Ruth 2:8

“Then said Boaz unto Ruth, etc.] Having heard what the servant said concerning her, he turned himself to her, and addressed her in the following manner: hearest thou not, my daughter? meaning not what the servant had said, but hereby exciting her to hearken to what he was about to say to her. Noldius f35 takes the particle to signify beseeching and entreating, and renders the words, “hear, I pray thee, my daughter”. Some from hence conclude that Boaz was a man in years, and Ruth much younger than he, and therefore calls her his daughter: go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence; which she might be inclined to, lest she should be thought to be too troublesome to be always in one…”

“said Boaz unto Ruth, . . . bide here fast by my maidens--The reaping was performed by women while the assortment of sheaves was the duty of men-servants. The same division of harvest labor obtains in Syria still. Boaz not only granted to Ruth the full privilege of gleaning after his reapers, but provided for her personal comfort.”

“The grammatical forms of the verbs “go hence” and “abide,” are unique and Chaldaic. They are supposed to indicate the dialect used at Bethlehem in the time of Boaz. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Maidens - Not by the young men, to avoid both occasion of sin, and matter of scandal. Herein he shews his piety and prudence. Ruth 2:9”

“2:8-9 Boaz gave Ruth the special privilege of gleaning right behind the young women. After the men cut the grain and tied it in small bundles, the women gathered the bundles into larger sheaves. The Torah did not require farmers to allow gleaners into the fields until the sheaves had been taken to the threshing floor. • I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly: Boaz assured Ruth that no one under his authority would taunt her or try to drive her away from his fields even though she was present before the proper time for gleaners to come in. • help yourself to the water: Boaz’s generosity saved Ruth the trouble of drawing her own water.”

“my daughter: Sa1 3:6, Sa1 3:16; Kg2 5:13; Mat 9:2, Mat 9:22 neither: Sol 1:7, Sol 1:8 abide: Mat 10:7-11; Phi 4:8 Ruth 2:9”

“The good report which the overlooker gave of the modesty and diligence of Ruth could only strengthen Boaz in his purpose, which he had probably already formed from his affection as a relation towards Naomi, to make the acquaintance of her daughter-in-law, and speak kindly to her. With fatherly kindness, therefore, he said to her ( Rut 2:8, Rut 2:9), "Dost thou hear, my daughter? (i.e., 'thou hearest, dost thou not?' interrogatio blande affirmat;) go not to reap in another field, and go not away from here, and keep so to my maidens (i.e., remaining near them in the field). Thine eyes (directed) upon the field which they reap, go behind them (i.e., behind the maidens, who probably tired up the…”