Ruth 4

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 4:1-22

The Marriage of Boaz and Ruth. The Birth of their Child1. Boaz went up from the threshing floor to the open space by the city-gate, where the business he had in hand would have to be done, where, too, he would catch the other kinsman on his way out to the field. The author does not know this man’s name, and therefore contents himself with calling him ’So and So.’2. Ten was considered a perfect number (Jeremiah 6:27; 1 Samuel 25:5; 2 Samuel 18:15): where ten Jews live there should be a... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ruth 4:1

(1) Went up.—Inasmuch as the town stood on a hill: so in Ruth 3:3, Ruth is bidden to go down to the threshing-floor.The kinsman.—The Goel. (See Ruth 3:12).Turn aside.—The form of the imperative is such as to give a hortatory turn, pray turn aside and sit down.Such a one.—Heb.,p’loni almoni. This phrase is used like the English so-and-so, such-and-such, of names which it is thought either unnecessary or undesirable to give. The derivation is probably from palah, to mark out, to separate, to... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ruth 4:3

(3) Naomi selleth . . .—Rather, the portion of land, which belonged to our brother Elimelech. has Naomi sold. The present tense of the English Version seems to suggest that the sale is taking place at this particular time, but the meaning clearly is that Naomi, as the representative of the dead Elimelech had, so far as it was possible for an Israelite to part with a family estate, sold the land to obtain in some sort the means of living. In the year of Jubilee, the property would return to the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ruth 4:4

(4) And I thought . . .—literally, and I said I will uncover thy ear.The inhabitants.—This should perhaps rather be, those who are sitting here [the Hebrew word yashabh has the two meanings of dwelling and sitting, see e.g., Genesis 23:10, where the latter meaning should certainly be taken]. So the LXX., Peshito and Vulg.If thou wilt not.—The current Hebrew text has here, if he will not, which is clearly an error for the second person, which is read by a large number of Hebrew MSS., and by all... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ruth 4:5

(5) What day . . .—When the person had been bought out to whom Naomi had sold the land until the year of Jubilee should restore it to her family, there remained Naomi’s own claim on the land, and after wards that of Ruth, as the widow of the son of Elimelech. But further, this last carried with it the necessity of taking Ruth to wife, so that a child might be born to inherit, as the son of Mahlon, Mahlon’s inheritance. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ruth 4:6

(6) Lest I mar . . .—The redemption of the land would involve the spending of money, drawn away from the Goel’s own estate; but the land thus acquired would not belong to the Goel himself, but to the son he should have by Ruth, who would yet be, in the eyes of the law, the son of Mahlon. It would, therefore, be like mortgaging one’s own estate, and that for the benefit of another. Josephus and the Targum explain it by saying that he already had a wife, and feared the discord that might arise. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ruth 4:7

(7) In former time.—Arguments have been built on this word in favour of our assigning a late date to the book, but the inference seems hardly warranted. The same Hebrew word occurs in Deuteronomy 2:10, Judges 1:10, &c.Plucked off his shoe.—The idea of this act apparently is that the man resigns the right of walking on the land as master, in favour of him to whom he gives the shoe. A similar but not identical custom is prescribed in Deuteronomy 25:9.A testimony.—The testimony, the manner in... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ruth 4:8

(8) Drew.—The same word in the Hebrew as plucked in Ruth 4:7. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ruth 4:11

(11) The Lord . . .—In this way is the nuptial blessing invoked.Is come.—Rather, is coming.Rachel—though the younger sister and the junior wife—is put first, probably from her death and burial having associated her with Bethlehem (see Genesis 35:16; Genesis 35:19). In this way, too, we should explain the prophecy of Jeremiah as applied by St. Matthew (Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:18).Build.—From the Hebrew word to build are derived the words for son and daughter, thus a twofold aspect in the word... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ruth 4:12

(12) Pharez.—(See Genesis 38:29). Judah having, though unwittingly, fulfilled the Levirate obligation to the widow of his eldest son, the child thus born becomes the heir of that eldest son, and therefore the head of the house of Judah. read more

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