The gate is the place of concourse, of business, and of justice in Oriental cities (see Judges 19:15 note; Genesis 34:20; Deuteronomy 16:18). HO, SUCH A ONE! - Indicating that the name of the kinsman was either unknown or purposely concealed 1 Samuel 21:2; 2 Kings 6:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
Every city was governed by elders (see Deuteronomy 19:12; Judges 8:14). For the number “ten,” compare Exodus 18:25. Probably the presence of, at least, ten elders was necessary to make a lawful public assembly, as among modern Jews ten (a minyon) are necessary to constitute a synagogue.... [ Continue Reading ]
According to the law Leviticus 25:25, if any Israelite, through poverty, would sell his possession, the next of kin (the גאל _gā'al_) had a right to redeem it by paying the value of the number of years remaining until the jubilee (see the marginal reference). This right Boaz advertises the גאל _gā... [ Continue Reading ]
See the margin; a phrase explained by the act of removing the end of the turban, or the hair, in order to whisper in the ear (see 1 Samuel 9:15 : 2 Samuel 7:27).... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe the action of the Levirate law. If there had been no one interested but Naomi, she would have sold the land unclogged by any condition, the law of Levirate having no existence in her case. But there was a young widow upon whom the possession of the land would devolve at Naomi’s death, and wh... [ Continue Reading ]
I MAR MINE OWN INHERITANCE - The meaning of these words is doubtful. Some explain them by saying that the גאל _gā'al_ had a wife and children already, and would not introduce strife into his family. Others think that there was a risk (which he would not incur) of the go’el’s own name being blotted... [ Continue Reading ]
IN FORMER TIME IN ISRAEL - Showing that the custom was obsolete in the writer’s days. The letter of the law (see the marginal reference) was not strictly followed. It was thought sufficient for the man to pull off his own shoe and give it to the man to whom he ceded his right, in the presence of the... [ Continue Reading ]
See the margin. There is something of a poetical turn in this speech of the elders, and something prophetic in the blessing pronounced by them. It is unique and obscure. The Greek Version (lxx) is unintelligible. Jerome seems to have had a slightly different reading, since he applies both clauses to... [ Continue Reading ]
WITHOUT A KINSMAN - i. e. Boaz, not the infant Obed.... [ Continue Reading ]
OBED - i. e. serving, with allusion to the service of love and duty which he would render to his grandmother Naomi.... [ Continue Reading ]
It is probable that there was a family book for the house of Pharez, in which their genealogies were preserved, and important bits of history were recorded; and that the Book of Ruth was compiled from it. (See the note at Genesis 2:4)... [ Continue Reading ]
SALMON BEGAT BOAZ - Matthew has preserved the additional interesting information that the mother of Boaz was Rahab Joshua 2; Joshua 6. It is possible that the circumstance that the mother of Boaz was a Canaanite may have made him less indisposed to marry Ruth the Moabitess. As regards the whole gene... [ Continue Reading ]