1-5 Boaz calls into judgment the next kinsman 6-8 He refuses the redemption according to the manner in Israel 9,10 Boaz buys the inheritance 11-12 He marries Ruth 13-17 She bears Obed, the grandfather of David 18-22 The generations of Pharez unto David

to the gate De 16:18 17:5 21:19 25:7 Job 29:7 31:21 Am 5:10-12

the kinsman Ru 3:12

Ho, such Isa 55:1 Zec 2:6

2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

the elders Ex 18:21,22 21:8 De 29:10 31:28 1Ki 21:8 Pr 31:23 La 5:14 Ac 6:12

3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:

he said Ps 112:5 Pr 13:10

4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

I thought. [heb] I said I will reveal in thine ear
Buy it. Jer 32:7-9,25 Ro 12:17 2Co 8:21 Php 4:8

before the inhabitants Ge 23:18 Jer 32:10-12

for there is no Le 25:25-29

5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

What day. Or rather, according to the emendations proposed Houbigant and Dr. Kennicott, and which have been confirmed by a great many MSS. since collated, and agreeably to the ancient versions, `In the day thou purchasest the land from the hand of Naomi, thou wilt also acquire Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of the dead.' etc. This is Boaz's statement of the case to his kinsman, before the people and elders.

to raise up Ru 3:12,13 Ge 38:8 De 25:5,6 Mt 22:24 Lu 20:28

6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

I cannot The Targum seems to give the proper sense of this passage: `I cannot redeem it, because I have a wife already; and it is not fit for me to bring another into my house, lest brawling and contention arise in it; and lest I hurt my own inheritance. Do thou redeem it, for thou has no wife; which hinders me from redeeming it.'

7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor: and this was a testimony in Israel.

a man plucked off. This custom does not refer to the law about refusing to marry a brother's widow, but was usual in the transfer of inheritances: for this relative was not a brother, but simply a kinsman; and the shoe was not pulled off by Ruth, but by the kinsman himself. The Targumist, instead of {his shoe}, renders `his right hand glove,' it probably being the custom, in his time, to give that instead of a shoe. Jarchi says, `When we purchase any thing new, it is customary to give, instead of a shoe, a handkerchief or veil.' De 25:7-10

8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.

Ye are witnesses Ge 23:16-18 Jer 32:10-12

10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

have I Ge 29:18,19,27 Pr 18:22 19:14 31:10,11 Ho 3:2 12:12 Eph 5:25

the name De 25:6 Jos 7:9 Ps 34:16 109:15 Isa 48:19 Zec 13:2

ye are witnessed Isa 8:2,3 Mal 2:14 Heb 13:4

11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

the Lord Ge 24:60 Ps 127:3-5 128:3-6

Rachel Ge 29:32-35 30:1-24 35:16-20 46:8-27 Nu 26:1-65

build De 25:9 Pr 14:1

do thou worthily. or, get thee riches, or power
Ephratah Ru 1:2 Ge 35:16,19 Ps 132:6 Mic 5:2 Mt 2:6

be famous [heb] proclaim thy name

12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.

the house Ge 46:12 Nu 26:20-22

whom Ge 38:29 1Ch 2:4 Mt 1:3

of the seed 1Sa 2:20

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

A.M. 2697 B.C. 1307 An. Ex. Is. 184
Boaz Ru 3:11

the Lord Ru 4:12 Ge 20:17,18 21:1-3 25:21 29:31 30:2,22,23 33:5 1Sa 1:27 2:5 Ps 113:9 127:3

14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

the women Lu 1:58 Ro 12:15 1Co 12:26

Blessed Ge 29:35 Ps 34:1-3 103:1,2 1Th 5:18 2Th 1:3

which hath Ge 24:27

left thee [heb] caused to cease unto thee
kinsman, or, redeemer
that his Ru 4:21,22 Ge 12:2 Isa 11:1-4 Mt 1:5-20

15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

a nourisher, etc. [heb] to nourish thy grey hairs Ge 45:11 47:12 Ps 55:22 Isa 46:4

for thy Ru 1:16-18

better 1Sa 1:8 Pr 18:24

16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

17 And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

the women Lu 1:58-63

Obed. That is, (), serving, or a servant, as Josephus interprets it. Ru 4:15

18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,

Pharez 1Ch 2:4 4:1 Mt 1:3 Lu 3:33

Phares, Esrom

19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,

begat Ram 1Ch 2:9,10 Mt 1:4 Lu 3:33

Aram, Aminadab

20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,

Nahshon Nu 1:7 Mt 1:4 Lu 3:32

Naasson
Salmon. or, Samlah

21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

Salmon 1Ch 2:11

Salma Mt 1:5 Lu 3:32

and Boaz 1Ch 2:12 Mt 1:5 Lu 3:32

Booz

22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Jesse 1Sa 16:1 Isa 11:1

David 1Ch 2:15 Mt 1:6 Lu 3:31

CONCLUDING REMARKS ON THE BOOK OF RUTH

This book is evidently a supplement to the book of Judges, and an introduction to that of Samuel, between which it is placed with great propriety. In the ancient Jewish canon, it formed a part of the book of Judges; but the modern Jews make it one of the five Megiloth, which they place towards the end of the Old Testament. This book has been attributed to various authors; but the best founded and generally received opinion, and in which the Jews coincide, is that which ascribes it to the prophet Samuel; before whose time it could not have been written, as is evident from the genealogy recorded in ch. 4:17-22. The time in which the events detailed in this book happened is involved in much obscurity and uncertainty. Augustine refers it to the time of the regal government of the Hebrews; Josephus to the administration of Eli; Moldenhawer, after some Jewish writers, to the time of Ehud; Rabbi Kimichi, and other Jewish authors, to the time of Ibzan; Bps Patrick and Horne to the judicature of Gideon; Lightfoot to the period between Ehud and Deborah; and Usher, who is followed by most chronologers, to the time of Shamgar. The authenticity and canonical authority of this sacred book cannot be questioned; and the Evangelists, in describing our Saviour's descent, have followed its genealogical accounts. To delineate part of this genealogy appears to be the principal design of the book; it had been foretold that the Messiah should be of the tribe of Judah, and it was afterwards revealed that he should be of the family of David; and therefore it was necessary, to prevent the least suspicion of fraud or design, that the history of that family should be written before these prophecies were revealed. And thus this book, these prophecies, and their accomplishment, serve mutually to illustrate each other. The whole narrative is extremely interesting and instructive, and is written with the most beautiful simplicity. The distress of Naomi; her affectionate concern for her daughter-in-law; the reluctant departure of Orpah; the dutiful attachment of Ruth; and the sorrowful return to Bethlehem, are very beautifully told. The simplicity of manners, likewise, which is shown in the account of Ruth's industry and attention Naomi; of the elegant charity of Boaz; and of his acknowledgment of his kindred with Ruth, afford a very pleasing contrast to the turbulent scenes described in the preceding book. And while it exhibits, in a striking and affecting manner, the care of Divine Providence over those who sincerely fear God, and honestly aim at fulfilling his will, the circumstance of a Moabitess becoming an ancestor of the Messiah seem to have been a pre-intimation of the admission of the Gentiles into his church. It must be remarked, that in this estimation of the Jews, it was disgraceful to David to have derived his birth from a Moabitess; and Shimei, in his revilings against him, is supposed by them to tauntingly reflected on his descent from Ruth. This book, therefore, contains and intrinsic proof of its own verity, as it reveals a circumstance so little flattering to the sovereign of Israel; and it is scarcely necessary to appeal to its admission into the canon of Scripture, for a testimony of its authentic character. Add to which, that the native, the amiable simplicity in which the story is told, is sufficient proof of its genuineness. There are several sympathetic circumstances recorded which no forger could have intended; there is too much of nature to admit any thing of art.