the beginning of barley harvest. Normally the middle to the end of April.
RUTH—NOTE ON 1:16–18 Ruth recited her hallmark expression of loyalty to Naomi and commitment to the family she married into.
RUTH—NOTE ON 1:16 and your God my God. This testimony evidenced Ruth's conversion from worshiping Chemosh to Jehovah of Israel (cf. 1 Thess. 1:9–10).
RUTH—NOTE ON 1:17 the Lord do so to me. Ruth's vow bore further testimony to her conversion. She followed the path first blazed by Abraham (Josh. 24:2).
RUTH—NOTE ON 1:19 they came to Bethlehem. A trip from Moab (at least 60– 75 miles) would have taken about 7–10 days. Having descended about 4,500 feet from Moab into the Jordan Valley, they then ascended 3,750 feet through the hills of Judea. the whole town. Naomi had been well known in her prior residency (cf. Ephrathites of Bethlehem, 1:2). The question, "Is this Naomi?" most likely reflected the hard life of the last decade and the toll that it took on her appearance.
RUTH—NOTE ON 1:20–21 Naomi . . . Mara . . . full . . . empty. Naomi's outlook on life, although grounded in God's sovereignty, was not hopeful; thus she asked to be renamed "Mara," which means "bitter." Her experiences were not unlike Job's (Job 1–2), but her perspective resembled that of Job's wife (Job 2:10). In reality, Naomi had 1) a full harvest prospect, 2) Ruth plus Boaz, and 3) the hope of God's future blessing.
RUTH—NOTE ON 1:22 Ruth the Moabite. This title also appears at 2:2, 21; 4:5, 10. Ruth stands out as a foretaste of future Gentile conversions (cf. Rom. 11). at the beginning of barley harvest. Normally the middle to the end of April.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:1–23 Two widows, newly at home in Bethlehem after Naomi's 10-year absence, needed the basics of life. Ruth volunteered to go out and glean the fields for food (cf. James 1:27). In so doing, she unintentionally went to the field of Boaz, a close family relative, where she found great favor in his sight.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:1 relative of her husband's. Possibly as close as a brother of Elimelech (cf. 4:3), but if not, certainly within the tribe or clan. a worthy man. Lit., "a man of valor" (cf. Judg. 6:12; 11:1) who had unusual capacity to obtain and protect his property. Boaz. His name means "in him is strength." He had never married or was a widower (cf. 1 Chron. 2:11–12; Matt. 1:5; Luke 3:32).
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:2 glean. The Mosaic law commanded that the harvest should not be reaped to the corners nor the gleanings picked up (Lev. 19:9–10). Gleanings were stalks of grain left after the first cutting (cf. Ruth 2:3, 7, 8, 15, 17). These were dedicated to the needy, especially widows, orphans, and strangers (Lev. 23:22; Deut. 24:19–21).
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:3 she happened to come. Here was a classic example of God's providence at work. part of the field. Possibly a large community field in which Boaz had a plot.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:4–17 Notice throughout how Boaz manifested the spirit of the law in going beyond what the Mosaic legislation required by 1) feeding Ruth (2:14), 2) letting Ruth glean among the sheaves (2:15), and 3) leaving extra grain for her to glean (2:16).
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:4 The Lord be with you. This unusual labor practice speaks to the exceptional godliness of Boaz and his workers.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:7 sheaves. Bundles of grain stalks tied together for transport to the threshing floor.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:7, 17 morning . . . evening. Ruth proved to be diligent in her care for Naomi.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:7 a short rest. She may have rested in a temporary shelter built with branches by the side of the field.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:8 my daughter. Boaz was about 45–55 years old and a contemporary of Elimelech and Naomi. He would naturally see Ruth as a daughter (3:10–11), much like Naomi did (cf. 2:2, 22; 3:1, 16, 18). Boaz contrasted himself with younger men (3:10). my young women. The ones who tied up the sheaves.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:9 they are reaping. The ones who cut the grain with hand sickles (cf. 2:21).
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:10 a foreigner. Ruth remained ever mindful that she was an alien and, as such, must conduct herself humbly. Possibly she had knowledge of Deut. 23:3–4. She acknowledged the grace (lit., "favor") of Boaz.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:11 fully told to me. This speaks to both Naomi's quickness to speak kindly of Ruth and Boaz's network of influence in Bethlehem. Ruth remained true to her promise (1:16–17).
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:12 wings . . . refuge. Scripture pictures God as catching Israel up on his wings in the exodus (Ex. 19:4; Deut. 32:11). God is here portrayed as a mother bird sheltering the young and fragile with her wings (cf. Ps. 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7; 91:1, 4). Boaz blessed Ruth in light of her newfound commitment to and dependence on the Lord. Later, he would become God's answer to this prayer (cf. Ruth 3:9).
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:14 wine. Sour wine, mixed with a little oil, used to quench thirst.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:15 among the sheaves. Boaz granted her request (2:7) to go beyond the letter of the law.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:17 ephah. Over one-half bushel, weighing about 30 to 40 pounds.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:18 what food she had left. Not the gleaned grain, but rather the lunch ration which Ruth did not eat (cf. v. 14).
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:20 whose kindness. Naomi began to understand God's sovereign working, covenant loyalty, lovingkindness, and mercy toward her because Ruth, without human direction (v. 3), found the near relative Boaz. a close relative. The great kinsman-redeemer theme of Ruth begins here (cf. 3:9, 12; 4:1, 3, 6, 8, 14). A close relative could redeem 1) a family member sold into slavery (Lev. 25:47–49), 2) land that needed to be sold under economic hardship (Lev. 25:23–28), and/or 3) the family name by virtue of a levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5–10). This earthly custom pictures the reality of God the Redeemer doing a greater work (Ps. 19:14; 78:35; Isa. 41:14; 43:14) by reclaiming those who needed to be spiritually redeemed out of slavery to sin (Ps. 107:2; Isa. 62:12). Thus, Boaz pictures Christ, who as a Brother (Heb. 2:17), redeemed those who 1) were slaves to sin (Rom. 6:15–18), 2) had lost all earthly possessions/privileges in the fall (Gen. 3:17–19), and 3) had been alienated by sin from God (2 Cor. 5:18–21). Boaz stands in the direct line of Christ (Matt. 1:5; Luke 3:32). This turn of events marks the point where Naomi's human emptiness (Ruth 1:21) begins to be refilled by the Lord. Her night of earthly
doubt has been broken by the dawning of new hope (cf. Rom. 8:28–39).
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:22 you be assaulted. Ruth the Moabite would not be treated with such mercy and grace by strangers outside of the family.
RUTH—NOTE ON 2:23 the end of . . . harvests. Barley harvest usually began about mid-April and wheat harvest extended to mid-June—a period of intense labor for about two months. This generally coincided with the seven weeks between Passover and the Feast of Weeks, i.e., Pentecost (cf. Lev. 23:15–16; Deut. 16:9–12).
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:1–18 Encouraged by Ruth's days in Boaz's field, Naomi instructed Ruth in the way she should go to ensure a brighter future. Ruth carefully followed Naomi's directions to solicit redemption by Boaz, while the Lord had prepared Boaz to redeem Ruth. Only one potential obstacle remained, a relative nearer than Boaz.
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:1 rest. Naomi felt responsible, just as she did in 1:9, for Ruth's future husband and home.
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:2 threshing floor. Usually a large, hard area of earth or stone on the downwind (east) side of the village where threshing took place (loosening the grain from the straw and winnowing). tonight. Winnowing (tossing grain into the air to finish separating the grain from the chaff) normally occurred in late afternoon when the Mediterranean winds prevailed. Sifting and bagging the grain would have carried over past dark, and Boaz may have remained all night to guard the grain from theft.
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:3–4 Naomi instructed Ruth 1) to put on her best appearance and 2) to propose marriage to Boaz by utilizing an ancient Near Eastern custom. Since Boaz was a generation older than Ruth (2:8), this overture would indicate Ruth's desire to marry Boaz, which the older, gracious Boaz would not have initiated with a younger woman.
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:7 his heart was merry. Using the same language of v. 1 ("rest" . . . "be well"), Boaz is described as having a sense of well being, which is most readily explained by the full harvest in contrast to previous years of famine (cf. Judg. 18:20; 1 Kings 21:7).
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:9 Spread your wings over your servant. Ruth righteously
appealed to Boaz, using the language of Boaz's earlier prayer (2:12), to marry her according to the levirate custom (Deut. 25:5–10). See Introduction: Interpretive Challenges.
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:10 kindness. Ruth's loyalty to Naomi, the Lord, and even Boaz is commended by Boaz. after young men. Ruth demonstrated moral excellence in that 1) she did not engage in immorality, 2) she did not remarry outside the family, and 3) she had appealed for levirate redemption to an older, godly man.
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:11 worthy. In all respects, Ruth personifies excellence (cf. Prov. 31:10). This same language has been used of Boaz ("a worthy man" or more likely "a man of valor" in 2:1), thus making them the perfectly matched couple for an exemplary marriage.
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:12 a redeemer nearer than I. Boaz righteously deferred to someone else who was nearer in relationship to Elimelech. The nearer relative may have been Boaz's older brother (cf. 4:3) or Boaz may have been his cousin. The fact that the neighbor women said, "A son has been born to Naomi" at Obed's birth would suggest the brother or cousin relationship to Elimelech (4:17).
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:13 I will redeem you. Boaz willingly accepted Ruth's proposal, if the nearer relative was unable or unwilling to exercise his levirate duty. as the Lord lives. The most solemn, binding oath an Israelite could vow.
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:14 lay at his feet. According to the text, no immorality occurred. Boaz even insisted on no appearance of evil.
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:15 six measures. The Hebrew text gives no standard of measurement, but some translations use the word ephah. However, six ephahs would weigh about 200 pounds, far too much for Ruth to carry home in her shawl. Therefore, deemed most reasonable is six seahs (60–80 pounds), which would have been twice the amount Ruth had previously gleaned (see 2:17).
RUTH—NOTE ON 3:18 today. Naomi knew that Boaz was a man of integrity and would fulfill his promise with a sense of urgency. They needed to wait on the Lord to work through Boaz.
RUTH—NOTE ON 4:1–22 God's divine plan fully blossomed as Boaz redeemed
Naomi's land and Ruth's hand in marriage. Naomi, once empty (1:21), is full; Ruth, once a widow (1:5), is married; most important, the Lord has prepared Christ's line of descent in David, through Boaz and Obed, back to Judah (Gen. 49:10) to fulfill the proper messianic lineage.
RUTH—NOTE ON 4:1 gone up. Apparently the threshing floor was below the level of the gate. Compare 3:3, "go down to the threshing floor." the gate. The normal public place to transact business in ancient times (cf. 2 Sam. 15:2; Job 29:7; Lam. 5:14). friend. The Hebrew text is not clear whether Boaz called him directly by name (which is then not mentioned by the author) or addressed him indirectly.
RUTH—NOTE ON 4:2 ten men. This number apparently comprised a quorum to officially transact business, although only two or three witnesses were needed for judicial proceedings (cf. Deut. 17:6; 19:15).
RUTH—NOTE ON 4:3 Naomi . . . is selling. As a widow, she needed the money for living expenses, knowing that the land would ultimately be returned at jubilee (Lev. 25:28). our relative Elimelech. Boaz and the unnamed relative were most likely either brothers or cousins.
RUTH—NOTE ON 4:4 Buy it. As authorized by the Mosaic law (Lev. 25:23–28).
RUTH—NOTE ON 4:5 you also acquire. Both redeeming Ruth and the land would not have been required by the letter of the levirate law (Deut. 25:5–6). Perhaps this exemplified Boaz's desire to obey the spirit of the law (see note on Ruth 2:4–17) or maybe redemption of land and marriage had been combined by local tradition. The levirate principle appears first in Scripture at Gen. 38:8 (cf. Matt. 22:23–28).
RUTH—NOTE ON 4:6 I impair my own inheritance. He was unwilling to have the family portfolio split between his existing children and the potential offspring of a union with Ruth. Take my right of redemption yourself. The closer relative relinquished his legal right to the land and Ruth. This cleared the way for Boaz to redeem both.
RUTH—NOTE ON 4:7 drew off his sandal. The Scripture writer explained to his own generation what had been a custom in former generations. This kind of tradition appears in Deut. 25:5–10 and apparently continued at least to the time of Amos (cf. Amos 2:6; 8:6). The closer relative legally transferred his right to