The Pulpit Commentary — Ruth — Section 41

EXPOSITION. grew. And :Boaz answered a.nd said to her, CHAPTER II. 10-17. It has been fully showed to me, all that Ver. 10.-RUTH did not seize the oppor- thou hast done toward thy mother-in-law tunity for bewailing the hardship of the lot since the dea.th of thy husband : and tha.t to which she had been reduced, and which thou ha.at left thy father and thy mother, now constrained her to undertake a species and the land of thy nativity, and hast coma of work which at one time she little an- to a people whom heretofore thou knewest ticipated. With beautiful humility and not. When Boaz says, " It has been fully modesty, and in the profoundest gratitude, showed to me," he probably refers to the she accepted wonderingly the kindness of information which he had received from his Boaz. And she fell on her fa.ce. .A. rather overseer. The expression rendered " fully remarkable expression, physiologicallyviewed, showed" is e. fine specimen nf a very antique Her face was part of herseli How then idiom, showed-showed (1P-Q i,~Q), "Toward could she fa.11 on it ! It was part of tha.t thy mother-in-law." The preposition which which fell, and yet she is said to fa.11 upon we render "toward" is literally "with," which, indeed, when la.id side by side with ('Pl it, as if it ha.d been underneath the the Hebrew preposition, looks as if it were self-hood that fell It was what was under- most as she bowed herself, so that the pres- = organically identical (n~ eth. Compare the old Hebrew etha with the Sa.nscrit itah. sure of the sum-total of the body fell on it See Raabe's 'Glossar'). The expression as she gracefully stooped. And prostra.ted which we render "heretofore " is literally herself to the ground. Thus completing, "yesterday and the day before,'.' a very and doubtless in no sprawling or clumsy primitive way of representing time p~t. way, her respectful obeisance. Her face It must have been like balm to the anxious would be made, with resthetic delicacy of heart of Ruth to hear from tho lips of such movement, to touch the ground. Wherefore a man as Boaz so hearty a "well-done." have I found fa.vour in thine eye&! She "Ruth," saysthevenerable Lawson, "show~d was surprised, amazed, bewildered. So that no disposition to praise herself. She did thou takeat notice of me, and I a. 1tranger ! not claim a right to glean from what she Boaz had done far more than merely take had done for Naomi, but wondered that 1wti.ce of her. But, with equal gra~tude such kindness should be showed by Boaz to and felicity, she specifies not the culminat- her who was a stranger, and she hears the - ing acts of kindnees, but the very first step voice of praise from the mouth of one whose that her benefactor ha.d taken. He began commendations were a very great honour. by talcing noti.ce of her. There is an inter- No saying was oftener in the ip.outh of Jesus esting paraM'TTU1,8Ul in the two worda '~~-'.:;i;:r than this He that e:caltetl,, hvrnself shall be e.nd i1,~7:;:,~. .A. foreigner, though unlcrwum, abased, ~nd h,e that J,,umbleth himaelf shall a.nd jUBt indeed because unknown, is natur- be exalted." ally 'Mted and rwti.ced. Ver. 12.-lllay Ya.hveh requite thy work, Ver. 11.-Boaz's interest and admiration and may thy recompenae be complete from OB. II. 10-17.1 THE BOOK OF RUTH. 37