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Writer's pictureDr. Dilday

Ruth 3:6, 7: Ruth Executes Naomi's Plan

Verse 6:[1] And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.



[What things she had commanded her] צִוַּ֖תָּה in the place of צִוְּתָה: it should be צִוָּתָה on account of the accent; but it seemed proper to shorten the ָ: then a Dagesh (ּ) was added for the sake of euphony. צָרַתָּה and כִעֲסַתָּה are similar[2] (Drusius).


Verse 7:[3] And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and (Judg. 19:6, 9, 22; 2 Sam. 13:28; Esth. 1:10) his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.


[And when he had eaten, etc.] That is, when he had feasted with cheer, just as it was wont to be done at the time of the harvest and grape-gathering (Junius, Piscator). Compare Judges 9:27; Psalm 4:7; Isaiah 9:3 (Piscator).


Had eaten and drunk, to wit, liberally, as the manner was upon those occasions. See Judges 9:27; Psalm 4:7; Isaiah 9:3.



[And his heart was made merry] Hebrew: and his heart was good[4] (Piscator, Drusius), that is, cheerful (Piscator): or, he was good in heart, that is, with his heart cheerful and merry (Drusius).

[And he had gone to sleep near the heap of bundles, בִּקְצֵ֣ה הָעֲרֵמָ֑ה] In the extremity, or farthest part (or side [Jonathan, Syriac]) of the heap (Pagnine, Montanus, Tigurinus, Junius and Tremellius, Drusius), understanding, a certain[5] (Junius and Tremellius). Great men otherwise slept on pallets; Plutarch relates in “Lycurgus”[6] that formerly the youth of the Lacedæmonians were wont to be accustomed this this after their twelfth year (Serarius). On his own estate, spending time in the field, especially in those hot regions, he was not very solicitous for a soft bed, but slept most pleasantly on the ground among the bundles not yet all threshed (Osiander). Of course, it belonged to a good head-of-household, to be near to his own while they were laboring, to protect the threshingfloor for nocturnal thieves, and to take sleep among the very bundles (Bonfrerius).

[1] Hebrew: וַתֵּ֖רֶד הַגֹּ֑רֶן וַתַּ֕עַשׂ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוַּ֖תָּה חֲמוֹתָֽהּ׃


[2] 1 Samuel 1:6: “And her adversary also provoked her sore (וְכִֽעֲסַ֤תָּה צָֽרָתָהּ֙ גַּם־כַּ֔עַס), for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.”


[3] Hebrew: וַיֹּ֙אכַל בֹּ֤עַז וַיֵּשְׁתְּ֙ וַיִּיטַ֣ב לִבּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֕א לִשְׁכַּ֖ב בִּקְצֵ֣ה הָעֲרֵמָ֑ה וַתָּבֹ֣א בַלָּ֔ט וַתְּגַ֥ל מַרְגְּלֹתָ֖יו וַתִּשְׁכָּֽב׃


[4] Hebrew: וַיִּיטַ֣ב לִבּ֔וֹ.


[5] That is, of a certain heap.


[6] Parallel Lives.

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My observation of the text appears to be that Ruth finally carries out Naomi's plan to lay down at Boaz's feet for a proposal of marriage. Ultimately this represents an act of submission and a request of whether he wanted to be her protector or not. This happens after Boaz has rested after he had eaten and drunk.

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Dr. Dilday
Dr. Dilday
Sep 27, 2019

Matthew Henry: 'Here is...Boaz's good management of his common affairs. It is probable, according to the common usage, 1. When his servants winnowed, he was with them, and had his eye upon them, to prevent, not their stealing any of his corn (he had no reason to fear that), but their waste of it through carelessness in the winnowing of it. Masters may sustain great losses by servants that are heedless, though they be honest, which is a reason why men should be diligent to know the state of their own flocks, and look well to them. 2. When he had more than ordinary work to be done, he treated his servants with extraordinary entertainments, and, for their encouragement, di…

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