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Commentary on Ruth 2 verses 4–16
Now Boaz himself appears, and a great deal of decency there appears in his carriage both towards his own servants and towards this poor stranger.
I. Towards his own servants, and those that were employed for him in reaping and gathering in his corn. Harvest-time is busy time, many hands must then be at work. Boaz that had much, being a mighty man of wealth, had much to do, and consequently many to work under him and to live upon him. As goods are increased those are increased that eat them, and what good has the owner thereof save the beholding of them with his eyes? Boaz is here an example of a good master.
1.He had a servant that was set over the reapers, Rut 2:6. In great families it is requisite there should be one to oversee the rest of the servants, and appoint to each their portion both of work and meat. Ministers are such servants in God's house, and it is requisite that they be both wise and faithful, and show their Lord all things, as he here, Rut 2:6.
2.Yet he came himself to his reapers, to see how the work went forward, if he found any thing amiss to rectify it, and to give further orders what should be done. This was both for his own interest (he that wholly leaves his business to others will have it done by the halves; the master's eye makes a fat horse) and it was also for the encouragement of his servants, who would go on the more cheerfully in their work when their master countenanced them so far as to make them a visit. Masters that live at ease should think with tenderness of those that toil for them and bear the burden and heat of the day.
3.Kind and pious salutations were interchanged between Boaz and his reapers.
(1.)He said to them, The Lord be with you; and they replied, The Lord bless thee, Rut 2:4. Hereby they expressed, [1.] Their mutual respect to each other; he to them as good servants, and they to him as a good master. When he came to them he did not fall a chiding them, as if he came only to find fault and exercise his authority, but he prayed for them: "The Lord be with you, prosper you, and give you health and strength, and preserve you from any disaster." Nor did they, as soon as ever he was out of hearing, fall a cursing him, as some ill-natured servants that hate their master's eye, but they returned his courtesy: "The Lord bless thee, and make our labours serviceable to thy prosperity." Things are likely to go on well in a house where there is such good-will as this between master and servants. [2.] Their joint-dependence upon the divine providence. They express their kindness to each other by praying one for another. They show not only their courtesy, but their piety, and acknowledgement that all good comes from the presence and blessing of God, which therefore we should value and desire above any thing else both for ourselves and others.
(2.)Let us hence learn to use, [1.] Courteous salutations, as expressions of a sincere good-will to our friends. [2.] Pious ejaculations, lifting up our hearts to God for his favour, in such short prayers as these. Only we must take heed that they do not degenerate into formality, lest in them we take the name of the Lord our God in vain; but, if we be serious in them, we may in them keep up our communion with God, and fetch in mercy and grace from him. It appears to have been the usual custom thus to wish reapers good speed, Psa 129:7, Psa 129:8.
4.He took an account from his reapers concerning a stranger he met with in the field, and gave necessary orders concerning her, that they should not touch her (Rut 2:9) nor reproach her, Rut 2:15. Masters must take care, not only that they do no hurt themselves, but that they suffer not their servants and those under them to do hurt. He also ordered them to be kind to her, and let fall some of the handfuls on purpose for her. Though it is fit that masters should restrain and rebuke their servants' wastefulness, yet they should not tie them up from being charitable, but give them allowance for that, with prudent directions.
II. Boaz was very kind to Ruth, and showed her a great deal of favour, induced to it by the account he had of her, and what he observed concerning her, God also inclining his heart to countenance her. Coming among his reapers, he observed this stranger among them, and got intelligence from his steward who she was, and here is a very particular account of what passed concerning her.
1.The steward gave to Boaz a very fair account of her, proper to recommend her to his favour, Rut 2:6, Rut 2:7. (1.) That she was a stranger, and therefore one of those that by the law of God were to gather the gleanings of the harvest, Lev 19:9, Lev 19:10. She is the Moabitish damsel. (2.) That she was allied to his family; she came back with Naomi, the wife of Elimelech, a kinsman of Boaz. (3.) That she was a proselyte, for she came out of the country of Moab to settle in the land of Israel. (4.) That she was very modest, and had not gleaned till she had asked leave. (5.) That she was very industrious, and had continued close to her work from morning even until now. And the poor that are industrious and willing to take pains are fit to be encouraged. Now, in the heat of the day, she tarried a little in the house or booth that was set up in the field for shelter from the weather to repose herself, and some suggest that it is probably she retired for her devotion. But she soon came back to her work, and, except that little intermission, kept close to it all day, though it was not what she had been used to. Servants should be just in the character and reports they give to their masters, and take heed they do not misrepresent any person, nor without cause discourage their master's charity.
2.Boaz was hereupon extremely civil to her in divers instances. (1.) He ordered her to attend his reapers in every field they gathered in and not to glean in the field of another, for she should not need to go any where else to better herself (Rut 2:8): Abide here fast by my maidens; for those of her own sex were the fittest company for her. (2.) He charged all his servants to be very tender of her and respectful to her, and no doubt they would be so to one to whom they saw their master kind. She was a stranger, and it is probably her language, dress, and mien differed much from theirs; but he charged them that they should not in any thing affront her, or be abusive to her, as rude servants are too apt to be to strangers. (3.) He bade her welcome to the entertainment he had provided for his own servants. He ordered her, not only to drink of the water which was drawn for them (for that seems to be the liquor he means, Rut 2:9, drawn from the famous well of Beth-lehem which was by the gate, the water of which David longed for, Sa2 23:15), but at meal-time to come and eat of their bread (Rut 2:14), yea, and she should be welcome to their sauce too: Come, dip thy morsel in the vinegar, to make it savoury; for God allows us not only nourishing but relishing food, not for necessity only, but for delight. And for encouragement o her, and direction to the servants, he himself, happening to be present when the reapers sat down to meat, reached her parched corn to eat. It is no disparagement to the finest hand to be reached forth to the needy (Pro 31:20), and to be employed in serving the poor. Observe, Boaz was not scanty in his provision for his reapers, but sent them so much more than enough for themselves as would be entertainment for a stranger. Thus there is that scattereth and yet increaseth. (4.) He commended her for her dutiful respect to her mother-in-law, which, though he did not know her by sight, yet he had heard of (Rut 2:11): It has been fully shown me all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law. Note, Those that do well ought to have the praise of it. But that which especially he commended her for was that she had left her own country, and had become a proselyte to the Jewish religion; for so the Chaldee expounds it: "Thou hast come to be proselyted, and to dwell among a people whom thou knowest not." Those that leave all, to embrace the true religion, are worthy of double honour. (5.) He prayed for her (Rut 2:12): The Lord recompense thy work. Her strong affection to the commonwealth of Israel, to which she was by birth an alien, was such a work of the divine grace in her as would certainly be crowned with a full reward by him under whose wings she had come to trust. Note, Those that by faith come under the wings of the divine grace, and have a full complacency and confidence in that grace, may be sure of a full recompence of reward for their so doing. From this expression, the Jews describe a proselyte to be one that is gathered under the wings of the divine majesty. (6.) He encouraged her to go on in her gleaning, and did not offer to take her off from that; for the greatest kindness we can do our poor relations is to assist and encourage their industry. Boaz ordered his servants to let her glean among the sheaves, where other gleaners were not allowed to come, and not to reproach her, that is, not to call her thief, or to suspect her of taking more than was allowed her, Rut 2:15. All this shows Boaz to have been a man of a generous spirit, and one that, according to the law, considered the heart of a stranger.
3.Ruth received his favours with a great deal of humility and gratitude, and conducted herself with as much propriety in her place as he did himself in his, but little thinking that she should shortly be the mistress of that field she was now gleaning in. (1.) She paid all possible respect to him, and gave him honour, according to the usage of the country (Rut 2:10): She fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground. Note, Good breeding is a great ornament to religion; and we must render honour to whom honour is due. (2.) She humbly owned herself unworthy of his favours: "I am a stranger (Rut 2:10) and not like one of thy handmaids (Rut 2:13), not so well dressed nor so well taught, not so neat nor so handy." Note, It well becomes us all to think meanly of ourselves, and to take notice of that in ourselves which is diminishing, esteeming others better than ourselves. (3.) She gratefully acknowledged his kindness to her; though it was no great expense to him, nor much more than what he was obliged to by the divine law, yet she magnifies and admires it: Why have I found grace in thy eyes? Rut 2:10. (4.) She begs the continuance of his good-will: Let me find favour in they sight (Rut 2:13), and owns that what he had said had been a cordial to her: Thou hast comforted me, for that thou hast spoken friendly to me. Those that are great, and in high places, know not how much good they may do to their inferiors with a kind look or by speaking friendly to them; and so small an expense, one would think, they should not grudge, when it shall be put upon the score of their charity. (5.) When Boaz gave her her dinner with his reapers she only ate so much as would suffice her, and left the rest, and immediately rose up to glean, Rut 2:14, Rut 2:15. She did not, under pretence either of her want or of her labour, eat more than was convenient for her, nor so much as to unfit her for work in the afternoon. Temperance is a friend to industry; and we must eat and drink to strengthen us for business, not to indispose us to it.
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SUMMARY
Ruth 2:16 reveals Boaz's extraordinary and intentional generosity towards Ruth, instructing his field workers to go beyond the customary allowance for gleaners by deliberately dropping extra grain for her and ensuring she is not rebuked. This pivotal instruction highlights Boaz's compassionate character, his deep respect for Ruth's dignity, and serves as a tangible expression of God's providential care for the vulnerable, setting the stage for Ruth's integration into the community and the lineage of David.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ruth 2:16 employs several effective literary devices that deepen its impact. Benevolence is the overarching characteristic of Boaz's actions, demonstrated through his deliberate and abundant provision. The instruction to drop "handfuls of purpose" (KJV) functions as a form of discretion or indirect provision, as it describes a calculated act of giving in a way that preserves the recipient's dignity, making it appear as part of the natural gleaning process rather than direct charity. There is an element of irony in Boaz's command: he instructs his workers to intentionally perform an act (dropping grain) that would normally be considered inefficient or accidental, transforming it into a profound gesture of grace. This verse also functions as prolepsis or foreshadowing, as Boaz's generous actions here anticipate his later role as Ruth's kinsman-redeemer, where he will provide even more comprehensively for her and Naomi, bringing them into his family and securing their future, ultimately connecting to the Davidic and messianic lineage.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ruth 2:16 is a profound testament to God's providential care, often working through the compassionate actions of His people. Boaz's generosity transcends mere legal obligation, embodying the spirit of God's law concerning the poor and the sojourner. His actions reflect a deep understanding of human dignity and the importance of providing for the vulnerable without shaming them. This verse beautifully illustrates how divine sovereignty and human responsibility intertwine: Ruth's diligent labor in the field meets Boaz's extraordinary kindness, all orchestrated by God's guiding hand to fulfill His purposes for Ruth, Naomi, and the lineage of the Messiah. It serves as a powerful reminder that true faith expresses itself in practical, self-sacrificial love and generosity towards those in need, mirroring God's own character and demonstrating the practical outworking of covenant faithfulness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ruth 2:16 offers a compelling model for believers today, challenging us to move beyond minimal compliance with ethical or charitable duties towards a posture of radical, intentional generosity. Boaz's actions were not merely about providing food but about restoring dignity and hope. He saw Ruth's need and proactively sought a way to meet it abundantly, yet discreetly, ensuring she felt valued rather than shamed. This calls us to cultivate a heart that actively seeks out opportunities to bless others, especially the marginalized, without seeking recognition or making the recipient feel indebted. It reminds us that true compassion is discerning, thoughtful, and seeks to empower. Just as God used Boaz to provide for Ruth, we are called to be instruments of God's provision and grace in the lives of those around us, reflecting His boundless love and care for humanity and demonstrating the transformative power of Christ-like generosity in our communities.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Boaz instruct his men to "let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose" instead of just giving Ruth grain directly?
Answer: Boaz's instruction to "let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose" (KJV) was a deliberate act of profound generosity designed to preserve Ruth's dignity. Giving her grain directly might have made her feel like an object of charity, potentially shaming her or diminishing her sense of self-worth. By instructing his reapers to intentionally drop extra grain from their bundles, Boaz allowed Ruth to "glean" it herself, making it appear as if she was simply gathering what was left behind, as was customary for gleaners under the Mosaic Law (see Leviticus 19:9-10). This method allowed her diligent labor to yield an exceptionally abundant harvest, while still maintaining her honor and sense of self-sufficiency. It was a compassionate and wise way to provide for her without humiliating her, reflecting Boaz's deep respect and understanding of her difficult situation.
What does "rebuke her not" signify in this context?
Answer: The instruction "and rebuke her not" is a critical component of Boaz's comprehensive care for Ruth. Gleaners, often poor and vulnerable, could be subjected to harassment, verbal abuse, or even physical intimidation from field workers who might view them as nuisances or trespassers. By explicitly forbidding his men from rebuking, shaming, or interfering with Ruth, Boaz ensured her safety, peace of mind, and freedom to glean without fear. This command underscores Boaz's protective nature and his commitment to treating Ruth with the utmost respect and kindness, allowing her to work unhindered and gather as much as possible. It speaks to the importance of creating a safe and dignified environment for those in vulnerable positions, reflecting a truly righteous character.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ruth 2:16, though a simple instruction in an ancient harvest field, profoundly foreshadows the boundless grace and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Boaz's actions, going beyond the letter of the law to provide abundant and dignified provision for Ruth, serve as a beautiful type of Christ's greater generosity. Just as Boaz intentionally dropped "handfuls of purpose" for a foreign widow, Christ, the ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer, deliberately came to earth to offer salvation and abundant life to those who were spiritually destitute and alienated from God, including Gentiles (Ephesians 2:12-13). He does not merely offer the bare minimum required by the law but provides grace upon grace, a superabundance of blessing and forgiveness (John 1:16). Furthermore, Boaz's command not to "rebuke her" reflects Christ's compassionate approach to sinners, offering forgiveness and restoration without shaming, as seen in His interactions with the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) or the tax collector Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). Through Christ, we are not just given a meager portion but are brought into the family of God, becoming co-heirs with Him, receiving an inheritance far beyond anything we could glean for ourselves (Romans 8:17). Boaz's care for Ruth ultimately points to the ultimate provider who takes us from spiritual destitution to a place of abundant blessing and belonging in His eternal kingdom.