Ruth 3:18

Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(18) Will not be in rest.—i.e., will not keep quiet.

IV.

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

Then, said she, sit still, my daughter,.... Keep at home, say nothing of this affair to any person, be easy about it, take no other steps in it, wait the issue of it:

until thou know how the matter will fall; not that she thought it was a chance matter, a fortuitous and contingent event with respect to God; for all decrees come from heaven, as Aben Ezra on the text says, and particularly marriages are decreed in heaven, and come about according to such decrees; so the Targum,"sit, my daughter, with me, in the house, until the time thou shall know how it is decreed from heaven:"

for the man will not be at rest until he have finished the thing this day; which she concluded, partly from his known integrity and faithfulness, diligence and industry, and partly from his affection to Ruth, and her interest in it; for she perceived, she had got his heart, both by what he had said to her, and by the present he had sent by her, and she was satisfied he would not be easy until he knew whether he should have her or not.

Geneva Study Bible

Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 18. - And she said, Sit still, my daughter, till that thou know how the affair will fall out, for the man will not rest unless he complete the affair today. In saying, Sit still, my daughter, it is as if Naomi had said, "There is no occasion for restless anxiety. Let your heart be at ease till that thou know how the affair will fall out." In the Hebrew the noun is without the article. But in English it must be supplied, unless a plural be employed - "how 'things' will fall out.' דָּבָר, thing, i.e. think. Compare the corresponding relation between the German sache and sagen.



Ruth 3:18

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).