(4) Uncover his feet.—More literally, as the margin, lift up the clothes that are on his feet; so LXX. and the Vulgate. We are told that the custom still prevails in Palestine of owners of crops sleeping on their threshing-floors, lying with their clothes on, but with their feet covered with a mantle. read more
(5) I will do.—Ruth’s obedience here is an intelligent obedience. She knew in what relation Boaz stood for her family, and the duties attaching to the relationship (Ruth 2:20; Ruth 3:9). Thus with obedient trust, implicitly but not blindly, she follows her mother-in-law’s orders; strong in conscious innocence she risks the obloquy that may attend her duty. read more
(8) Was afraid.—Was startled. See the use of the word in Genesis 27:33.Turned.—Literally, bent himself. (Comp. Judges 16:29.) He wakes with a start, and in turning sees a woman at his feet. read more
(9) Skirt.—Literally wing; Heb. canaph, as in Ruth 2:12. The Targum treats this as in itself the claim to espousal on her part. The metaphor may be illustrated from Ezekiel 16:8, and more generally from Matthew 23:37. read more
(10) Blessed be thou of the Lord.—This answer of Boaz’s is in itself a sufficient proof of the view he took of her conduct, and of the integrity of his own. We note, too, that this blessing follows immediately on the avowal of her name. His own feelings had already been attuned to due honour and respect for Ruth; he is prepared not only to discharge the duty of next of kin, but to do it in no perfunctory spirit, but with a sincere loyal affection. The Targum on Ruth 3:15 supposes that to Ruth,... read more
(11) City.—Literally, gate: the constant meeting-place of persons going in and out. (See Genesis 19:1; Genesis 34:20; Genesis 34:24; Deuteronomy 16:18; Deuteronomy 21:19, &c.) read more
(13) Until the morning.—You have made clear the object of your plea, and I fully assent to it; but do not run the risk of going now, in the dead of night, back to your home. read more
(14) One could know another.—Literally, a man could recognise his friend; i.e., before daylight, in the early dusk.A woman.—Literally, the woman—i.e., this woman. Thus it is of Ruth, not of himself, that Boaz is here thinking. A sensible man like Boaz knows “that we must not only keep a good conscience, but keep a good name; we must avoid not only sin but scandal.” (Henry.) read more
(15) Vail—Rather a mantle, so in Isaiah 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... read more
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Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ruth 3:3-5
(3-5) The plan suggested by Naomi seems peculiar, yet some thoughts may give a certain colouring to it. (1) Naomi seems to have believed that Boaz was the nearest kinsman, being ignorant of the yet nearer one (Ruth 3:12). Consequently, according to Israelite law (Deuteronomy 25:5 sqq.), it would be the duty of Boaz to marry Ruth to raise up seed to the dead. (2) The general tone of Naomi’s character is clearly shown in this book to be that of a God-fearing woman, so that it is certain that,... read more