Ruth 2:14

_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 LEFT._ He reached her parched grain - some of the new grain, roasted on the spot, and fit for use after being rubbed in the hands-a favourite viand in the East. He gave her so much, that after satisfying her own needs she had some (Ruth 2:18) in reserve for her mother-in-law....

4-16 The pious and kind language between Boaz and his reapers shows that there were godly persons in Israel. Such language as this is seldom heard in our field; too often, on the contrary, what is immoral and corrupt. A stranger would form a very different opinion of our land, from that which Ruth would form of Israel from the converse and conduct of Boaz and his reapers. But true religion will teach a man to behave aright in all states and conditions; it will form kind masters and faithful servants, and cause harmony in families. True religion will cause mutual love and kindness among persons of different ranks. It had these effects on Boaz and his men. When he came to them he prayed for them. They did not, as soon as he was out of hearing curse him, as some ill-natured servants that hate their master's eye, but they returned his courtesy. Things are likely to go on well where there is...

Verse Ruth 2:14. _DIP THY MORSEL IN THE VINEGAR._] The חמץ _chomets_, which we here translate _vinegar_, seems to have been some refreshing kind of _acid sauce_ used by the reapers to dip their bread in, which both cooled and refreshed them. _Vinegar, rob of_ _fruits_, c., are used for this purpose in the East to the present day and the custom of the Arabs, according to Dr. Shaw, is to _dip_ _the bread_ and hand together into these cooling and refreshing articles. _PARCHED_ CORN] This was a frequent repast among the ancients in almost all countries; see the notes on Leviticus 2:1....

To dip the morsel, or sop, whether it were bread or meat, in the dish containing the vinegar (compare Matthew 26:23; Mark 14:20 : Exodus 25:29; Numbers 7:13) was, and still is, the common custom in the East. PARCHED OR “ROASTED” CORN - Grain was the common food of the country then (compare 1 Samuel 17:17; 1 Samuel 25:18;...

EXPOSITION RUTH 2:10 RUTH did not seize the opportunity for bewailing the hardship of the lot to which she had been reduced, and which now constrained her to undertake a species of work which at one time she little anticipated. With beautiful humility and modesty, and in the profoundest gratitude, she accepted wonderingly the kindness of Boaz. AND SHE FELL ON HER FACE. A rather remarkable expression, physiologically viewed. Her face was part of herself. How then could she fall on it? It was part of that which fell, and yet she is said to fall _upon _(עַל) it, as if it had been underneath the self-hood that fell. It was what was undermost as she bowed herself, so that the pressure of the sum-total of the body fell on it as she gracefully stooped. AND PROSTRATED HERSELF TO THE GROUND. Thus completing, and

AND BOAZ SAID, AT MEALTIME COME THOU HITHER,.... This looks as if she was now in the booth, or house in the field, where the reapers used to retire to eat their food, or rest themselves, or take shelter from the heat of the sun. This meal was very likely dinner, the time of which was not yet come, but would soon, and to which Boaz invited Ruth: AND EAT OF THE BREAD; his servants did, that is, partake of the provisions they should have; bread being put for all. So Homer a speaks of a large ox slain for such a meal for the reapers, besides the "polenta" afterwards mentioned, which the women prepared, and who uses the same word for it the Septuagint does here: "to dip thy morsel in the vinegar"; which was used because of the heat of the season, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra remark, for cooling and refreshment; and such virtues Pliny b ascribes to vinegar, as being refreshing to the spirits, bind...

CHAPTER 2 GLEANING IN THE FIELD _ 1. Ruth gleaning in the field of Boaz (Ruth 2:1)_ 2. Grace shown to Ruth by Boaz (Ruth 2:4) 3. Ruth hears concerning Boaz (Ruth 2:18) Boaz comes now upon the scene. His name means “in Him is strength.” He is called “a mighty man of wealth.” As the kinsman-redeemer he is a beautiful type of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one in whom there is strength, the rich one. Ruth knows at first little of him and the coming relationship with the wealthy one. Boaz is related to Elimelech, whose name “my God is king” is typical of Israel's faith. Through Elimelech only Naomi (the nation Israel) has a claim on Boaz. And she can only lay claim through Ruth. Even so Israel has a claim on the ble

THE MEETING OF BOAZ AND RUTH. Naomi's kinsman quite a different word from the near kinsman (goë l) of Ruth 2:20 is introduced in Heb. words which sometimes denoted a wealthy man, and sometimes a valiant man, so that a peaceful farmer like Boaz is characterised in the same terms as warriors like Gideon and Jephthah (Judges 6:12; Judges 11:1). The name Boaz may mean in Him is strength. Ruth 2:2. It was a custom, and it became a law, in Israel that the poor, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow should be permitted to glean in the harvest fields (Deuteronomy 24:19

LEFT. left thereof remaining....

_in the vinegar_ i.e. sour wine. It is said to be still used in Palestine by the harvesters as relish with bread. _parched corn_ i.e. grain taken from the newly reaped corn and roasted in a pan, and eaten with bread or as a substitute for bread....