WM granted, And so Ruth went out of the house, passed out of the city gate, and, casUng hor eyes over the wide expo.nee of golden fields, right and left, ripe for the sickle, e.nd already nlivo with reapers a.nd binders a.nd gleaners, she was Inwardly guided to o. field that belonged to Boaz, a substantial yeoman, and, as it happened, near of kin to the late Elimelech. Ruth knew nothing of his Lear rolationahip, but colll'tcou.sly request.P,d from the overseer permission to glean (oh. ii 1-7). The overseer, perceiving that there was about this petitioner a corl.ain air of superiority that ho hatl never before witnessed in gleaners, got from her some particulars of her history, and made her hoa.rtily welcome to take her ple.oo on the field (ver. 7). So she wont to work "with a. will" By and by, 1LS the da.ysprlng a.dva.nced in the sky, the proprietor himself, Boaz, came out of the city to see how his reapers were getting on with their pleasant work. As he reached them and pll,SSed along, he conrteouRly saluted them all-Yahveh bB with you I The grave, kindly courtesy was heartily re- ciprocated by the workers-May Yalweh bleas the.e I (ver. 4). His eye speedily caught sight of the olega.nt and diligent gleaner, and so he directed his Rteps to the overseer, and asked, Whose is tltia you,ng woman1 (ver. 5). The ovel'Soer informed him, and praised her modesty and industry. Boaz, passing back age.in a.long the row of workers, enjoined on the young men to be respectful to the stranger. Then he went direct toward her, and, addr~g her as a father might speak to his daughter, he made her most heartily welcome to continue in his fields wi long as the harvest continued (vor. 8). He informed her that he had given strict injunctiona to the young men to refrain from all improper freedoms ; and he graoiously added that she was to avail herself at will of the water which was dmwn for the workers, and cai:ried into the field (vei:s. 4-9). Ruth was filled with wonder and gratitude for such unexpected favotll'S, a.nd bowed herself in obeisance to the ground (ver. 10). Boaz was stricken with admiration, and informed her that he hod got, with much satisfaction, full particulars of her devoted attention to her mother-in-law. He prayed th1Lt she might receive abunda.nt recompense from Yahveh the God of Israel, under the shadow of whose outstretched wings she had come to trust (vers. 11, 12). As Boaz Wll.S about to tum nway to attend to his o.ffo.irs, Ruth ventured, with beautiful respectfulness, to solicit a continuance for the future of that gracious- ness which he had already showed to her, and which had brought comfort to her heart (ver. 13). Then they separated. But, at the time of the mid-day eiesto. and refreshment, Boaz returned to her, and conducted her to the booth, under whose cooling she.de all the workers were wont to assemble o.t mid-day. He requested her to be seated beside the reapers, and to partake of the bread o.nd vinegar which had been pro- vided. He likewise prepared for her a bunch of delicious "parched oorn," of HUTH. iv JNTRODUCTION TO
which she gratefully partook, reserving, after she was satisfied, a portiorl. for her mother-in-law to give her a glad surprise (ver. 14). After the siesta was completed, and Ruth had returned to her labour, Boaz told the reapers to let her glean " even among the sheaves." And not only so, he wished them now and again to pull stalks out of the bundles, with express design, and leave them lying about, that she might gather them. They were, mornover, to be most particular not to affront her by any unkind insinuation (vers. 15, 16). The work went on merrily till near sunset, when Ruth, collecting together her gatherings, and threshing them, found that she had about an ephah of barley (ver. 17). She took up the welcome load, and made for her humble home, where she had a long story to tell, and many a long story to hear, regarding Boaz (vers. 18-22). All the harvest through, Ruth continued to glean in the fields of Boaz (ver. 23). But after the reaping and gleaning were ended, and there were no more out-of-door engagements, and no more interviews day after day with Boaz, .such a change came over her tender and desolate spirit that the keen eye of her mother-in-law saw that some other step required to be taken. She had had, apparently, interviews with Boaz, and clearly perceived that a mutual attachment had sprung up ; but for some reason or other a seal was on his lips. To remove that seal Naomi contrived a plan, which would have been in the highest degree improper had there not been, on the one hand, a peculiar Oriental custom in vogue, and, on the other, absolute reason for absolute confidence in the incor- ruptible purity of both Boaz and Ruth. The plan was for Ruth to take the position allowed her by the Levirate law. That would at once put Boaz on his honour in reference to the deceased Machlon and the living widow (eh. iii. 1-4). Ruth yielded to her mother-in-law's wishes, and the plan was carried into effect (vers. 5-7). Ruth placed herself by night at the feet of her kins- man while he slept, and, when discovered, was not only heartily welcomed, but warmly commended, and thanked. He was indeed advanced in years, and he could not, for that reason, have ventured to offer himself for her acceptance. But since his age was not to her an obstacle, and she wished to show every possible respect to the deceased, it would be his joy to mingle his lot with hers ( vers. 8-11 ). There was, however, one obstacle in the way. There was an individual who was nearer of kiu than himself to the deceased. According to the Levirate law, that individual had a prior claim on all the prerogatives attaching to priority of kinship; and with these prerogatives were bound up the duties of the nearest of kin. He consequently must, fimt of all, receive £1,Ill considera- tion ; and if he insisted on performing the kinsman's part, why then the matter would pass out of the sphere of personal preference, and the result would be accepted as the outcome of the Will that is higher than man's. But if that THE ROOK OF RUTH. II'