The Pulpit Commentary — Ruth — Section 62

hnve clone, "ho.a cletcrminocl to soil" (vendere offer of the estate. It would, in particular, dacrevit); ao Druaiua (vendere instituit). be at variance with the prerogative of the Tho kind fnmily feeling of Bonz, shining out nearest of kin if some other one in the in tho expression, " our brother Elimolech," circle of the kindred, but not so near, were is noteworthy. " Brother" was to him a to be offered on sale the usufructuary pos- homely nnd gracious term for " near kins- session of the family estate (Levit. xxv. 23, man ... 27). Hence Boaz recognised the prior pre- Ver. 4.-And I said (to myself). There rogative of his anonymous relative and friend, is little likelihood in the opinion of those and said to him, "If thou wilt perform the who mnintnin, with Rosenmilller, that the part of a kinsman. and buy the property, expression, " I said," refers to a promise then buy it." It is added, and if he will which Boaz had made to Ruth (see eh. iii. not. Note the use of the thircl person he, 13). It is a primitive phrase to denote in- instead of the second thou. If the reading ternal resolution. There is a point where be correct, then Boaz, in thus speaking, thought and speech coalesce. Our words must for the moment have turned to the are thoughts, and our thoughts a.re words. witnesses so as to address them. That the I will uncover thine ear, that is, "I will reading is correct, notwithstanding that lift the locks of hair that may be covering some MSS. and all the ancient versions the ear, so as to communicate something in exhibit the verb in the seconcl person, is confidence." But here the phrase is em- rendered probable by the very fact that it ii ployed with the specific import of secresy the difficult readinq. There could be no dropt out. It is thus somewhat equivalent temptation for a transcriber to substitute the to "I will give thee notice ; " only the third person for the second ; there would be temptation to substitute the second for the following expression ,9N?, i. e. to say, must third. The unanimity of the ancient ver- be read in the light of the undiluted original sions is probably attributable to the ho.bit of phrase, '' I will uncover thine ear to say." neglecting absolute literality, and translating The whole expression furnishes the most according to the sense, when the sense was beautiful instance imaginable of the primary clear. Boaz, turning back instantaneously meaning of ,t.?N~. The thing that was to to his relative, says, Make thou known to me, that I may know, for there is none be said follows immediately, viz., Acquire besides thee to a.et the kinsman's part (with it, or Buy it. It is as if he had said, "Now the exception of myself), and I come after you have a cha.nee which may not occur thee. The little clause, '' with the excep- again." It is added, in the presence of the tion of myself," lies in the sense, or spirit, inhabitants. This, rather than "the assess- although not in the letter of Boaz's address, ors," is the natural interpretation of the as reported in the text. And he said, I will participle (C'j;!rf'iJ), It is the translation act the kinsman's part. He was glad to which the word generally receives in the get the opportunity of adding to his own very numerous instances in which it occurs. patrimonial possession the property that h~d There was, so to speak, a fair representation belonged to Elimelech, and which Naomi, m of the inhabitants of the city in the casual her reduced condition, wished to dispose of. company that had assembled in the gateway. So far a.11 seemed to go straight against the And in presence of the elders of my people. interests of Ruth. The natural" aldermen," or unofficial "sena- Ver. 5.-And Boaz said, In the day when tors," whose presence extemporised for the thou acquirest the land from the hand of occasion a sufficient court of testators. If Naomi, and from Ruth the Moabitess, (in thou wilt perform the part of a kinsman, that day) thou hast acquired the wife of the perform it. The translation in King James's deceased, to establish the name of the de- English version, and in many other versions, ceased upon his inheritance. So we would viz., "If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it," is punctuate and render this verse. Boaz dis- somewhat out of harmony with the nature tinctly informed his relative that if the land of the case. Naomi was not wishing Elime- was acquired at all by a kinsman, it must be lech's estate to be redeemed. It was not yet acquired with its living appurtenance, Ruth in a position to be redeemed. It had not the Moe bitess, so that, by the blessing of been alienated or sold. She wished for it God, the Fountain of families, there might not a redeemer, but a purchaser. And as it be the opportunity of retaining the possession was the ru:,ht of a ',~l or kinsman to redeem of the property in the line of her deceased husband, that line coalescing in the line of for a reduced brother, if he was able and her second husband. It was the pleasure of willing, the estate which had been sold to an Naomi nnd Ruth, in offering their property alien (Levit. xxv. 25), so it was the privilege for sale, to burden its acquisiti~n_, 011 th_e of the same ',~il or kinsman to get, if the part of a kinsman, with the condition speci- r~duced brother WQ.S wishing to sell, the first fied. If thero should be fruit after the  THE BOOK OF nuTrt. [ell. IV. 1-22,