Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ruth 3:15
Also he said, Bring the veil that [thou hast] upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six [measures] of barley, and laid [it] on her: and she went into the city.
15. the mantle ] Only again in Isa 3:22; apparently a large wrap worn over the ordinary clothes.
six measures of barley ] The measure to be supplied is uncertain: six seahs =two ephahs (i.e. bushels), which the Targ. gives, or six ephahs, would be too heavy to carry; hence it is suggested that six omers are meant = 3 / 6 of an ephah, Exo 16:36. The gift is intended for Naomi, who would have to consent to the marriage, as standing in the relation of parent to Ruth. Mr S. A. Cook points out a parallel in a Babylonian tablet ( KB. iv. P. 187, xi. lines 1 6), where the widowed mother is approached by the intending bridegroom; The Laws of Moses and the Code of Hammurabi, p. 75 n.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The vail – Quite a different word from that rendered vail, in Gen 38:14. It seems rather to mean a kind of loose cloak, worn over the ordinary dress (see the margin).
Six measures – i. e. six seahs, in all two ephahs, twice as much as she gleaned Rth 3:17, and a heavy load to carry; for which reason he laid it on her, probably placed it on her head. It is well known that women can carry great weights when duly positioned on their heads.
And she went into the city – The Hebrew has he went, namely, Boaz, where, accordingly, we find him Rth 4:1.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Rth 3:15-17
Six measures of barley.
Exact reckonings of mercies
1. True virtue or grace makes persons universally good. Boaz was a gracious or virtuous man. He is good in his charity as well as in his chastity: he adds one grace to another (2Pe 1:5).
2. Gods blessings bestowed on us should be received by us in an exact reckoning: we should receive them by number, weight and measure; and to behold the quantity of them is an excellent way to get a thankful heart (Psa 116:12).
3. As charity is no churl, so neither must it be blind or extravagant. His liberality is not lavish in laying out Gods blessings, but he giveth in judgment with discretion, not without consideration. Prudence is the general guide and universal mistress in all acts and exercises of virtue (Psa 112:5).
4. As Boaz, so much more our God never sends home true suitors empty. He giveth, and He giveth liberally–He giveth grace, He giveth more grace (Jam 4:6). Every Sabbath, and sermon or sacrament, Christ cries to us, as Boaz to Ruth, Bring hither thy vail, that I may fill it. Faith is the receiving grace. God proportions His performing to our believing: as thou believest so be it unto thee (Mat 8:13). (C. Ness.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 15. Bring the veil] hammit pachath; this seems to have been a cloak, plaid, or what the Arabs call hayk, which has been largely explained elsewhere. See Jdg 14:12.
Six measures of barley] We supply the word measures, for the Hebrew mentions no quantity. The Targum renders six seahs, shith sein, which, as a seah was about two gallons and a half, must have been a very heavy load for a woman; and so the Targumist thought, for he adds, And she received strength from the Lord to carry it. If the omer be meant, which is about six pints, the load would not be so great, as this would amount to but about four gallons and a half; a very goodly present. The Targum says, that on receiving these six measures “it was said in the spirit of prophecy, that from her should proceed the six righteous persons of the world, viz., David, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the King Messiah; each of whom should be blessed with six benedictions.” It is, however, remarkable, that the Targum makes the Messiah to spring from her through the line of David, and goes down to Daniel and his companions; which Daniel prophesied so clearly, not only of the advent of Messiah the prince, but also of the very time in which he was to come, and the sacrificial death he was to die.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The veil, or, the apron, such as women ordinarily wear.
Six measures; known and usual measure: it is not determined how large those measures were, but this the nature of the thing shows, that they were no larger than one woman could carry in her veil, or apron.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. Bring the veil that thou hastupon thee, and hold itEastern veils are large sheetsthoseof ladies being of red silk; but the poorer or common class of womenwear them of blue, or blue and white striped linen or cotton. Theyare wrapped round the head, so as to conceal the whole face exceptone eye.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Also he said,…. Which seems to confirm the first sense, that what he had said before was to Ruth, beside which he also said to her what follows:
bring the vail which thou hast upon thee, and hold it; by which it appears that he rose also thus early, since he ordered her to bring her vail to him, and hold it with both her hands, while he filled it from the heap of corn: this vail was either what she wore on her head, as women used to do, or a coverlet she brought with her to cover herself with, when she lay down; the Septuagint renders it a “girdle”, that is, an apron she tied or girt about her; which is as likely as anything: and when she held it, he measured six measures of barley; what these measures were is not expressed; the Targum is six seahs or bushels, as the Vulgate Latin version, but that is too much, and more than a woman could carry; unless we suppose, with the Targum, that she had strength from the Lord to carry it, and was extraordinarily assisted by him in it, which is not very probable; rather six omers, an omer being the tenth part of an ephah, and so was a quantity she might be able to carry:
and laid it upon her; upon her shoulder, or put it on her head, it being, no doubt, as much as she could well bear, and which required some assistance to help her up with it:
and she went into the city; of Bethlehem, with her burden; or rather he went b; for the word is masculine, and to be understood of Boaz, who accompanied her to the city, lest she should meet with any that should abuse her; and so the Targum expresses it,
“Boaz went into the city.”
b “et ingressus est”, Tigurine version. Drusius, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He then said, “Bring the cloak that thou hast on, and lay hold of it” (to hold it open), and measured for her six measures of barley into it as a present, that she might not to back empty to her mother-in-law (Rth 3:17). , here and Isa 3:22, is a broad upper garment, pallium , possibly only a large shawl. “As the cloaks worn by the ancients were so full, that one part was thrown upon the shoulder, and another gathered up under the arm, Ruth, by holding a certain part, could receive into her bosom the corn which Boaz gave her” ( Schrder, De vestit. mul. p. 264). Six (measures of) barley: the measure is not given. According to the Targum and the Rabbins, it was six seahs = two ephahs. This is certainly incorrect; for Ruth would not have been able to carry that quantity of barley home. When Boaz had given her the barley he measured out, and had sent here away, he also went into the city. This is the correct rendering, as given by the Chaldee, to the words ; though Jerome referred the words to Ruth, but certainly without any reason, as cannot stand for . This reading is no doubt found in some of the MSS, but it merely owes its origin to a mistaken interpretation of the words.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Back to Naomi, vs. 15-18
As Ruth prepared to leave the threshing floor and return to Naomi Boaz called her to him, had her take the vail she had worn over her head, and hold it while he poured into it six measure of the winnowed barley to carry Naomi. These six measures was a considerable quantity, though the original language is indefinite as to what measure is meant. Some think it was the ephah, six of which would be over four and a half bushels, surely far too much for even a strong young woman like Ruth to carry.
Ruth arrived home before Naomi could recognize her, and had to identify herself before the older woman would admit her. Once inside Naomi saw the grain, heard the story and knew at once that things had proceeded far enough that they were no longer in her hands. She advised Ruth to sit still and wait to see how things would transpire. She knew that Boaz would keep his word and attend to the matter promptly. Were they anxious? It is doubtful, for Naomi seems to have been of the feeling that the matter was of the Lord. And of course, it was.
What lessons may be garnered from chapter three? 1) The young are well advised to listen to the counsel of the elders, especially of those who fear the Lord; 2) among the godly Israelites there was care to guard virtue and chastity, and it should be true today of God’s people; 3) when things are left to be worked out according to the will of the Lord those concerned cannot but be pleased with the outcome.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(15) VailRather a mantle, so in Isa. 3:22.
She went.This should be, if we follow the current Hebrew text, he went. The verb is masculine (yabho), and the distinction is shewn in the Targum, which inserts the name Boaz as the nominative. It must be allowed that a fair number of Hebrew MSS., as well as the Peshito and Vulgate, take the verb in the feminine. The LXX. is from the nature of the Greek language unable to mark the distinction. The clause. if we accept the current reading, will mean that Boaz went to the city to find the kinsman whose claim lay before his own, while Ruth, laden with six measures of barley, goes to her mother-in-law.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Bring the veil The long loose wrapper in which the eastern women envelope themselves when out of doors. Among the poorer classes its material is strong and coarse enough not to be at all damaged by the use here made of it.
Six measures How large the measures were we have no means of ascertaining, and conjecture is vain. The Chaldee paraphrase has the following: “He measured six seahs (nearly two bushels!) of barley, and placed it upon her, and she received strength from the Lord to carry it, and immediately it was said in prophecy that there should come of her the six righteous ones of the world, each one of whom should be blessed with six benedictions David, and Daniel and his companions, and King Messiah.”
She went into the city Rather, He went, etc., for the form of the verb is masculine, and the meaning is, that he gave her the barley and sent her away, and then he also went into the city.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And he said, “Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it.” And she held it. And he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her. And he went into the city.’
But before she went he told her to hold her mantle in such a way that she could receive a gift, and he measured out six measures of barley and put them in her mantle. And he then left and went into the city. It is probable that this gift was highly significant, indicating his acceptance of Ruth on the terms he had agreed. He probably knew that Naomi would recognise in this that he was happy with the situation. Note on Rth 3:17.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Rth 3:15. Bring the vailand hold it Respecting the vail, see Exo 12:34. The Chaldee paraphrase adds these words to the present verse: “Strength was given her from the Lord to bear it; and immediately it was said in prophecy, that six righteous persons should proceed from her, each of whom should be blessed with six benedictions, David, and Daniel and his three companions, and the King Messiah.” She went into the city, is rendered by the Chaldee, Boaz went into the city, and the Hebrew seems to favour this interpretation.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Rth 3:15 Also he said, Bring the vail that [thou hast] upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six [measures] of barley, and laid [it] on her: and she went into the city.
Ver. 15. Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast. ] Pallium, peplum: some render it the mantle, others the apron, others the sheet. Our west country women wear mantles when they go abroad: the women of the Isle of Man sheets, as was before observed out of Speed.
He measured six measures of barley.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
vail = mantle or cloak, worn by all peasants; only the town-women veiling the face. Compare Isa 3:23.
she went -he went. The verb is masculine. Some codices, with Syriac and Vulgate, read “she”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
veil: or sheet, or apron, The word mitpachath has been variously rendered. The LXX translate it , an apron, and Vulgate, pallium, a cloak. By the circumstances of the story, it must have been of a considerable size; and accordingly Dr. Shaw thinks it was no other than the hyke, the finer sort of which, such as are still worn by ladies and persons of distinction among the Arabs, he takes to answer to the , or robe, of the ancient Greeks.
he measured: Isa 32:8; Gal 6:10
six measures: The quantity of this barley is uncertain. The Targum renders it, shith sein, “six seahs.” A seah contained about two gallons and a half, six of which must have been a very heavy load for a woman, and so the Targumist thought, for he adds, “And she received strength from the Lord to carry it.”
Reciprocal: Isa 3:23 – veils