Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ruth 3:6
And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.
And she went down unto the floor,…. From the city of Bethlehem, from her mother-in-law’s house there, to the threshingfloor of Boaz, which was at some distance from it, and lower:
and did according to all that her mother in law bade her; both before she went, and after: she washed and anointed herself, and put on her best clothes before she went down, and when she was there took care not to make herself known to any, especially to Boaz, and marked the place where he lay down after he had supped.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ruth went accordingly to the threshing-floor and did as her mother-in-law had commanded; i.e., she noticed where Boaz went to lie down to sleep, and then, when he had eaten and drunken, and lay down cheerfully, at the end of the heap of sheaves or corn, and, as we may supply from the context, had fallen asleep, came to him quietly, uncovered the place of his feet, i.e., lifted up the covering over his feet, and lay down.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Ruth’s Reception by Boaz. | B. C. 1312. |
6 And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. 8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. 9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman. 10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. 12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. 13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.
Here is, I. Boaz’s good management of his common affairs. It is probable, according to the common usage, 1. When his servants winnowed, he was with them, and had his eye upon them, to prevent, not their stealing any of his corn (he had no reason to fear that), but their waste of it through carelessness in the winnowing of it. Masters may sustain great losses by servants that are heedless, though they be honest, which is a reason why men should be diligent to know the state of their own flocks, and look well to them. 2. When he had more than ordinary work to be done, he treated his servants with extraordinary entertainments, and, for their encouragement, did eat and drink with them. It well becomes those that are rich and great to be generous to, and also to be familiar with, those that are under them, and employed for them. 3. When Boaz had supped with his workmen, and been awhile pleasant with them, he went to bed in due time, so early that by midnight he had his first sleep (v. 8), and thus he would be fit for his business betimes next morning. All that are good husbands will keep good hours, and not indulge themselves nor their families in unseasonable mirth. The Chaldee paraphrase tell us (v. 7) that Boaz ate and drank and his heart was good (and so the Hebrew word is), and he blessed the name of the Lord, who had heard his prayers, and taken away the famine from the land of Israel. So that he went sober to bed, his heart was in a good frame, and not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness. And he did not go to bed without prayer. Now that he had eaten and was full he blessed the Lord, and now that he was going to rest he committed himself to the divine protection; it was well he did, for he had an unusual temptation before him, though he knew not of it. 4. He had his bed or couch laid at the end of the heap of corn; not because he had set his heart upon it, nor only that he might watch and keep it safe from thieves, but it was too late to go home to the city, and here he would be near his work, and ready for it next morning, and he would show that he was not nice or curious in his lodging, neither took state nor consulted his ease, but was, like his father Jacob, a plain man, that, when there was occasion, could make his bed in a barn, and, if need were, sleep contentedly in the straw.
II. Ruth’s good assurance in the management of her affair. She observed her mother’s orders, went and laid herself down, not by his side, but overcross his bed’s feet, in her clothes, and kept awake, waiting for an opportunity to tell her errand. When he awaked in the night, and perceived there was somebody at his feet, and enquired who it was, she told him her name and then her errand (v. 9), that she came to put herself under his protection, as the person appointed by the divine law to be her protector: “Thou art he that has a right to redeem a family and an estate from perishing, and therefore let this ruin be under thy hand: and spread thy skirt over me–be pleased to espouse me and my cause.” Thus must we by faith apply ourselves to Jesus Christ as our next kinsman, that is able to redeem us, come under his wings, as we are invited (Matt. xxiii. 37), and beg of him to spread his skirt over us. “Lord Jesus, take me into thy covenant and under thy care. I am oppressed, undertake for me.“
III. The good acceptance Ruth gained with Boaz. What she did had no ill-effect, either one way or other, so that Naomi was not mistaken in her good opinion of her kinsman. He knew her demand was just and honourable, and treated her accordingly, and did not deal with his sister as with a harlot, Gen. xxxiv. 31. For,
1. He did not offer to violate her chastity, though he had all the opportunity that could be. The Chaldee paraphrase thus descants upon it:–He subdued his concupiscence, and did not approach to her, but did as Joseph the Just, who would not come near to his Egyptian mistress, and as Phaltiel the Pious, who, when Saul had given him Michal, David’s wife (1 Sam. xxv. 44), put a sword between himself and her, that he might not touch her. Boaz knew it was not any sinful lust that brought her thither, and therefore bravely maintained both his own honour and hers.
2. He did not put any ill construction upon what she did, did not reproach her as an impudent woman and unfit to make an honest man a wife. She having approved herself well in the fields, and all her conduct having been modest and decent, he would not, from this instance, entertain the least suspicion of her character nor seem to do so, perhaps blaming himself that he had not offered the service of a kinsman to these distressed widows, and saved her this trouble, and ready to say as Judah concerning his daughter-in-law, She is more righteous than I. But on the contrary,
(1.) He commended her, spoke kindly to her, called her his daughter, and spoke honourably of her, as a woman of eminent virtue. She had shown in this instance more kindness to her mother-in-law, and to the family into which she had matched, than in any instance yet. It was very kind to leave her own country and come along with her mother to the land of Israel, to dwell with her, and help to maintain her. For this he had blessed her (ch. ii. 12); but now he says, Thou hast shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning (v. 10), in that she consulted not her own fancy, but her husband’s family, in marrying again. She received not the addresses of young men (much less did she seek them) whether poor or rich, but was willing to marry as the divine law directed, though it was to an old man, because it was for the honour and interest of the family into which she had matched, and for which she had an entire kindness. Young people must aim, in disposing of themselves, not so much to please their own eye as to please God and their parents.
(2.) He promised her marriage (v. 11): “Fear not that I will slight thee, or expose thee; no, I will do all that thou requirest, for it is the same that the law requires, from the next of kin, and I have no reason to decline it, for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman,” v. 11. Note, [1.] Exemplary virtue ought to have its due praise (Phil. iv. 8), and it will recommend both men and women to the esteem of the wisest and best. Ruth was a poor woman, and poverty often obscures the lustre of virtue; yet Ruth’s virtues, even in a mean condition, were generally taken notice of and could not be hid; nay, her virtues took away the reproach of her poverty. If poor people be but good people, they shall have honour from God and man. Ruth had been remarkable for her humility, which paved the way to this honour. The less she proclaimed her own goodness the more did her neighbours take notice of it. [2.] In the choice of yoke-fellows, virtue should especially be regarded, known approved virtue. Let religion determine the choice, and it will certainly crown the choice and make it comfortable. Wisdom is better than gold, and, when it is said to be good with an inheritance, the meaning is that an inheritance is worth little without it.
(3.) He made his promise conditional, and could not do otherwise, for it seems there was a kinsman that was nearer than he, to whom the right of redemption did belong, v. 12. This he knew, but we may reasonably suppose Naomi (who had been long abroad, and could not be exact in the pedigree of her husband’s family) was ignorant of it, otherwise she would never have sent her daughter to make her claim of Boaz. Yet he does not bid her go herself to this other kinsman; this would have been to put too great a hardship upon her: but he promises, [1.] That he would himself propose it to the other kinsman, and know his mind. The Hebrew word for a widow signifies one that is dumb. Boaz will therefore open his mouth for the dumb (Prov. xxxi. 8), and will say that for this widow which she knew not how to say for herself. [2.] That, if the other kinsman refused to do the kinsman’s part, he would do it, would marry the widow, redeem the land, and so repair the family. This promise he backs with a solemn oath, for it was a conditional contract of marriage (v. 13): As the Lord liveth. Thus keeping the matter in suspense, he bade her wait till morning. Bishop Hall thus sums up this matter in his contemplations:–“Boaz, instead of touching her as a wanton, blesseth her as a father, encourageth her as a friend, promiseth her as a kinsman, rewards her as a patron, and sends her away laden with hopes and gifts, no less chaste, more happy, than she came. O admirable temperance, worthy the progenitor of him in whose lips and heart there was no guile!”
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Ruth in the Threshing floor, vs. 6-14
Ruth followed the instructions of Naomi carefully. She waited until Boaz had finished the winnowing and eaten his evening meal and was refreshed. She saw that he went and made his bed at the end of the heap of grain he had been winnowing to spend the night in his threshing floor, probably to guard it against thieves. Then Ruth came very quietly, uncovered Boaz’ feet and lay down there, waiting for him to realize her presence.
It was midnight when Boaz awoke with that strange premonition of something not just exactly as it should be. He was startled and turned himself to see what it was. Likely he smelled her perfume, for he was aware that the person at his feet was a woman. Of course, he must also have been aware of the custom whereby a woman came thus to request the protection and provision of a man. As soon as he asked, Ruth gave him the answer which Naomi had given her for him. It was a clear proposal that he redeem them and their land by marrying Ruth according to the law of the kinsman redeemer (see Lev 25:47; De 25:5-10).
Boaz answered her kindly, commending her for her continued concern for the family into which she had come, and for the fulfillment of the law relative thereto. She might have sought a marriage with some of the younger men, but instead was concerned for the welfare of Naomi and the good name of Elimelech and Mahlon. Boaz said he would do what she required of him gladly, for Ruth’s reputation in Bethlehem was excellent, and his marriage with her would be heartily approved.
However, there was a matter that must be first settled. There was another kinsman who had a nearer claim than Boaz. Perhaps he was a younger brother of Elimelech, or an older nephew than Boaz. He must have the first chance at redemption. But Ruth was to lie quietly until the next day when Boaz would promptly attend to the matter. If the nearer kinsman would not redeem them then Boaz swore to her that he would do so.
Early in the morning before daylight Boaz sent Ruth away, so that some wag might not see her leaving the floor and spread a malicious rumor about her. Thus Boaz sought to protect the virtue of Ruth.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Ruth Speaks to Boaz Rth. 3:6-13
6 And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.
7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
8 And it came to pass at midnight that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast showed more kindness, inasmuch as thou followest not young men, whether poor or rich.
11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsmans part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth: lie down until the morning.
4.
What kind of corn was on the threshing floor? Rth. 3:7
In the days of the translating of the King James Version, the word corn indicated any kind of cereal grain. The average American reader visualizes corn as a grain which grows on a cob, since he has become acquainted with the grain called maize by the Indians when the first settlers came to America. Corn in Bible days was grain in a head. Notice has already been made in the narrative of the book of Ruth with regard to this kind of grain. Boaz and Ruth met in a time of barley harvest and a time of wheat harvest. Both these grains would be described by the word corn.
5.
What was the meaning of Ruths request? Rth. 3:9
Ruth was proposing marriage to Boaz. She was primarily interested in reminding him of the duty of a near kinsman. According to the laws of Israel, a mans brother was to marry his widow and raise up children in the name of his brother whenever a deceased brother had no heirs. Such was the case with Mahlon. Ruth was widowed, and there were no children to carry on the name of either Elimelech or Mahlon. Ruth reminded Boaz that he was a near kinsman, one who had the right and the duty to redeem a deceased kinsmans land and marry his widow.
6.
Was her act improper? Rth. 3:11
Ruth was a virtuous woman (Rth. 3:11). Boaz would not break the Law. He said, There is a kinsman nearer than I (Rth. 3:12). Nothing in all the narrative suggests impropriety on the part of either Ruth or Boaz. Nothing transpired between Ruth and Boaz during the night while she was at the threshing floor. Had Boaz been a man of lustful nature, he would have immediately entered into an improper connubial relationship with Ruth; but since he was a man of honor, he reminded her of the presence of another whose right superseded his own. He thus asked her to wait until this man could be approached.
7.
Was a Levirate marriage connected with the redemption? Rth. 3:13
The Levirate marriage was a customary right which had received the sanction of God. It was given certain limitations through the Mosaic law. This was to be the marriage of a widow and her brother-in-law. We meet such marriages as early as Gen. 38:8. If an Israelite was married and died without children, it was the duty of his brother to marry the widow, that is to say, his sister-in-law. He was to do this to establish his brothers name in Israel. This was done by begetting a son through his sister-in-law. The son took the name of the deceased brother. Thus the brothers name did not become extinct in Israel. The son was the legal heir of the landed property of the deceased man (cf. Deu. 25:5 ff.). The two institutions are not connected in the Mosaic law; nevertheless it was a very natural thing to place the Levirate duty in connection with the right of redemption. This had become the traditional custom. The Law merely imposed the obligation of marrying the childless widow upon the brother. It even allowed him to renounce the obligation if he would take upon himself the disgrace connected with such a refusal (see Deu. 25:7-10). According to Rth. 4:5, it had become a traditional custom to require the Levirate marriage of the one who bought the property of the deceased relative. Thus the landed possession was permanently retained in the family, but also the family itself was not suffered to die out.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
‘ And she went down to the threshing-floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.’
Once again it is emphasised that Ruth did as she was bidden. The writer wants it to be clear that Ruth was not self-seeking. She was obedient to the customs of her new people. So she went down to the threshingfloor.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
After the former observations I have made concerning both Naomi and Ruth, I conceive it would be superfluous to add any further considerations, by way of justification of their conduct. Neither would I detain the Readier from attending to what is infinitely. more important, in the view of the subject considered in a spiritual light. May we not then behold in Ruth, the representation of every poor sinner, brought as she was, from the ignorance of Gentilism into an acquaintance with the God of Israel, and seeking grace and favour with the Lord Jesus: and will not everyone of this description, when under a sense of sin, and the ruined state of our poor fallen nature, desire to be united to Jesus, when we have learnt that he is our Kinsman-Redeemer, and nearly allied to us, by reason of his taking upon him our flesh for the purposes of salvation’? Psa 9:10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rth 3:6 And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
Ver. 6. And she went down unto the floor. ] Though a woman, and a stranger, yet she ventureth hard: where desire is, there nothing can hinder or abate the spirit, or daunt the heart. a
a Bernard.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
and did: Exo 20:12, Pro 1:8, Joh 2:5, Joh 15:14
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2. Ruth’s encouragement and Boaz’s response 3:6-13
Ruth carried out Naomi’s instructions exactly, further demonstrating her loyal love to her mother-in-law, and encouraged Boaz to pursue the possibility of marriage (Rth 3:6-9). Boaz’s response to Ruth’s actions is as remarkable as what she did.
"Note that the threshingfloor was a public place and that these incidents all took place in the open. Both men and women were lying about the threshingfloor. Entire families were gathered there. There was not much privacy connected with such circumstances, but it was the custom of the day and was not considered immodest or even questionable. This was a happy family gathering in the spirit of a religious festival. . . .
"Instead of bringing him before the public eye and forcing him to perform the part of a goel [kinsman redeemer], she was giving him the opportunity of rejecting or accepting the office of goel quietly." [Note: McGee, pp. 92, 94.]
Evidently Ruth assumed, or at least hoped, that Boaz was the closest living single male relative of her husband Mahlon (cf. Rth 4:10). As such he would have been able to marry her if he desired to do so. She was inviting him to exercise the legal right of her levir (brother-in-law). The Hebrew words translated "spread your covering [wing] over your maid" (Rth 3:9) are an idiom referring to marrying (cf. Rth 3:10; Rth 2:12; Deu 22:30; Deu 27:20; 1Ki 19:19; Eze 16:8; Mal 2:16).
The Old Testament nowhere lists marriage as a duty of a kinsman redeemer. Therefore Ruth’s request seems to go beyond Boaz’s obligations in that role. However there are indications that the duties of the go’el went beyond what the law stipulated, namely, the redemption of property and enslaved relatives. This was the spirit of the law if not its letter.
"The word’s metaphorical usage suggests that he also may have assisted a clan member in a lawsuit (Job 19:25; Psa 119:154; Pro 23:11; Jer 50:34; Lam 3:58). Further, if one assumes that the picture of Yahweh as go’el reflects Israelite legal customs, the go’el also was an advocate who stood up for vulnerable family members and who took responsibility for unfortunate relatives. [Footnote 10: Gen 48:16; Exo 15:13; Job 19:25; Psa 119:154; Pro 23:10-11; Isa 43:1; Isa 44:22-23; Isa 48:20; Isa 52:9; Isa 63:9; Jer 50:34; Lam 3:58; cf. Psa 72:12-14. Note also that a go’el could be a baby, hence referring to future help, and a "restorer of life" and "sustainer of old age" (Rth 4:14-15).] In sum, it seems likely that the duty of go’el was a broad one-indeed, far broader than the redemption acts taught in Leviticus 25 and those typical of the levirate. Evidently it aimed to aid clan members, both the living who were perceived to be weak and vulnerable and the dead. Indeed, it may be particularly significant for the book of Ruth that two of the duties concern actions on behalf of the dead (Num 5:8; Num 35:12; Num 35:19-27; etc.)." [Note: Hubbard, pp. 51-52.]
"The lives of genuinely good people are not governed by laws but character and a moral sense of right and wrong. For Boaz Yahweh’s covenant with Israel provides sufficient guidance for him to know what to do in this case." [Note: Block, p. 696.]
Why did Boaz not initiate a proposal of marriage? Evidently for two reasons: he assumed Ruth wanted to marry a younger man, someone closer to her own age (Rth 3:10), and he was not the closest eligible male relative (Rth 3:12).
The blessing motif surfaces again as Boaz wished God’s blessing on Ruth for her kindness to him (Rth 3:10). Evidently her first kindness was her willingness to stay near Boaz by serving as his maidservant and by gleaning in his fields. Her last kindness was her willingness to marry him and thereby provide Naomi with an heir even though Boaz was an older man. Ruth assumed this familial obligation to Naomi of her own free will.
"Kindness" is loyal love (Heb. hesed, Rth 3:10). This motif also appears again here. Previously Naomi had prayed that God would deal kindly with her daughters-in-law as they had dealt with her (Rth 1:8). Then she had prayed that Boaz would experience Yahweh’s blessing for his loyal love to Naomi, Ruth, and their husbands (Rth 2:20). Now Boaz acknowledged that Ruth had been God’s channel of blessing to him out of loyal love to him.
Boaz’s description of Ruth as a woman of "excellence" (NASB) or "noble character" (NIV, Heb. hayil) is interesting because the same Hebrew word describes Boaz in Rth 2:1. Hayil means a person of wealth, character, virtue, attainment, and comprehensive excellence. As such Ruth was worthy to be the wife of Boaz. They were two of a kind. The word hayil also describes the ideal woman in Pro 31:10 (cf. Pro 12:4; Pro 19:14).
Boaz promised to marry Ruth if the nearer kinsman chose not to exercise his right to do so (Rth 3:13). [Note: McGee, pp. 115-76, wrote an extended discussion of the qualifications of a redeemer. See also Bush’s excursus on the relationship between Ruth’s request and the question of levirate marriage, pp. 166-69.]
"Not to carry through his commitment after invoking the Lord’s name would have been a violation of the third commandment (Exo 20:7)." [Note: Huey, p. 538.]
What the nearer kinsman’s decision involved becomes clear later in the story (Rth 4:3-5). Even though Boaz wanted to marry Ruth, he did not violate the Mosaic Law to do so. His submission to God’s Law reflects his submission to God. We see here another reason he was an excellent man (Rth 2:1).