Harvest. About the month of Nisan, or our March (Calmet) and April. (Menochius) CHAPTER I. Booz. The Scripture does not specify how nearly they were related. R. Josue says Elimelech, Salmon, and Tob (chap. iii. 13,) were brothers, and Booz was the son of Salmon, which cannot be refuted, (Serarius, q. 1.; Menochius) though the authority and proofs be very weak. It is not, however, more probable that Booz was the brother of Elimelech. Some think that he was not the immediate son of Salmon, as four persons seem too few to fill up the space of 366 years, from the marriage of Rahab till the birth of David. But this is not impossible. (Calmet) See chap. iv. 20. To me. It was the privilege of the poor and of strangers to glean, Deuteronomy xxiv. 19., and Leviticus xix. 9. Yet Ruth asks leave, through civility. (Calmet) --- This law is no longer in force, but it would be inhuman for the rich to deny this liberty to those who are in distress, and willing rather to work than to beg. (Tirinus) With you. This blessing the Church still adopts in her service. (Worthington) --- It was customary to bless one another during harvest, Psalm cxxviii. 5, 8. (Calmet) --- Booz did, as Cato advises, Ne opera parcas visere; "See what is going forward." The master's eye makes the servants diligent. (Haydock). Man. Heb. nahar, a man in the prime of life. He had the care of all in the field, during the absence of his master; whence Josephus styles him agrocomos, or agronomos. (Menochius) --- Homer mentions an officer or king, standing with his sceptre in the midst of the reapers, and silently rejoicing at the rich profusion of the field. (Iliad) --- Thus we see the taste of the ancients, while agriculture was honourable. Moment. Hebrew, "her tarrying in the house is but small, or till now, that she remains a little in the house." She entered the house with the reapers, during the excessive heat of the day, and to avoid the suspicion of taking more than was allowed, during their absence. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "she hath not discontinued to work in the field even a little." Her diligence and modesty attracted the notice of Booz. (Haydock). Thee. The men tied the corn after the female reapers, (Calmet) and Ruth was authorized to follow, close at their heels, without fear. (Haydock) --- The waters. This is not expressed in Hebrew but it is in the Septuagint and the Chaldean. (Calmet) --- The privilege of having water in those countries was very considerable. (Menochius) Country. St. Elizabeth was impressed with similar sentiments, when she was visited by the blessed Virgin; (Haydock) and so was David, when he considered the wonderful condescension of God, Psalm viii. 5., cxliii. 3., and Job vii. 17. (Calmet) --- Frequent instances occur in Scripture of people worshipping, or shewing their gratitude to their fellow creatures, by this posture of the body. (Menochius) --- Yet no suspicion of idolatry attaches to them, Genesis xxiii. '7., &c. (Haydock) Heretofore, to embrace the same religion. (Menochius) Work. Booz doubted not but a full and eternal reward was due to good works. (Worthington) --- Fled. This similitude frequently occurs, (Psalm xxxv. 8., and Matthew xxiii. 37,) to denote protection. (Calmet). --- Chaldean, "Thou art come to be a proselyte, and to hide thyself under the shade of the majesty of his glory." (Menochius) Heart. This has the same meaning as the former part of the sentence. (Calmet) See Osee ii. 14. (Haydock) --- Maids, but more lowly and mean. (Menochius) Vinegar, or small wine, made on purpose for working people. Some think that such was presented to our Saviour. Yet vinegar was very frequently mixed with other things, and was esteemed particularly refreshing. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxiii. 1.) (Calmet) --- Side. Not in front, that they might not stare at her. (Menochius) --- And she, &c. Hebrew, "and he gave her frumenty, or parched corn." A little oil might be poured upon it. See Leviticus ii. 14., and 2 Kings xxvi. 28. (Haydock) --- Travellers in Ethiopia only take parched barley with them. (Calmet) --- The leavings, to Noemi. "Learn, says Seneca, (ep. 110,) to be content with a little." Septuagint, "and Booz heaped up food before her, and she ate and was filled, and left a part. " (Haydock) --- But it appears that she afterwards took it home, ver. 18. (Menochius) --- The vinegar and corn which were given to Ruth were very refreshing. The Spaniards still drink posca, or water and vinegar. (Tirinus) Reap. Hebrew, "if she will glean, even among the sheaves, do not cover her with confusion," (Haydock) or hinder her, Psalm xliii. 10. (Calmet) Rod, as Gedeon had done, Judges vi. 11. --- That is, &c., an explanation of the Vulgate. (Calmet)-The ephi contained three pecks and three pints. (Arbuthnot) --- Alcazar and Cornelius a Lapide say 960 ounces. (Menochius) Dead. He hath not forgotten Elimelech, his friend, for whose sake he treats his daughter-in-law with kindness. (Haydock) --- Kinsman. Hebrew adds, "one of our redeemers, (Calmet) or next kinsmen." (Haydock) --- To such the right of avenging the slain, of marrying the widow of the deceased, and entering upon his property, belonged. The best interpreters suppose that Booz was the nephew of Elimelech. (Calmet) (Leviticus xxv. 25., and Deuteronomy xxv. 5.) (Menochius) CHAPTER II. And the wheat. Hebrew, Syriac and Arabic, " It is good that thou keep close to the maidens of Booz, and continue to glean with them till," &c. This was the advice of Noemi: but Providence ordered that Ruth should be married to Booz before the commencement of the wheat harvest. (Calmet) --- The Protestant agree with the Vulgate and Septuagint. "So she kept fast by, &c., unto the end of the barley harvest, and of the wheat harvest, and dwelt with her mother-in-law." These last words are expressed by the Vulgate in the following chapter. (Haydock). I will. Hebrew and Septuagint may be read with an interrogation in the same sense. "Shall I not seek rest?" (Haydock) --- By this expression she means a husband, chap. i. 9. Marriage fixes the unsettled condition of women. (Calmet) --- Noemi being apprised of the law, entertained hopes that she could engage Booz to marry Ruth. (Haydock) --- Thus her penury would cease, and she would perhaps have children, as she earnestly desired. (Menochius) Night. In Palestine, and other maritime countries, a breeze generally arises from the sea in the evening. It was then that Booz seized the opportunity of winnowing his barley; so that, at an early hour, he gave Ruth six measures, and retired to rest, beside some of the remaining sheaves (Calmet) in an adjoining apartment, erected for the protection of the reapers during the great heats, and to contain the corn in case of a shower. (Columella, i. 7. and ii. 51.) This shade was probably in the same field where Ruth had been gleaning. (Calmet) --- She might lawfully seize this opportunity (Haydock) to obtain an honest marriage. (Du Hamel) Garments. External cleanliness has many attractions, Judith x. 3. Many editions of the Hebrew are very confused, by the improper insertion of i : "I will put the garments on thee, and get me down, " &c. (Kennicott) Sleepeth. People of fortune did not disdain to sleep among the corn.Non pudor in stipula placidam cepisse quietem, Nec f\'9cnum capiti supposuisse suo .----- Ovid, Fast. i. (Menochius) --- Feet. It is said that women in the East, enter their husbands' bed at the feet, to shew their submission. (Calmet) --- Ruth was conducted on this occasion by a superior Being, who gave success to her undertaking, and disposed the mind of Booz (Theodoret) to grant her just claim. It was according to the law of Moses, that a widow might demand in marriage the next kinsman of her deceased husband, if she had no children by him. Ruth considered Booz in this light. (Haydock) --- She was not actuated by a love of pleasure, as the latter was convinced, otherwise she would have desired to marry some young man, (Calmet) in her own country, ver. 10. Both parties would probably have their clothes on among the straw, so that there would be less danger; though, if their virtue had not been very constant, (Haydock) the situation was no doubt sufficiently perilous, and in other circumstances could not have been tolerated. (Calmet) --- We must also remember, that clandestine marriages were not then forbidden. (Salien) --- That same night they might have married, had not another's being nearer akin proved an obstacle; (Tirinus) so that Booz could not have claimed the inheritance of Elimelech, though he might have taken Ruth to wife. By deferring another day he obtained both. (Haydock) --- Lyranus thinks Ruth could be excused only by ignorance, in thus exposing herself to danger, and that Noemi was guilty of a grievous sin, in giving her such advice. But they both had the purest views, seeking only an honest marriage, by arts which were not blamable. See St. Thomas Aquinas, [Summa Theologiae ] 2. 2. q. 154., and 169., and Cajetan. (Tirinus) --- Noemi was well assured of the virtue of both parties, and followed the directions of the Holy Spirit, (Calmet) as the event shewed. (Worthington) --- Dr. Watson justly reproves the censure of Paine, who calls Ruth, "a strolling country girl, creeping slily to bed to her cousin," and exclaims, "pretty stuff indeed to be called the word of God!" But in correcting this impertinent remark, he seems to allow that some things have been inserted in the Scriptures by human authority, so as not to be the word of God. This concession is more dangerous than the censure of Paine, and the quotation from St. Augustine by no means countenances it, as it barely insinuates that an express revelation was not requisite to insert some things, which the authors might know by other means. The holy father never doubted but every part of Scripture was equally inspired, and to be received without the smallest hesitation. What Dr. Law, and other such "good Christians," might think, does not regard us. (Haydock) --- "As a person imploring protection, Ruth laid herself down at the foot of an aged kinsman's bed, and she rose up with as much innocence as she laid herself down. She was afterwards married to Booz, and reputed by all her neighbours as a virtuous woman; and they were more likely to know her character than you are. Whoever reads the Book of Ruth, bearing in mind the simplicity of ancient manners, will find it an interesting story of a poor young woman," &c. (Watson, let. 4.) --- Must do. She trusted to the superior wisdom of Booz, knowing perhaps that he was not absolutely the nearest relation, but being convinced, as the event proved, that the other would not consent to marry Ruth on the conditions specified by the law. (Salien, A. 2810.[in the year of the world 2810.) Merry. Hebrew, "good," yet by no means intoxicated. (Du Hamel; Menochius) --- It was formerly the custom, as it is still in many places, (Haydock) to conclude the harvest with a feast; (Calmet) on which day Cato observes, that the men and oxen did not work. (De re Rust. c. 131.) Hence the vacuna of Ovid. (Fast. vi.) (Tirinus) --- The pagans did this in honour of Jupiter and Ceres. But the true God had enjoined his people (Haydock) to offer the first-fruits to him, and to feast in his presence, Leviticus xxiii. 10., and Deuteronomy xxvi. 21. --- Sheaves, either of corn or of straw. (Septuagint) --- The Arabs and neighbouring nations still delight to rest upon the ground, with some clothes thrown over them. (Calmet) Troubled. Hebrew may be rendered, "and turned himself, or felt," &c. (Calmet) --- He perceived something at his feet, when he awoke, and was in consternation, particularly when he perceived, through the glimmering light, a woman at his feet. (Haydock). Kinsman. Hebrew, "a redeemer;" (Calmet) one bound to defend and to espouse a brother's widow, if others more nearly akin refuse. (Haydock) --- Ruth modestly admonishes him of this duty, and begs that he would take her to wife, (Calmet) as he might then have done without any other formality. (Serarius, q. vii.) --- We find a similar expression [in] Ezechiel xvi. 8., and Deuteronomy xxii. 80. Some think that she only asked for protection. The custom of the husband, stretching a part of his garment over his bride, was perhaps already established among the Hebrews. (Calmet) --- Hebrew and Septuagint, "stretch thy wing over," &c. Chaldean, "Let thy name be invoked upon thy handmaid, to take me to wife." (Menochius; Isaias iv. 1.) Thy latter kindness; viz., to thy husband deceased, in seeking to keep up his name and family, by marrying his relation according to the law, and not following after young men: for Booz, it seems, was then in years. (Challoner) Salien supposes about seventy years old. (Haydock) --- The affection which Ruth had all along displayed towards her husband, deserved applause. (Calmet) --- Much more did her present endeavours to comply with Gods law. (Worthington) Woman. Virtuous here may denote, "strong, generous," &c., Proverbs xxxi. 10. (Calmet) --- But it includes the assemblage of all virtues. (Haydock). Than I. The Jews think that he was brother of Elimelech, while Booz was only his nephew. But they might be in the same degree; the other being only older. (Calmet) Well. Hebrew tob. (Haydock) --- Hence the Jews would translate, "If Tob will redeem thee, let him." They say that Tob was the paternal uncle of Mahalon: but it is not probable that his proper name should be only here mentioned, and not [in] chap. iv. The Septuagint and Chaldean are conformable to the Vulgate and the opinion of the Jews is abandoned by most interpreters; (Calmet) and by the Protestant, "well, let him do the kinsman's part." (Haydock) --- Liveth . Chaldean, "Bound by an oath, before the Lord, I say that I will fulfil my promise unto thee." Hither. The next kinsman might otherwise allege this as a pretext for not marrying her, (Salien) as people are but too apt to suspect the worst, though nothing amiss had passed between them. (Haydock) --- Booz consulted his own as well as Ruth's reputation: for the apostle admonishes us to abstain from every appearance of evil, 1 Thessalonians v. 22. (Menochius) Mantle. The Syrian and Arabian ladies cover themselves all over with a large white veil, or piece of cloth, which has no hole", so that Ruth might conveniently carry the barley in it. --- Measures is not in [the] Hebrew or Septuagint. Most people supply ephi. St. Jerome, who has translated six bushels, (allowing three to the ephi; chap. ii. 17,) has understood that Booz gave Ruth two ephi. If we explain it of six ephi, the burden would be great enough, consisting of 180 pints or pounds of barley. Bonfrere would supply six gomers, each of which consisted of only the tenth part of the ephi, or three pints, in all 18. But such a present seems too inconsiderable. We may therefore stick to St. Jerome, whose six measures (Calmet--- modios, bushels; Haydock.) make about 60 pints; (Calmet) or, according to others, 160 pounds, which, though heavy, a woman might carry. The Septuagint insinuate, that Ruth carried the barley in her apron. (Menochius) --- And. Hebrew, "he went. " But the text is probably corrupted. (Calmet) What, &c. Hebrew, "Who art thou?" It was yet so dark that she did not know her. (Calmet)