might retire for a lictle repoſe or repaſt at fir times. Being weary with her continued labours, ſhe comes hicticc to take a lictie reſt.
8 Then ſaid Boaz unto Ruth, Heareſt thou not, my daughter ? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, bur abide here faſt by my maidens 5.
; Not by the young men, to avoid both occaſion of ſin, and mat- ter of ſcandal. Herein he ſhews his Piety and Prudence.
9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them : have I not charged the young men that they ſhall not touch thee &k, and when thou art athirſt, go unto the veſlels and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
k So as to offer any incivility or injury te thee. Tenching is off taken for hurting, Gen: 26: 81, Pſal: 105: 15, |
10 Then (be fell on her face !, and bowed her ſelf -=: to the ground, and faid unto him, Why have I found {:- grace 1n thine eyes, that thou ſhouldeſt take knowledge of me m, ſeing I am a ſtranger ?
I This was the humbleſt Poſture of Reverence,either Civil wen performed to men, or Religions, when to GOD. See Ger: 18: 2. and 33: 3. and 42* 6. Matth; 24 11. and 8: 2. m ite. Shew any reſpect and kindneſs ro me. For words of knowledge in Scriptuc commonly include affeQion.
1z And Boaz anſwered and ſaid unto her, It hath fully been ſhewed me, all that thou haſt done unto thy mother 1n law,ſfince the death of thine husband : and he thou haſt left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewelt not » heretofore.
» Of whom thou hadſt no experience : for otherwiſe in general the could not be ignorant of this People.
12 The LORD recompenſe thy work, and a full reward be given thee of theLORD God of Iſrael,under whoſe wings o thou art come to truſt.
0 i- &, ProteCtion and Care, as Deut: 327 11. Pſal: 19:8, and 36. 7: and 94: 3- An Alluſion either to Hens,which prore& and cheriſh
their young ones under their Wings; or to the Wings of the Che» rubims, between which GOD dweit.
13 Then ſhe ſaid, || Let me find favonr in thy © ſight p, my lord, for that thou haſt comfortsd me}, Or") 2nd ] 00% o
=» wa _ -
Who
Tyland.
Chap. III. —} R | 'O, + Heb. toand for that thou haſt ſpoken 7 friendly unto thine te heart» hand-maid, though I be not like unto one of thy hand-
maidens 9. 5
p I humbly implore the continuance of thy goed Opinion of me, though I do not deſerve it. q A perſon more mean, and neceflitous, and obſcure, being a ſtranger, and one born of Heatheniſh Pa- rents, and not of the Holy and Honourable people of Iſrael, as they are. : | ;
14 And Boaz ſaid unto her, At meal-time come thou hither, and eac of the bread 7, and dip thy morſel in the vinegar // And ſhe ſate beſide the reapers # : and he reached her parched corn «, and ſhe did eat, and was ſufficed, and left.
r Which in thoſe ſimple and frugal times was the uſual Food of Servants and the meaner Sort, at leaſt when they were engaged in ſuch Works as this, which required ſpecd, and theref:re muſt be. quick in their eating, as well as in their Work. Or. Bread may be here put for any Food. at it oft is- / Eicher ſimple Vinegar, which the poorer ſort uſed to dip their Bread, and fo Eat it in hor Countries, as rhey did not only in Canaan, but afterwards in 1aly; it being very proper, eſpecially in thole Parts, for cooling them in thoſe hor Seaions, for ſtrengthning their Sinews, &c« Or Vinegar mixed with other things to make iome kind of Sauce. # Nor with or among them, but at ſome little diſtance from them, and as one infer:ourto them. as ſh> had acknow!edged before in Words,and now ſheweth it by her Adtions. « A Focd in fiequent uſe, and ſome eſteem with them. See 2 Sam. 17. 28»
15 And when ſhe was riſen up to glean, Boaz com-
manded his young men, ſaying, Let her glean among
arr the ſheaves, and F reproach her not x, : 4g : x As if ſhe were rude or impudent in ſo doing, as. otherwiſe
they ſhou'd have th.ughr. Cnueft. Why did he not rather give her as much Corn as ſhe could carry, and fexid her away ? Auſw. Be- cauſe he would nut have ber to Ear the Bread of Idicneſs, bur hc- neſtly to get it with the Sweat of her Brows, according to her Duty and preſent Condirion,
16 And let fall alſo ſomeof the handfu's, of purpoſe for her, and leave them, that ſhe may glean hem, and rebuke her not.
17 So lhe gleaned in the field until Even, and beat out that ſhe had gleaned : and it was about an ephah 4 of barley. |
y Which is thought to contain about a Buſhel, See Exod. 16, 36. Levit.5: I, ; :
18 4 And ſhe took it up, and wentinto the city : and her mother in law ſaw what ſhe had gleaned : and ſhe brought forth, and gave to her that the had reſerved, and was ſufficed z.
z Or, that which ſhe had left of her fulneſs, or after ſhe was ſatisfied She did Eat as much as ſhe defired of what ſhe had G'eaned, and her Mother, as I ſuppoſe, with hec, and the relidue the gave to her Mother, to lay up for furure uſc. :
19 And her mother in law ſaid unto her, Where haſt thou gleaned to day ? and where wroughteſt thou? bleſſed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And (he ſhewed her mother in law with whom ſbe had wrought, and faid, The mans name with whom TI wrought to day, is Boaz.
20 And Naomi faid unto her daughter in law, Bleſ- ſed be he of the LORD, who hath not icfr off his kind- nef> to the living * and to the dead a. And Naomitſfaid
*25at unto her, The man # near of kin unto us, || one of ha” our next kinſmen 6b.