Ruth 2:17-23
Ruth 2:17
So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that
she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.
So Ruth continued to glean the fields of Boaz until the
evening when it was time to start threshing the grain.
They could have used either sticks or stones and then winnowed the grain.
Sometimes the word “corn” is used generally for all types of grains.
She did not bring the barley into the barn or another place to winnow,
instead she winnowed the grain in the field.
Winnowing was a method whereby a bunch of grain was tossed into the air
and the wind would carry away the tares which were the part of the grains which
were uneatable. In the New
testament, the tares are representative of unbelievers.
Let both grow together until the
harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye
together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the
wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:30)
When she was done she wound up with an ephah of barley.
The ephah would have lasted Ruth and Naomi food for at least a good
number of days. Ruth gleaned in one
day food for many days. This would
have been between thirty and fifty pounds which was far more than the normal
gleaner would glean.
Ruth 2:18
And she took it up, and went into the city: and
her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to
her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.
So Ruth returned to Bethlehem and Naomi with the food she
had gleaned. Naomi then saw the
vast amount of food which Ruth gleaned and gave it to Naomi and they took out
the amount that was needed and then placed the rest in reserve or storage to be
used as needed in the next couple of days.
Ruth 2:19
And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou
gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge
of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said,
The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
Gleaning the fields could be likened to evangelism.
Say not ye, There are yet four
months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and
look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
(John 4:35) Just as the
gleaners go throughout the fields of grain, the true Christians goes throughout
the entire world preaching the gospel and then the reapers will come to claim
them and bring them to the master who is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Then Naomi asks Ruth where she gleaned today since she
saw what a great amount of grain Ruth brought in and since she was directed
where to glean by Boaz, it was no doubt very good grain.
She then basically asks the same question but this time she asks her
where did you accomplish so much as to bring in this much grain?
Then Naomi blesses Boaz because she asked a blessing on the man who took
such notice of Ruth and allowed her to glean so much.
Then Ruth told her that it was Boaz who was the one who showed such
kindness to her and allowed her to glean so much.
Ruth 2:20
And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be
he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the
dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our
next kinsmen.
Naomi then pronounces a blessing upon Boaz for his
kindness he showed them as ones who were living and out of respect for Elimelech
and Mahlon and Chilion who died in Moab.
Boaz was taking care of his family members.
He was also following the law from Deuteronomy.
Love ye therefore the stranger:
for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
(Deuteronomy 10:19) Ruth
was definitely a stranger and just as God did not abandon the children of Israel
in Egypt, the Israelites were not to abandon or persecute the strangers in
Israel. Then Naomi tells Ruth that
Boaz is a kin to them because he was related to Elimelech and in the next
portion of that statement Naomi uses the word “gâ’al” in the Hebrew which means
“redeemer” and is the word behind “kinsman.”
Ruth 2:21
And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou
shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
The Ruth states that Boaz told her to continue to be
beside all the reapers until the time of the reaping is over this way Naomi and
Ruth would have enough to eat. This
verse is also dripping with salvation language.
All the gleaners or Christians in the world will remain with the Lord
Jesus Christ until the last one is saved and then all Christians will be taken
from the earth to Heaven on the last day of evangelizing when all the Elect have
been saved, that is, the fields being completely clear of all grain.
Once there are no more to be saved, then that is the last day just like
when the last bits of harvest are done, then the reapers and gleaners are
finished.
{38} The field is the world; the good seed are the
children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
{39} The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of
the world; and the reapers are the angels.
{40} As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall
it be in the end of this world.
(Matthew 13:38-40)
Ruth 2:22
And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is
good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in
any other field.
Since Boaz had laid down the law that Ruth was not to be
assaulted because she was a Moabitess, Naomi has told her that it is a good
thing that she is in good with the maidens that work for Boaz.
If she had gone to work in another field for some stranger, then she
might have been assailed by workers who might have worked for a boss who would
not care what they did to her. Boaz
was her safety net while she worked in Israel.
Christians are assailed constantly by people of other religions.
Ruth 2:23
So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the
end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.