Ruth 2:9

_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._ Go unto the vessels. Gleaners were sometimes allowed, by kind and charitable masters, to partake of the refreshments provided for the reapers. The vessels alluded to were skin bottles filled with water; and the bread was soaked in vinegar (Ruth 2:14), a kind of poor, weak wine, sometimes mingled with a little olive oil, very cooling, as would be required in harvest-time. This grateful refection is still used in the harvest field (see Robinsons' 'Biblical Researches,' 2:, p. 394)....

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 2:9. _THE YOUNG MEN THAT THEY SHALL NOT TOUCH THEE_] This was peculiarly necessary, as she was a stranger and unprotected....

AFTER THEM - i. e. “after my maidens.” The fields not being divided by hedges, but only by unplowed ridges, it would be easy for her to pass off Boaz’s land without being aware of it, and so find herself among strangers where Boaz could not protect her....

EXPOSITION IT is by way of introduction to the remaining narrative that the writer says:— RUTH 2:1 AND NAOMI HAD, ON HER HUSBAND'S SIDE, A FRIEND. The C'tib reading מְיֻדַּע (absolute מְיֻדָע) is much to be preferred to the K'ri מוֹדַע. But מְיֻדָּע is ambiguous in import. It primarily means _known_, _well-known_, _acquainted_, _an acquaintance _(see Job 19:14; Psalms 55:13; Psalms 88:8, Psalms 88:18). But as intimate acquaintances, especially in a primitive and compar

LET THINE EYES BE UPON THE FIELD THAT THEY DO REAP, AND GO THOU AFTER THEM,.... And gather up the loose ears of corn dropped and left by them: HAVE I NOT CHARGED THE YOUNG MEN THAT THEY SHALL NOT TOUCH THEE? do her no hurt, or offer any incivility or rudeness to her, or even play any wanton tricks with her, as is too common with young persons in the fields at harvest time. This charge he now gave in her hearing, or however suggests that he would, and therefore she might depend upon it she should have no molestation nor any affront given her: AND WHEN THOU ART ATHIRST: as at such a season of the year, and in the field at such work, and in those hot countries, was frequently the case: GO UNTO THE VESSELS, AND DRINK OF THAT WHICH THE YOUNG MEN HAVE DRAWN; which they had fetched from wells and fountains in or near the city, and had put into bottles, pitchers, c. for the use of the reapers...

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

_after them_ i.e. the maidens Ruth 2:8, who followed the reapers and did the binding....

_The Kindness of Boaz Ruth 2:8-16_ 8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: 9 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. 10 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 stranger? 11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not h