Ruth 3:17

And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:14-18 Ruth had done all that was fit for her to do, she must patiently wait the event. Boaz, having undertaken this matter, would be sure to manage it well. Much more reason have true believers to cast their care on God, because he has promised to care for them. Our strength is to sit still, Isa 30:7. This narrative may encourage us to lay ourselves by faith at the feet of Christ: He is our near Kinsman; having taken our nature upon him. He has the right to redeem. Let us seek to receive from him his directions: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Ac 9:6. He will never blame us as doing this unseasonably. And let us earnestly desire and seek the same rest for our children and friends, that it may be well with them also.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who art thou, my daughter? - In the dim twilight Ruth 3:14 her mother was not sure at first who the young woman was, who sought admittance into the house.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. six measures of barley—Hebrew, "six seahs," a seah contained about two gallons and a half, six of which must have been rather a heavy load for a woman.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And she said, these six measures of barley gave he me,.... Which she laid down before her, which was a proof of his kindness to her, that she was acceptable to him, and had well sped; of these six measures, see Ruth 3:15 which by some are allegorically interpreted of six blessings that should be bestowed upon her, as the spirit of wisdom, understanding, &c. as Isaiah 11:2 so Jarchi; or of six persons that should spring from her, as David, Daniel, and his companions, and the King Messiah, as the Targum:

for he said unto me, go not empty unto thy mother in law; which, as it expressed a regard to Naomi, and a compassionate concern for her support, so would give her assurance of the success Ruth met with, she would relate to her.

Geneva Study Bible

And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - And she said, These six measures of barley he gave to me; for he said, Thou must not go empty to thy mother-in-law. The C'tib omission of "to me" after "for he said" is most likely to be the original reading. A fastidious Rabbi would rather originate this insertion than the omission. Ruth 3:17

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

When Ruth returned home, her mother-in-law asked her, "Who art thou?" i.e., as what person, in what circumstances dost thou come? The real meaning is, What hast thou accomplished? Whereupon she related all that the man had done (cf. Ruth 3:10-14), and that he had given her six measures of barley for her mother. The Masorites have supplied אלי after אמר, as at Ruth 3:5, but without any necessity. The mother-in-law drew from this the hope that Boaz would now certainly carry out the matter to the desired end. "Sit still," i.e., remain quietly at home (see Genesis 38:11), "till thou hearest how the affair turn out," namely, whether the nearer redeemer mentioned by Boaz, or Boaz himself, would grant her the Levirate marriage. The expression "fall," in this sense, is founded upon the idea of the falling of the lot to the ground; it is different in Ezra 7:20. "For the man will not rest unless he has carried the affair to an end this day." כּי־אם, except that, as in Leviticus 22:6, etc. (see Ewald, 356, b).