Bible Commentaries

And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of ^a wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name [was] Boaz.

(a) Or power, both in virtue, authority and riches.

And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and ^b glean ears of corn after [him] in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

(b) Her humility declares her great love for her mother in law, for she spared no hardship to get both their livings.

^c [Let] thine eyes [be] on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of [that] which the young men have drawn.

(c) That is, take notice of what field they reap.

Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I [am] a ^d stranger?

(d) Of the Moabites, who are enemies of God's people.

The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose ^e wings thou art come to trust.

(e) Signifying, that she would never lack anything, if she put her trust in God, and lived under his protection.

And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched [corn], and she did eat, and was sufficed, and ^f left.

(f) Which she brought home to her mother in law.

And she took [it] up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she [g} brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed. p> p>

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(g) That is, from her bag, as it is in the Chaldee text.

And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed [be] he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the ^h dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man [is] near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

(h) To my husband and children, when they were alive, and now to us.