Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ruth 2:22
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.
22. in any other field ] In the field of a less pious man than Boaz a poor maiden might come to mischief; cf. Rth 2:9.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Rth 2:22
It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens.
Instruction from elders
Old persons may be expected to have collected, by reflection and experience, more wisdom than the young, and should be ready to communicate instruction to those that need it. Let the young have their hands prepared for the service of the old, and the old may recompense them abundantly by the words of their mouths. Happy would it have been for Rehoboam and for all his people had he known what respect is due to the wise counsels of the aged. What numbers of young persons take rash steps in the journey of life which cannot be retraced, because they rather choose to follow the impulse of their own passions than to ask and follow the advices of those who brought them into the world. (G. Lawson.)
The acceptance of favours
It is good that thou go forth with his maidens, since he invites thee to glean in his fields. Although Naomi would not be troublesome to her relations, nor solicit favours from them when necessity did not compel her, she was not so high-minded as to reject a favour that was offered. Poor persons, who have seen better days, are sometimes too nice and scrupulous in receiving obligations. It is good to be as independent in the world as our circumstances will allow; but to be absolutely independent is impossible, and to have a spirit above the acceptance of favours, when our circumstances render the acceptance of them needful, is a proud resistance of our spirits to that Providence which manages our concerns and which manages them with wisdom and kindness when it lays our pride in the dust. (G. Lawson.)
That they meet thee not in any other field.
Gadding to be discouraged
Maidens, says one shrewd old commentator, are the fittest company for maidens, among whom a chaste widow, such as Ruth was, may well be recounted. Modesty is the life-guard of chastity. Let this suggest the wider rule that every one should have his chosen field in which to gather Christian instruction and wisdom; and that having chosen it, he ought to keep to it. The common shepherd whom you meet on the mountains will tell you that the wandering sheep never thrives. And further, that we ought to choose for our cherished companions and inner friends those who are gleaners in the gospel-field like ourselves. Wander, through want of vigilance or through secret preference, into the society of the idle, the ungodly, or the immoral, and you are on the enemys ground and in the midst of serpents and snares. You are out of the sphere of Divine protection whenever you walk into the circle of temptation without a call of duty; and there is no Davy-lamp in those noxious mines to prevent explosion, or to protect you from destruction. But the fellowship of them that fear God will show you how to be good, and will make you better. Even the lump of clay, when it was placed near the rose, according to the beautiful Persian proverb, caught some of its fragrance (Son 1:8). (A. Thomson, D. D.)
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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Whereby thou wilt both expose thyself to many inconveniences, which thou mayst expect from strangers; and incur his displeasure, as if thou didst either despise his proffered kindness, or doubt of the sincerity of his affections and offers.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. Naomi said unto Ruth . . . It isgood . . . that thou go out with his maidensa prudentrecommendation to Ruth to accept the generous invitation of Boaz,lest, if she were seen straying into other fields, she might not onlyrun the risk of rude treatment, but displease him by seemingindifferent to his kind liberality. Moreover, the observant mind ofthe old matron had already discerned, in all Boaz’ attentions toRuth, the germs of a stronger affection, which she wished toincrease.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law,…. Observing the charge Boaz had given her, she thought fit to advise her upon it:
it is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens; that is, go out in the morning with them, set out from Bethlehem when they went to work, and so continue with them all the day:
that they meet thee not in any other field; the meaning is, either that men might not meet her in another field alone, or rush upon her at once and unawares, and reproach her, or beat her, or indeed force her; or else that the servants of Boaz might not meet her, or see her in another field, and report it to their master, who would be offended at her; and take it as a slight of his kindness to her; which latter seems rather to be the sense.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(22) That they meet thee not.It is good . . . and that people meet thee not. This would not only be throwing away genuine kindness, but would be contemptuously proclaiming the fact.
Maidens.Naomi speaks of the young women, whereas Ruth had spoken of the young men. We need not suppose that any distinction is intended: Ruth names the young men as the chief workers; Naomi, the young women as those with whom Ruth would be specially thrown.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. Not in any other field This was prudent counsel for Ruth, for in a strange field she would be exposed to annoyances and possible insults, from which in Boaz’s possessions she was now happily shielded by his careful charges to the reapers.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, and that they do not meet you in any other field.”
Naomi the expressed her approval of what Boaz had said. As she had remained at home, a fact which suggested that she was old and infirm enough not to have joined the gleaners, she had probably had time to worry about Ruth’s welfare. Who knew what unscrupulous field owners, or feisty young reapers, or jealous gleaners, or unpleasant young women who looked down on an alien, might do to take advantage of a virtually unprotected, and seemingly beautiful, young woman? But now she knew that YHWH had been watching over Ruth, and was content. So she confirmed Boaz’s words and called on Ruth make sure that she went out into the fields with Boaz’s young women, and not work in any other field where unpleasant people could meet her (or more literally ‘fall upon her’, i.e mistreat her or misuse her).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
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.
Believers in Jesus are sometimes called virgins, for their chaste and close adherence to him, as well as also for the singleness of their affection to his person, And the inviolable purity of their doctrine. See Son 1:3 ; Rev 14:4 . It is well, therefore, for all such to be found nowhere else hut in the society of true believers. ‘That is a sweet direction to every enquiring soul, who ‘wishes to know where Jesus feeds, And where his people are to be found. Son 1:7-8 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rth 2:22 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.
Ver. 22. It is good, my daughter. ] Thus the elder woman must advise the younger, and say,
“ Thesaurum cum virgo, tuum vas fictile servet,
Ut fugias quae sunt noxia, tuta time. ”
That they meet thee not.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Ruth: Ruth is said, by the Targumist, to have been the daughter of Eglon, king of Moab.
It is good: Pro 27:10, Son 1:8
meet: or, fall not upon thee
Reciprocal: Rth 2:21 – Thou shalt
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rth 2:22. That they meet thee not in any other field Whereby thou wilt both expose thyself to many inconveniences, which thou mayest expect from strangers, and incur his displeasure, as if thou didst despise his kindness.