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John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ruth 2:16

And let fall some of the handfuls on purpose for her ,.... That is, when they had reaped an handful, instead of laying it in its proper order, to be taken up by those that gathered after them, or by themselves, in order to be bound up in sheaves, scatter it about, or let it fall where they reaped it: and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not for taking them, as if she did a wrong thing. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ruth 2:17

So she gleaned in the field until even ,.... An instance of her great diligence and industry, attending to this mean employment constantly from morning tonight: and beat out that she had gleaned : she did not bind up her gleanings in a bundle, and carry it home on her head, as gleaners with us do, but she beat it out with a staff in the field, where she gleaned it, and winnowed it, very probably in the threshingfloor of Boaz; by which means what she had gleaned was brought into a lesser... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 2:8

Abide here fast by my maidens - These were probably employed in making bands, and laying on them enough to form a sheaf, which the binders would tie and form into shocks or thraves. When the maidens had gathered up the scattered handfuls thrown down by the reapers, Ruth picked up any straggling heads or ears which they had left. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 2:9

The young men that they shall not touch thee - This was peculiarly necessary, as she was a stranger and unprotected. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 2:10

Then she fell on her face - Prostrated herself, as was the custom in the East when inferiors approached those of superior rank. The Targum adds to the conversation between Ruth and Boaz: "How, says she, have I obtained grace in thy sight, that thou shouldest acknowledge me who am a stranger and one of the daughters of Moab, of whom it is said, The unclean shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord? And Boaz, answered, It has been certainly told me by the word of the wise,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 2:12

The Lord recompense thy work - The dutiful respect which thou hast paid to thy husband, and thy tender and affectionate attachment to thy aged mother-in-law. And a full reward be given thee - This is spoken with great modesty and piety: The kindness I show thee is little in comparison of thy desert; God alone can give thee a full reward for thy kindness to thy husband and mother-in-law, and he will do it, because thou art come to trust under his wings - to become a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 2:13

Not like unto one of thine hand-maidens - I am as unworthy of thy regards as any of thine own maidservants, and yet thou showest me distinguished kindness. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 2:14

Dip thy morsel in the vinegar - The חמץ chomets , which we here translate vinegar, seems to have been some refreshing kind of acid sauce used by the reapers to dip their bread in, which both cooled and refreshed them. Vinegar, rob of fruits, etc., are used for this purpose in the East to the present day; and the custom of the Arabs, according to Dr. Shaw, is to dip the bread and hand together into these cooling and refreshing articles. Parched corn - This was a frequent... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 2:15

Let her glean even among the sheaves - This was a privilege; for no person should glean till the sheaves were all bound, and the shocks set up. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 2:17

An ephah of barley - Not less than seven gallons and a half; a good day's work. On Hebrew measures of capacity, see the note on Exodus 16:16 . read more

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