Ruth 2:19: Naomi's Inquiry
- Dr. Dilday
- Sep 4, 2019
- 1 min read
Verse 19:[1] And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did (Ruth 2:10; Ps. 41:1) take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
[Where hast thou done thy work? וְאָ֣נָה עָשִׂ֔ית] And where hast thou done? (Septuagint, Montanus), understanding, thy work (Munster, Junius and Tremellius, Piscator). There is an Ellipsis of the etymologically related noun. Thus, in Matthew 20:12, ἐποίησαν, they have done, namely, ἔργον/work (Piscator). Where hast thou labored? (Piscator, Tigurinus, English, Vatablus, Drusius). They use to do in the place of to labor. Thus, in Proverbs 10:4, he is made poor that does with a slack hand[2] (Drusius).
[1] Hebrew: וַתֹּאמֶר֩ לָ֙הּ חֲמוֹתָ֜הּ אֵיפֹ֙ה לִקַּ֤טְתְּ הַיּוֹם֙ וְאָ֣נָה עָשִׂ֔ית יְהִ֥י מַכִּירֵ֖ךְ בָּר֑וּךְ וַתַּגֵּ֣ד לַחֲמוֹתָ֗הּ אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשְׂתָה֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר שֵׁ֤ם הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֙ר עָשִׂ֧יתִי עִמּ֛וֹ הַיּ֖וֹם בֹּֽעַז׃
[2] Proverbs 10:4: “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand (רָ֗אשׁ עֹשֶׂ֥ה כַף־רְמִיָּ֑ה): but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.”
Matthew Henry: 'Naomi asked her where she had been: Where hast thou gleaned today? Note, Parents should take care to enquire into the ways of their children, how, and where, and in what company they spend their time. This may prevent many extravagancies which children, left to themselves, run into, by which they bring both themselves and their parents to shame. If we are not our brethren's, yet surely we are our children's keepers: and we know what a son Adonijah proved, that had never been chidden. Parents should examine their children, not to frighten nor discourage them, not so as to make them hate home or tempt them to tell a lie, but to commend them if they hav…