Ruth 2:15-23RUTH 2:15, 16 "And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not?" "And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not." These directions went considerably beyond the normal generosity and compassion Boaz might have shown to any poor person. Now that he knows who Ruth is, he has a particular interest in her. As we see in this passage, he was well acquainted with her loyal support of Naomi and with her love of the God of Israel. The young men were instructed to allow her to glean among the harvested sheaves themselves, which usually would have been forbidden to gleaners. Gleaners were supposed to go over the fields only after the reapers had finished their work. Boaz was going beyond the legal rights of gleaners. But he goes even farther (v.16). The Hebrew word for "bundles" is rendered "handfuls" here. Perhaps the bundles had not been tied yet. Boaz tells his servants that he wants Ruth to be able to gather grain from the harvested crop, and that she is not to be reprimanded." RUTH 2:17 "So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley." When Ruth finished the day's work, she knocked out the grain from the barley ears. She would have gathered up the grain itself into her garment. She had 20 to 25 pounds of grain (1 ephah = 4 gallons English). This is a great deal of grain for one day's gleaning. Two things are apparent: Boaz' servants had obeyed him, and Ruth had worked hard all day. RUTH 2:18 "And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed." Ruth took the results of her labor into Bethlehem and to her home, and she showed Naomi what she had gleaned. She also produced the food that she had saved after having finished the midday meal and gave it to Naomi. Nothing goes to waste in this frugal economy. It is likely that Boaz, in "reaching her parched corn" was deliberately making provision for Naomi from the noon rations. RUTH 2:19, 20 "And her mother in law said unto her. Where hast thou gleaned today? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she showed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought today is Boaz." "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 dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsman." Naomi must have been astonished at the amount of grain that Ruth had brought home. She conjectured that Ruth had been working for a generous landowner, and she praises the man for his generosity, whoever he was. Then, of course, Ruth told Naomi that she had worked in Boaz' field, whereupon all is clear to Naomi. This news causes Naomi to break out in praise of God, and it is at this point that the seed of the plan is planted that Naomi will put into action in chapter 3. Naomi speaks of God's care for the living, herself and Ruth, and the dead, Elimelech and his sons, whom Jehovah cares for by making provision for their widows through Boaz. And Naomi prays that Jehovah will bring honor to Boaz for his gracious care for his relatives. Note: the Hebrew scholars acknowledge that the construction "who has not left off his kindness" could have as antecedent either "he", Boaz, or "the Lord". The sense of this passage seems to favor the latter, that it is Jehovah who is the ultimate provider for them. RUTH 2:21-23 "And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. "And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. "So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of the barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law." Ruth continues her report to Naomi, that Boaz had invited her to glean exclusively in his fields until the end of all harvesting. Naomi was very satisfied with the arrangement, which was probably far more than she expected, especially considering her frame of mind when she first returned from Moab. She advised Ruth to continue working in Boaz' fields, which she did. And it was during this period, perhaps late in the harvest season, that the events of chapter 3 took place. Topic: BLESSING Topic: FAITH |
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