Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
The Lerite Declares his Wrong. JUDGES XX. The Benjamites Smitten.
and in many i-pspocts, inexplicable cotulu^-t of tlio Levite lowaniK liis wile, ilist-Iose a stale of molality lliat woiild have appeared iuerediblt,', did it not rest on llie testimony of the sacred liistoiiaii. Botli the one and the other ought lo iiove protected the female inmates of tlie house, even thouj;li at tlie expense of Uioir lives, or thrown thejnselves on God's providence. It sliould be noted, liowever, tliat the guilt of such a foul outrage is not fastened on tlie geneial population of Gibeah. ciivitled l»er Ijito twelve piiics—The want of a reguhxr government warranti'd an extraordinary step; and cert Jiinly no method could have lieen imagined more certain of rousing universal horror and indignation than this terrible smnmous of the Levite.
attitude of resi.sta-ice they assuUKvl. 14-17. the eSiJlrtren of Uciijiiniin gtliereil tiitniselves out of tUe cities uuto Ciibe.aii—Allowing their valour to be ever so great, not hing but blind passion and unbending obstinacy could ha\e imptdled them to take,tlio Held against their brethren with such a disparity o'f numbers. 10. leiTt-licnded every one could sliiii" stones at an linir-l(read(!i, and not miss—The sling was one of the (>arliest weapons used in war. The Hebrew sling was probably similar to that of the Egyptian, consisting of a leather thong, broad in the middle, with a loop at one end, by which it was flriiily held with the hand; the other end terminated in a lash, which Vias let slip when the stone was thrown. Tlio.se skilled in the use of it, as the Benjamites were, could liit the mark with unerring certainty. A good sling could carry its full force to the distance of aX) yards.
CHAPTER XX.
18-28. The ISRAEHTKS Lose Forty TH0U.SAND. 18-38.
tlie eliildren of Israel arose, and w ent icp to tlie liouse of God—This cousult.;it ion at .siiiloh was right. But they ought to have done it at the commencement of their proceedings. Instead of this, all their plans were formed, and never doubting, it would .seem, that the war was just and inevitable, the only subject of llieir inquiry related to the iirccedeucy of the tribes—a point wliich it is likely was discus.sed in the assembly. Had they asked counsel of God .sooner, their expedition would have been conducted on a dillerent piinciple—most probabljby reducing the number of lighting men, as in the case of Gideon's army. As it was, the vast amount of volunteers formed an excessive and unwieldy force, unfit for strenuous and uniled action against a small, compact, ;ind well-directed army. A panic ensuil, and the confederate tribes, in two successive engagements, sustained great losses. These repeated disasters (notwithstanding their attack on Beiijamiti had been divinely authorized) overwhelmed them with shame and sorrow. Led to reflection, they became sensilile of their guilt in not repressing their national
Ver. 1-7. The Levite, in a General Assembly, Declares his AV'rong. 1. all tlie coiigrcgalioji was gatUei-ecl as oi»e mau—In consequence of the immense sensation the liorriel tragedy of Gibeah liad producetl, a national assembly was convened, at which " the chief of all the people" from all parts of tlie land, including tlie eastern tribes, appeared as delegates. Mizpclk—the place of convention (for there were other Mi/.pehs), was in a town situated on the coutines of Judah and Benjamin (Joshua 1.5. 3S; IS. 26). Assemblies were frequently held there afterwards (1 Samuel 7. U; 10. 17); and it was but a short distance from Shiloh. The plirase, " Unto the Lord," may be taken in its usual sense, as denoting consultation of the oracle. This circumstance, together with the convention being called "the assemljly of tlie peoiiUi of God," seems to indiciite, that amid the excited passions of the nation, those present felt the iirofound gravity of tlie occasion, and .tdopted the best means of maintaining a becoming deportment. 3. Now tlic cliildreii of IScnjankin lieard tlint tJic cliililreii of Israel w« r»' .some nji to Sllipeu—.Some suppose that Benjamin had been passeil over, tiie crime having been perpetrated within t'lic territory of that tribe; and that, as the concubine's corpse idolatries, as well as in loo [iroudly relying on their superior numbers, and tlie precipitate rashness of this expedition. Having humbled themselves by prayer and fasting, as well as observed the appointed metliod of expiating their sins, they were assured of ae<^eplance as v.'cU as of viclia.l been divided into twelve piece.s—two had been sent to Manasseh, one respectively to the western and eastern divisions. It is more probable that Benjamin had received a formal summons 11 lie the other trilies, but chosi> to treat tory. The presence and .services of riiinehas on this occasion help us to ascert.ain the chronology thus far, that the date of the occurrence must be fixed shortly after the death of Joshua.
iridill'eri'iice, or haughty disdain. 4-7. ttte I.evite, tUe liiisband of tUe woman tUat was slain, answered and said—The injured liusliand gave a brief and unvarnislu d recital of the tragic outrage, from which it ajiiiears that force was used, which he could not resist. His testimony was doubtless corroborated by those of his servant
29-l.S. They Ukstuoy all ttik Bex,tamite.s, F.xrr.PT Six Hundred. !JV»-4S. Israel set Hers In wait round nbout Oilteali—A plan was formed of taking that city by
St i-alageiu, siiuihir lo tliat employed in the capture of Ai. 15aal-<ft«iiar— a palm grove, where Baal was worshipped. The main army of the coufeilerate tribes w is drawn up ther(\ 33. out of tl»e meadows of tJil)enl» Ilvb., the anil tlie old lOpliraimite. There was no need of strong or highly-coloured description to work upon the feelings of the audi(!nce. The facts spoke for themselves, and produced one common sentiment of detestation and vengeance.
cave.s of Gib(Mh. a hill—in which the ambuscades lay hid. 31. 'I'liere eame nj,-,aii»st (^llreiwk t«n titousaud cltosen men—this was a third division, diJIereiit both from tli(> ambuscade and the army, who were fighting at Baal-taniar. The general account stated In verse;!.) Is follov.ed by a detailed narrative of the battle, which is continued to the end of the chapter. 45. They turned and
8. Thioir Decrhk. 8. all tlie people arose as one man —The extraordinary unaiiiiriity tliat prevailed shows, that notwithstanding great disorders had broken out in many jiarts, the people were sound at the core; and remembering their natioiiid covenant with God, now felt the necessity of wiping out so foul a stain on their character as a peoph!. It was resolved that the inhabilants of Gibeah should be subjected to condign punisliment. But Uk; resolutions were conditional. For as the common law of nature and nations requires that an inquiry should he made, and satisfaction demaiuh'd, before committing an act of hostility or vengeance, messengers were deKpatclied through the whole territory of Benjamin, demanding the Immediate surrender or execution of the delii Kiuents. The request was Just and reasonable; and by relusiiig it tin? Benjamites virtually made themselvea a parly in llie (luarrol. It must not be sujiposed that the fled toward.sthe wilderness unto the rock of liimimon —Numbers of the fugitives found refuge in the e:ives of this rocky mountain, whicli is situated to the north-east of Beth-el. 8uch i>lac('s are stili sought as secure retreats
In times of danger; and until the method of blowing up rocks by gunpowder became known, a few men could in such caves sustain a siege Icir ninuths. 4G. all ivltieli feU tliat day of Eleiijamln were twenty at«d live tliousand men—On cftinparing this with verse •'>•>, it will be seen that the loss Is stat<'d here in round nnmbers, and l.s confined only to that of the third (hiy. W'e mutt conclude tliat 1000 had fallen during the t wo previous engugeiiients,
In ord(>r to make the aggregate am<aiiil yiven (r. l.^i*. 48. the men of fsrael turned »{i<i!u upon the ehildren o( Uenjamlit, and sinole (tieiii witli the ede of the sword —This frightful vengejince. extending fixjm Gibeah to tho whole territory of llenjamln. was r'xecnted under tlie impetuous Imiiulse of liighly exi-iled passions. But doiiW,- peojile of this tribe weninsensible or inditl'erent to the atrocious character of t he crime that had been committed on tiieir soil. But their patriotism or their pride was o(1'. iidcd b,\' the h((stlle dcmrmslratlon of the other tribe.'?. The p'.issloiis wi-re inllam.'d on both sides; but certainly the i;. njiiiiilcN in-.nirred an awful responsiblllly by the
Naomi Reluming Home, EUTH I. Pxulh Accompanieg Ker, ishing its inhabitants for not joining the crusade against Benjamin; and tlius, with a view of repairing the consequences of one rash proceeding, they liurriedly ruslied to tlie perpetration of another, tliough a smaller tragedy. But it appears (v. 11) tliat, besides acting in fulfilment of their oath, the Israelites had tlie additional object by this raid of supplying wives to tlie Benjamite remnant. This shows the intemperate fury of the Israelites in the indiscriminate slauglitor of the women and ciiiidren.
less the Israelites were only the agciits of inflicting the righteous retributions of Goil; ami the memory of this terrible crisis, which led almost to tlie extermination of a whole tribe, was conducive to tlie future good of the whole nation.
CHAPTER XXI.
"Ver. 1-15, The Peopi-e Bewaii. the Desoi-atiot of IsKAEI/. iJ. Tl«e people came to tlie Iioiise of God, . . . nnd lifted tip tlielr voices and wept—Tlie characteristic lti-21. The Eldeks Consult how to Find Wives fob THOSE THAT WERE IjEFT. 16. The elders of the congregation said, How sliall >ve do for wives for tltem that remain—Though tlie young women of Jabesh-gilead had been carefully spared, the supply was found inadequate, and some other expedient must be resorted to. 17. There must be an inlieritance for tl&em that are escaped of Benjamin—As they were the only riglitful owners of the territory, provision must be made for transmitting it to their legitimate heirs, and a new act of violence was meditated (v. 19); tlie opportunity for which was afforded by the approacdiing festival—a feast generally supposed to be the feast of taliernacles. This, like the other annual feasts, was held in Shiloh, and its celebration was attended witli more social liilarityand holiday rejoicings than tlie rest. 19. On tlie cast side of tlie highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem—Tlie exact site of the place was described evidently for the direction of the Benjamites. 31. daughters of Sliiloh come out to dance in dances—The dance was anciently a part of the religious observance ; and it was done on festive occasions, as it is flclcleness of tlie Israelites was not long in laeing displayed ; for scarcely liad tliey cooled from the flei'ceness of their sanguinary vengeance, tlian they began to relent and rushed to the opposite extreme of self-accusation and grief at the desolation wliich their impetuous zeal had produced. Their victory saddened and humbled them. Their feelings on tlie occasion were expressed by a public and solemn service of expiation at the house of God. And yet this extraordi nary observance, though it cniihled them to find vent for their painful emotions, did not atrbrd them full relief, for they were fettered by tlie obligation of a religious vow, heightened l)y the addition of a solemn anatliema on every violator of tlie oath. There is no previous record of tliisoatli; but tlie purport of it was, that they would treat tlie perpetrators of this Gibeah atrocity in the same way as the Canaanites, wlio were doomed to destruction ; and the entering into this solemn league was of a piece with the rest of tlieir inconsiderate conduct in this whole affair. 0. tliei-e is oite tribe cut olT from Israel tliU day i.e., in danger of becoming extinct; for, as It appears from v. 7, they had massacred all tlie women and children of Benjamin, and 6U0 men alone survived OJ the whole tribe. Tlie prospect of such a blanlt in the cata.- logue of the twelve tribes, such a gap in tlie national arrangements, was too painful to contemplate, and immediate measures must be taken to prevent tliis great catastrophe. 8. there came none to the camp from Jabeshgllead to tlie assembly—This city lay within the territory of eastern Manasseh, about fifteen miles east of the Jordan, and was, according to Josephus, the capital of Gilead. The ban which the assembled tribes liad pronounced at still in tlie East, not in town, but in the open air, in some adjoining field, tlie women being by themselves. The young women being alone indulging tlieir liglit and buoyant spirits, and appreliensive of no danger, facilitated the execution of the scheme of seizing them, wliicii closely resembles tlie Sabine rape in Roman history. The elders undertook to reconcile the families to the forced abduction of their daughters. And tlius the expression of their public sanction to this deed of violence aflbided a new evidence of the evils and difficulties Into which the unhappy precipitancy of the Israelites in tliis crisisjiad involved tliem.
Mizpeh seemed to impose on them the necessity of pun-
THE BOOK OF EUTH. CHAPTER I.
aged widow, longing to enjoy the privileges of Israel, resolved to return to her native land as soon as slie was assured that the famine had ceased, and made the necessary arrangements with her daughters-in-law. 8. Naomi said unto her two daugliters-in-law. Go, return each to her mother's house—In Eastern countries women occupy apartments separate from those of men, and daughters are most frequently in those of tlieir mother. The Lord deal kindly with yon, as ye have dealt with the dead —i. e., with my sons, your husbands, %vliile they lived. 9. the Lord grant that ye may tiitd rest—enjoj' a life of
Ver. 1-5. Elimelech, iriven by Fajiine into Moab, Dies there, l. in the days when the judges ruled The beautiful and interesting story which tliis book relates, belongs to the early times of the judges. The precise date cannot be ascertained. 3. Ellmelech—signifies "My God is king." Naomi-fair or pleasant; and their two sons, Mahlon and Chi lion, arc supposed to be tliesame as Joash and Sariiph (1 Chronicles 4. 22j. Ephrathites— The ancient name of Bethlehem was Ephratli (Oenesis35.
19; 48.7), which was continued after tlie occupation of the land by the Hebrews, even down to tjic time of tlie prophet Mlcah (Mlcah 5. 2). ncthlehem-Judah—so called to distinguish It from a town of the same name in Zebulun. The family, compelled to emigrate ti Moab through pressure of a famine, settled for several years In that country; and after the death of tlieir father, the two sons married Moablte women. This wa-s a violation of the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 7.3; 2:1.3; Ezra it. 2; Ncheiniah 18. 2.f), and Jewish writers say that the early deaths of both the young men were Divine Judgments Inflicted ou them for those unlawful connections.
tranqui-llity, undisturbed by the cares, iiicumliraiices, and vexatious troubles to which a state of widowhood is peculiarly exposed. Then she kissed them—the Oriental manner when friendsare parting. 11. arc there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be yemr husbands 1—This alludes to the ancient custom (Genesis 38.
2(i) afterwards expressly sanctioned by the law of Moses (Deuteronomy 25.5), whicli required a younger son to marry the widow of liis deceased brother. l;-J, 13. Turn again, my daughters, go your ways— Tluit Naomi should dissuade her daughters-in-law so strongly from accompanying her to tlie land of Israel may appear strange. But It wsus the wisest and most jiruiU nt course
6-18. Naomi, Retuknino Hosie, Rtn'ii Accompanies Her. 0, 7. Then she arose wltli her daii;;<v<ers-in-law, ttint she might return from the coiuitt y of Aloab—The for her to adopt; first, because they might be influenced by hopes which could not be realized ; second, because
Ruth Gleans in the Fidd of Boaz, EUTH II, III. vcho Acknowledges her her own wants, she had some (i>. IS) In reserve for her mother-in-law. 16. let fall also some of the handful* on purpose for her—Tlie gleaners in the East glean with much success ; for a great quantity of corn is scattered iu the reaping, as well as in their manner of carrying it. One may judge, then, of the large quanlily which Ruth would gather in consequence of the liberal orders given to tlie servants. These extraordinary marks of favour were not only given from a kindly disposition, but from regard to her good character and devoted attachment to her venerable relative. 17. and beat out that she had gleaned When the quantity of grain was small, it was beat out by means of a stick, an epliah—supposed to contain about a bushel. 30. the man is one of our next kinsmen Heb., " one of our redeemers"^—on whom it devolves to protect us, to purchase our lands, and marry you, therelict of his next kinsman. She said, "one of them," not that there were many in the same close relationship, but that he was a very near kinsman, one other indiviuual only having the precedence. 31. all my harvest—both barley and wheat harvests. The latter was at the end of May or the beginning of June. 33. Naomi su Id unto Kuth, It Is good tliHt thou go out w ith his maidens—a prudent recommendation to Kutli to accept thegenerous invitation of Boaz, lest, if she were seen straying into other fields, she migiil not only run the risk of rude Irealmeut, but displease him by seeming indifl'erent to his kiiul liberality. Moreover, the observant mind of the old matron had already discerned, in all Boaz's attentions to Ruth, the germs of a stronger ulfection, which she wished to inci'ease.
they might be led, under temporary excitement, to take a Btep tliey miglit afterwards regret; and, tliird, because the sincerity anil strength of their conversion to tlie true religion, wliicli slie liad taught tliein, would be tliorouglily tested. 13. tlie hand of tUe Lord is gone out agulnst me— I. e., 1 am not only not in a condition to provide you witli oilier hcsbands, but so reduced in circumstances that
I cannot think of your being subjected to privations with me. The arguments of Naomi prevailed with Orpah, who returned to her people and her gods. But Kuth clave unto her; and evenin the pages of Sterne, that great master of pathos, there is nothing which so calls forth the sensibilities of the reader as the simple eflusion he has borrowed from Scripture— of Ruth to her mother-iu-law. [Chalmers.]
19-22. They Come to Bethlehem. 19-23. all the city -was moved about them—The present condition of Naomi—a forlorn and desolate widow, presented so painful a contrast to the floui-ishing state of prosperity and domestic bliss in which she had been at her departure, in the begiiiuing of barley hai-vest—corresponding to the end of our March.
CHAPTER II.
Ver. 1-.3. Rttth Gleans in the I-'ield of Boaz. 3. Kuth eaid unto Naomi, Let me uow go to the ticld to glean —Tlie riglit of gleaning was conferred by a positive law on the widow, the poor, and the stranger (see on Leviticus
19. 9, 10; tteuteronomy 24. 19, 21). But liberty toglean behind the reapers was not a right that could be claimed ; it was a privilege granted or refused according to the good-will or favour of the owner. 3. her hap was to liglit on a part of tlic Aeld belonging iiitto lioaz—Fiekls in Palestine being unenclosed, the phrase signilies that portion of the open ground which lay within the land-ii'.arks of Boaz.
CHAPTER III.
Ver. 1-13. By Naomi's Instrcctions, Ruth Lies at Boaz's Feet, who Acknowledges the Duty of a Kinsman. 3. he w-lnnoweth barley to-night in the tlireshing-floor—The winnowing process is performed by tin-owing up the grain, after being troildeii dowii, against the wind with a shovel. The threshing -Iloor, which was commonly on the harvest-field, was carefully leveled with a large cyliiidric roller, and consolidated with chalk, that weeds might not spring up, and that it might not cho)) with drought. The farmer usually remained all night in harvest-time on the threshing-floor not only for the protection of his valuable grain, but for the winnowing. That operation was jierforined in the evening to catch the breezes which blow after the close of a hot da.v, and which continue for the most part of the night. Tills duly at so important a season the master undertakes himself; and, accordingly, in the siinplicily of ancient manners, Boaz, a person of considerable wealth and high rank, laid himself down to sleep on the barn floor, at the end of the heap of barley he had been winnowing. 4. go In, and uncover his feet, and lay thea down—.Singular as these directions may appear to us. tlu'ie was no iniproiiriety in them, according to the simplicity of rural manners In Bethlehem. In ordinary circumstances these would have seemed indecorous to the world, Ixil in the ease of Kuth, it was a method, tloubtlcss coiilbrmable to prevailing usage, of reminding Boazof tlie duty which devolved on him as the kinsman of her deceased husbaiul. Boaz probably slept upon a mat or skin; Ruth lay crosswise at his feet—a position In wlileli
He Takes Knowledge of Hek, and shows Her Favotr. 4. lioaz came from liethlehem, and saiil unto the reapers, Tlie Lord be tvitlt yon—This pious salutation between the master and his labourers strongly indicates the state of religious feeling among the rural population o# Israel at that time, as well as tlie artless, happy, and unsuspecting simplicity wl'.icli charaeterized tlie manners of the people. The same patriarelial style of Bpeaking is still preserved in the Kast. 5. his servant tikat was set over tlie reapers—an overseer whose special duty wa.s to superintend the operations in the Held, to supply provision to the reapers, and pay them for their labour in the evening. 7. she said, Let me glean, and gather after the reapers among the slienvev— Various modes of reaping are practise;! in the Kast. Where the crop is thin and short, it is jilucked up by the roots. In other states it is cut with the sickle. Whether reaped in the one way or the other, the grain Is cast into sheaves loosely thrown together, to be subjected to the process of threshing, wliich takes place, for the most iiart, ininiediately after the reaping. Field labours were In giiii early In the morning—before the day became opjiressi vely bol. she hath tarried a little in tlic house— t. e., the held tent, erected for the occasional rest and reficsliineiu ol tlie labourers. 8, U. Boaz said unto Kuth, Abide fast by my maidens—The reaping was performed by women, while the a.SHorlment of sheaves was tint duly of luen-sei vanls. The same division of harvest labour obtains in .Syria
Btill. Boaz not only granted to Kuth the full privilege ol gleaning after Ills reapers, but provided for her iiersonal comfort, go unto the vessel, and drink of thai which the young meii have drawn—gleaiU'is wi'le Miuieiimes allowed, by kind and charitable masters, to partake of t lie refreshments provided for the reapers. The vessils all tided to were skin bottles, lillcd with water—mid tlu bread was Boaked in vinegar (v. 11) ; a kind of poor, weak wine, sonietlmes mingled with a Utile olive oil—very coolin^^, as would be re(]ulred in harvest-lliiK This giaii iul leleetlonisslill used In the harvesl-lleld. 11. he leni iied li« r parched corn, atid she did eat, and was sujced, and left—some of the new grain, roasted on the spot, and lit for use alter being rubbed In the hands—a lavourite viand In the Kast. He gave her so much. Unit alti'r sat isfying 174
Kastern servants frequently sleep In the same chamber or tent with their master; and if they want a covering, custom allows them that beiiedt from part of the covering on their master's bed. Kesting.as the Orientals do at night, in t he sameclothes they wear during the d.-iy, there was no indelicacy In a stranger, or even a woman luittiiig the exlreinity of tills cover over her. 9. I am Kuth thine liaiidmal<l$ sprcail therefore thy skirt over thine liauflmalil, ff>r litou art a near klusman—Sh(< had already drawn i)ail of the mantle over her; and she asked him now to do it, tluit I hi! act might become his own. To spread a skirt ovi-r one is, In the lOiist, a symbolical action denoting protection. To this day Iti many parts of the Kast, to sny of any one that he put Ills skirt over a woman. Is synonymous with saying that he mar-
Of F.lkanah and his Two Wives. 1 SAMUEL L He gnf.<s (o Worship in Shiloh.
r.ed her; and at all the marriages of the modern Jews and Hindoos, one part of the ceremony is for the brideor, secondly, from Its having to be subd.vided amongst his other children, wliich he had proljably l)y a previous marriage. Tills right, tlierefore, was renounced and assigned in favour of Boaz, in the way of wliose marriage gi ooin to put a sillten or cotton cloak around his bride.
Brin tUe veil tliat tliou Uast upon thee, and hold II—Eastern veils are large sheets—those of ladies being witli Ruth the only existing obstacle was now removed. 7, 8. a man plucked off his shoe—Where tlie kinsman refused to perform his duty to the family of iiis deceased relation, his widow was directed to pull oft' tlie shoe with some attendant circumstances of contemptuous disdain. But, as in this case, there was no refusal, tl>e usual ignominy was spared, and the plucking off the shoe, the only ceremony observed, as a pledge of the transaction being completed.
of red silli; but the poorer or common class of women wear them of blue, or blue and white striped linen or cotton. Tliey are wrapped round the head, so as to conceal the whole face except one eye. 17. six measures of barley HcO., six sealls; a seah contained about two gallons and a lialf, six of which must have been ratlier a heavy load for a woman.
CHAPTER IV.
9-12. He Marries Ruth. 9. Boaz said unto the elders. Ye are witnesses this day that I hn-v c Itought all that was Chllion's and Malilon's, of t!ie liaiid of IVaomi—Although the widow of Cliilion was still living, no regard was paid to her in tlie disposal of licr liusliand's property. From her remaining in Moab, slie was considered to have either been married again, or to have renounced all right to an inheritance with tlie fauiilj' of Elimelech. 10. Ruth the Moabitess have I purcimsed to be my wife—This connection Boaz not only might form, since Ruth had embraced the true religion, but he was under a legal necessity of forming it. 11. all the people aii the elders said, We are witnesses—A multitude, doubtless from curiosity or interest, were present on the occasion. There was no signing of deeds ; yet was the transfer made, and complete security given, by the public manner in which the whole matter was carried on and concluded, the Lord make the woiti.tn that is come into thine house like Rachel and Leah—Tliis was the usual bridal benediction. 13. let thy Iiiouse be like the house of Pharez i. e., as honouraljle and numerous as his. He was the ancestor of the Bethlehem people, and his family one of the five from which the tribe of Judali sprang.
Ver. 1-5. BoAZ Calls ikto Judgment the Next Kinssi AN. 1. Then ivent Boas «p to the gate of the city— roofed building, unenclosed by walls; the place where, in ancient times, and in many Eastern towns still, all business transactions are made, and where, therefore, the kinsman was most likely to be found. No preliminaries were necessary in summoning one before the public assemblage; no writings, and no delay were required. In a short conversation the matter was stated and arranged—probably in the morning as people went out, or at noon when they returned from the field. 3. lie took ten men of the elders of the city—As witnesses. In ordinary circumstances, two or three were sufficient to attest a bargain; but in cases of importance, such as matrimony, divorce, conveyancing of property, it was the Jewish practice to have ten (1 Kings 21. 8). 3. Naomi selleth a parcel of land i. e., entertains the idea of selling. In her ei reumstances she was at liberty to part with it (Leviticus 25. 2.5). Both Naomi and Ruth had an interest in the land during their lives; but Naomi alone was mentioned, not only because she directed all the negotiations, but because tlie introduction of Ruth's name would awaken a suspicion of the necessity of marrying her, before the first proposition was answered. 4. there is none to redeem it hesides thee ; and I am after thee (See on Deuteronomy 25. .5-10.) The redemption of the land of course involved a marriage with Ruth, the widow of the former owner.
13-18. She Bears Obed. 17. Obed—means "servant."' 18-33. these are the generations of Pharez i. e., his descendants. This appendix shows that the sjiecial oliject contemplated by the inspired author of this little iiook. was to preserve the memory of an intereslim; domestic episode, and to trace the genealogy of David. Tlicic was an interval of 380 years between Salmon and David. It
6-8. He Refuseth the Redemption. 6. The kinsman said, I cniinot redeem it, lest I mar mine oivn Inheritance — This consequence would follow, either,
Is evident that whole generations are omitted; the leading personages only are named, and grandfathers are saiil, in Scripture language, to beget their grand-children, v/ithout specifying the intermediate links.
first, from his having a son by Ruth, who, though heir to the property, would not bear his name; his name would be extinguished in that of her former husband
THE FIE ST BOOK OF SAMUEL,
otherwise called THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS.
CHAPTER I.
the residence of prophets who we. e vratchmen. (Ezekiel
3. 17.) Though a native of Ephratha or Eethlehem-judah (Ruth 1.2), Elkanah was a Levite (1 Chronicles 6. 3.!, 3Jl; and though of this order, and a good man, practised polygamy, which though contrary to the original law, seems to have been prevalent among the Hebrews in tliose days, when there was no king in Israel, and every man did wliat seemed right in his own eyes. 3. this man went up out of his city yearly to worship in Shiloh—In that place was tlie "earth's one sanctuary," and thither he repaired at tlie three solemn feasts, accompanied by liis family at one of them—probably the passover. Although a Levite, he could not personally offer a sacrifice—tliat was exclusively the office of the priests ; and his piety in maintaining a regular attendance on the Divine ordinances is the more worthy of n6tlce, that the character of
Ver. 1-8. Of Elkanah and his Two Wives. 1. a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim—The first word being In the dual numl)er, signifies the double city—tlie old and new town of Haniah (i'. 19). There were five cities of this name, all on higli ground. Tliis city had the addition of Zopliim attaclied to it, because it was founded by Zuph, "an Epliratliite," that is a native of Ephratha. Bethlehem, and tlie expression of Ramathaim-zopliim must, therefore, lie understood as Ramah in the land of Zuph, In the hill country of Epliratha. Others, considering "Mount Eiihraim" as pointing to the locality in Joseph's territory, regard "Zophim" not as a proper but a common noun, signifying watch-towers, or watchmen, with reference eitlier tc the lieiglit of its situation, or Its being