Ruth 2:14

14. At mealtime At the time of the noontide lunch. The principal meal was taken after the labours of the day were over. Ruth 3:7.

Come thou hither Into the house (Ruth 2:7) or tent which was pitched in the harvest field for the accommodation of the reapers, and in which they kept their provisions and ate their meals.

Bread A generic word for provisions. The meaning is, Come and take of the provisions here in store.

Vinegar Wine or strong drink of some kind turned sour, which would form a nauseous draught if taken in any considerable quantity alone, (Psalms 69:21,) but served a useful purpose as a sop. “Pliny describes it as being refreshing to the spirits, binding and bracing the nerves, and very sustaining and strengthening for labour. The use of vinegar by reapers is alluded to by Theocritus in his tenth idyl.” Kitto.

She sat beside the reapers From this we may not infer that the two sexes ordinarily took their meals together, for this noontide lunch in the harvest field is no proper example of the ordinary domestic customs of the ancient families in Israel. Ruth came to this lunch by special invitation from Boaz.

He reached her parched corn In passing from Gaza to Hebron in May, 1838, Dr. Robinson saw nearly two hundred reapers and gleaners at work in one field. He saw some taking their refreshment, and as he passed they offered him some parched corn. The manner of its preparation, according to Dr. Thomson, is this: “A quantity of the best ears, not too ripe, are plucked, with the stalks attached. These are tied into small parcels, a blazing fire is kindled with dry grass and thorn bushes, and the corn heads are held in it until the chaff is mostly burned off. The grain is thus sufficiently roasted to be eaten, and it is a favourite article all over the country.” Mr. Tristram gives a similar description of the parching of grain which he witnessed in northern Palestine in May of 1864. He and his party were invited to partake, and he adds: “We found the dish by no means unpalatable. The green ears had become half-charred by the roasting, and there was a pleasant mingling of milky wheat and a fresh crust flavour as we chewed the parched corn.”