gleaned, separating the kernels from the husks; and it was about an ephah of barley, over three pecks, a considerable amount for a mere gleaner. God rewards faithfulness in the performance of the duties of life in rich measure, even here in time.

THE PLEASURE OF NAOMI. V. 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, from a pocket or from a special package, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed, the amount of roasted grain which she had saved from her plentiful meal in the field. V. 19. And her mother-in-law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to-day, and where wroughtest thou? This was a question of astonishment at the large quantity brought home by Ruth, for gleaners usually got very little.

Blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee, showed her a friendly interest. Whosoever treated Ruth thus kindly and loaded her with presents must have intended to show his appreciation of her position and of her virtues. And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, in whose field she had been busy all day, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to-day is Boaz. V. 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. Through the kindness of Boaz, God was showing mercy not only to the living, Naomi and Ruth, but also to the dead, namely, by providing so richly for the two widows.

Naomi recognized God's hand to an extent which made her feel that this would not be the end of the interest which Boaz had taken in Ruth. Cp. Gen. 24, 27. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen, one of those who had the right to redeem the land belonging to Elimelech by marrying the widow of his son. Cp. Lev. 25, 25. V. 21. And Ruth the Moabitess, without paying any attention to the hint in Naomi's words, which she probably did not understand at the time, said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men until they have ended all my harvest. This permission to keep with the laborers of Boaz till the end of harvest safeguarded Ruth against rude treatment. V. 22. And Naomi said unto Ruth, her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, where safety was now assured, that they meet thee not in any other field, namely, that she might not be fallen upon and abused in other fields, where she was not protected in this manner. V. 23. So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley-harvest and of wheat-harvest, well through the first part of summer; and dwelt with her mother-in-law, always returning there when she came from gleaning in the evening. Her diligence did not relax, nor did she change her behavior on account of the favors shown her; she was as modest and unassuming as ever, her gentle and virtuous conduct being obvious to all. All such virtues, both those shown by Boaz and those found in Ruth, are fruits of true faith.

Naomi Arranges for Ruth's Marriage. RUTH LAYS THE MATTER OF REDEMPTION BEFORE Boaz.-V. 1. Then Naomi, her motherin-law, said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, a resting-place in the home of a husband, happily married, that it may be well with thee? Naomi's former hopeless sorrow had given way to the joyful hope that Boaz, as a near relative, having taken an obvious interest in Ruth, would be willing to take upon himself the duty of redeeming her property, which she had been obliged to sell and at the same time, as the levir in the case, to enter into marriage with Ruth, Deut. 25, 5. For it was a custom in Israel that, if the dead husband had no brethren to undertake this duty, the nearest male relative would do so, thus keeping the inheritance in the family through the children of such a union. It was the woman's right to ask this duty of the relative concerned, and, far from being considered indelicate, she had a right openly to put him to shame in case of his refusal. These facts must be borne in mind Popular Commentary, Old Test., I.

in order to understand the mission of Ruth in this chapter, for otherwise her behavior may seem rather strange to modern ways of thinking. V. 2. And now, so Naomi continues, is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? It was in favor of Naomi's scheme that Boaz had not slighted her on account of her nationality, but placed her on an equality with his Israelitish workpeople. Behold, he winnoweth barley tonight in the threshing-floor, this work being done in the evening, after the threshing had been done by the oxen during the day, by stepping out the kernels from the husks, as the stalks of grain were scattered upon the threshing-floor. V. 3. Wash thyself, therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, paying special attention to the adornment of her person, which she had probably neglected during her widowhood, and get thee down to the floor; but make not thyself known unto the man until he shall have done eating and drinking, she was not to let herself be seen until he had partaken of

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his late supper, which would probably put him into a humor to give more favorable attention to her proposition. V. 4. And it shall be when he lieth down, for it was the custom for the master to remain on the threshingfloor all night, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, removing the clothes or blankets lying at his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. V. 5. And she said unto her, with the same respectful submission which had always characterized her relation toward her mother-in-law, All that thou sayest unto Ime I will do. V. 6. And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her, especially as to keeping out of sight as long as there were other people near, lest they suspect both Boaz and her of unpermitted relations, of a clandestine meeting with impure purposes. V. 7. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, cheerful at the prospect of a rich return for his labor, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn, of the barley stacked in sheaves at the end of the threshing-floor; and she came softly, so quietly, in fact, as not to disturb the deep slumber into which he had immediately fallen, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. V. 8. And it came to pass at midnight, when the first phase of deepest slumber was past, that the man was afraid, startled out of his sleep, perhaps by having his foot come in contact with the person of Ruth, and turned himself, bending forward in order to see what he was touching; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. V. 9. And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth, thine handmaid; spread, therefore, thy skirt over thine handmaid, a proverbial expression by which she reminded him of the duty of marriage, in case he would consider the proposition, Deut. 23, 1; for thou art a near kinsman, one of those in the near relationship that had the right to redeem, namely, by repurchasing the field sold by Naomi, which included the marrying of Ruth, the widow of the rightful heir of Elimelech. Ruth did not deviate in the least from the strict path of virtue, and she had faith in Boaz, as a man of nobility and honor, that he would not take advantage of the situation.

BOAZ PROMISES FAVORABLE ACTION. - V. 10. And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter; for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. She had at first, when she might have stayed in her own country and married among her own people, preferred to accompany her mother-inlaw into a strange land, with no other prospect than that of sharing poverty, misery, and

humiliation with her. And she had now, instead of setting her cap for some attractive young man, as would have been natural for a woman of her age, shown her obedient disposition toward Naomi in proposing marriage to him, as the levir relative, although he was advanced in life. V. 11. And now, my daughter, fear not, she was to lay aside all anxiety and worry, which probably showed itself in the tremulous tones with which she made her request; I will do to thee all that thou requirest; for all the city of my people, "literally, the whole gate," standing for all the inhabitants of Bethlehem and the surrounding country, doth know that thou art a virtuous woman, she had proved to all that she was a good woman, with no loose morals such as were ascribed to the women of Moab. V. 12. And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman; howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I, this restriction being added by Boaz on account of possible legal complications. V. 13. Tarry this night, he would not think of sending her away in the dense darkness, and it shall be in the morning that, if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part, in redeeming the land and marrying Ruth; but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth, he would cheerfully perform the duty, as he confirmed with a solemn oath. Lie down until the morning. There is not an unseemly hint in the entire passage, only V. 14. naturalness and simplicity and virtue. And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before one could know another, before the light made it possible to recognize people clearly. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor. He wanted to protect, not only his own good name, but that of Ruth as well, particularly since there was still a possibility that the nearer relative might claim her as his wife, and scandalous rumors might have resulted most unpleasantly. V. 15. Also he said, Bring the veil, the cloak or shawl which she had about her, that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, a large quantity, and laid it on her, as a gift showing his good will. And she went into the city. V. 16. And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? It was an inquiry concerning the success which she had had, whether her claim had been acknowledged or otherwise. And she told her all that the man had done to her, the gift, of course, being a strong hint to Naomi of the result of Ruth's application. V. 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, visitors usually being dismissed with gifts for their families. V. 18. Then said she, Naomi, Sit still, my daughter, she was to remain quietly at home, until thou know how the matter will fall, what the outcome of the business would be; for the man, Boaz, will not be in rest until he

have finished the thing this day. He was an energetic man, who always went forward toward the goal with open directness. All the virtues which we here find in him and in Ruth, purity, chastity, openness, generosity, a strict regard for the rights of the neighbor, are fruits of faith.

The Marriage of Boaz and Ruth. THE NEARER RELATIVE DECLINES TO ACT. V. 1. Then went Boaz up to the gate and sat him down there, he went early since he wanted to be sure of finding the man for whom he was looking, and the space just inside the city gate was used for the transaction of judicial business, as well as for the marketplace; and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake, namely, in his talking to Ruth, chap. 3, 12. 13, came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here, the legal formula for summoning a person when seeking a judicial decision. And he turned aside, and sat down. V. 2. And he, Boaz, took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here, this being the customary complement of witnesses. And they sat down. V. 3. And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land which was our brother Elimelech's, she had disposed of this piece of land, the family inheritance. "The name of Elimelech was still on the property; consequently the law demanded its redemption, and directed this demand to the nearest blood-relative. It is on the basis of this prescription that Boaz begins his negotiation with the unnamed kinsman, in the interest of Naomi." (Lange.) V. 4. And I thought to advertise thee, literally, uncover thy ear, to inform him solemnly and officially, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants and before the elders of my people, the men sitting by acting as witnesses of the transaction. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it; but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. Boaz came only in second place in the right to purchase the field according to law. While reminding the nearer relative of the duty imposed on him by law, he indicates his readiness to render the service demanded, in case the other should prefer to be excused. And he said, I will redeem it, believing that it was a mere matter of paying the purchase money.

V. 5. Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inherit

ance, for such was the law of entailment connected with levirate marriages, the oldest son springing from such a union continuing the inheritance in the family of his mother. V.6. And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, he could not fulfil that condition, lest I mar mine own inheritance, for he held it possible to decline in the case of a woman of Moab what he would otherwise have considered a plain duty; redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it; his mind was definitely made up to step back. V.7. Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, whenever real estate changed hands, for to confirm all things, the author here explaining a custom which had been discontinued, except in the case mentioned Deut. 25, 9; a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor, thereby surrendering all claims to the right of possession which would have been his had he fulfilled its conditions; and this was a testimony in Israel. Similar selfish considerations as those urged by the unnamed kinsman in this case have caused many people to lose even greater inheritances than that of a piece of land. V. 8. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. He relinquished all his claims.

THE HAPPY MARRIAGE OF Boaz and RuTH. — V. 9. And Boaz said unto the elders and unto all the people, those present at the transaction, Ye are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. He made a formal declaration that he would fulfil the condition, that he acquired the property in question, that he was willing to marry the Moabitess. V. 10. Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, acquired by taking over the obligation connected with the land, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his place, like a withered branch which is cut off a tree; ye are witnesses this day. V. 11. And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, responding to this frank appeal and declaration, said, We are

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RUTH 4, 11 b-22.

It

witnesses, their testimony giving legal standing to the transaction. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house, literally, that is about to come, like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel, as the mothers of the twelve tribes; and do thou worthily in Ephratah, in raising up sons who would be heroes of strength, and be famous in Bethlehem, through the honor brought upon him by the same excellent sons; v. 12. and let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar, the special ancestress of their own tribe, bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman. speaks well of the love and respect in which Ruth was held that the people were so unanimous in bestowing this blessing, with its prayer for such great and wonderful earthly advantages. V. 13. So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife, the marriage took place without delay; and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, for children are Jehovah's gift, Ps. 127, 3, and she bare a son. V. 14. And the women said unto Naomi, for she no longer was lonely and wanting in women interested in her as at first, when she returned from the land of Moab, poor and bereaved, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, to redeem her from the disgrace of childlessness, of having her family cut off in Israel, that his name may be famous in Israel, being on the lips of many people with words of praise. V. 15. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, to refresh and cheer up her soul, and a nour

isher of thine old age, by taking care of her in her declining years; for thy daughter-inlaw, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him, surely a very high praise for Ruth,, showing the regard in which she was held by all the women of the city and neighborhood. V. 16. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, like an actual grandmother, and became nurse unto it, a foster-mother instructing the boy in Israelitish life and customs, an instructress in the Law of God. V. 17. And the women, her neighbors, gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed (servant), with reference to the fact that the boy would take care of her, as they had pictured it in their effusive congratulations; he is the father of Jesse, the father of David, and thus one of the ancestors of Christ, Matt. 1, 5. 6. V. 18. Now, these are the generations of Pharez, the list being appended to the book for quick reference; Pharez begat Hezron, 1 Chron. 2, 4, v. 19. and Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, v. 20. and Amminadab begat Nahshon, Num. 1, 7, and Nahshon begat Salmon (or, Salmah), v. 21. and Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, v. 22. and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David. Note: To this day the Lord measures out joy as well as sorrow to His children. He may send affliction and tribulation for many years, but He will often grant a peaceful old age. Our trust in Him must never waver, for His compassion fails not, and His merciful promises will not fall to the ground.

The First Book of Samuel is really only the first part of a larger history, which was later divided into two parts. When the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible was made, the translators divided both the Book of Samuel and the Book of Kings into two, and each of the four parts was called a book of the Kings, for which reason the subtitle in the Authorzed Version is retained, "The First Book of the Kings." Books of Samuel the historical account is called, not because Samuel was the author, although he may have left some written notes, but because he is the prominent figure in the earlier history and because he exerted a very pronounced influence in Israel even when the form of government had been changed to a monarchy. "The influence of Samuel, who had called and anointed both

Saul and David, was felt in Israel throughout the reign of Saul, and must have been a decisive factor in the training of David for his future task. Beginning with a biographical sketch of Samuel's life before he became the last Judge of Israel, the author takes up the thread of history at the point where the Book of Judges drops it after relating the end of Samson, and carries it forward to the close of David's reign." Samuel, the last Judge of Israel, Saul, the first king of Israel, and David, the greatest king of Israel, are the three leading characters. But the book was not merely written "to be a record of the lives of three great men whom God gave to His people, although their story is full of human interest. The Christian reader will retain the proper point of view, that this story sets forth the

providential control which God exercised over the affairs of His people, achieving His purposes without fail."

The author of the book does not mention his name, and it is impossible from the contents to make a definite statement regarding the authorship except this, that it was not composite. Samuel himself could not have written the entire history, since his death is related, 1 Sam. 25, 1; 28, 3; also the division of the people into two separate kingdoms is referred to, which took place long after Samuel's death, 1 Sam. 11, 8; 15, 4; cp. 27, 6. It is probable that some prophet living not long after the

Samuel's Birth and Presentation

to the Lord.

THE UNHAPPINESS AND THE PRAYER OF HANNAH.-V. 1. Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of Mount Ephraim, usually called Ramah, some six miles northwest of Jerusalem, in the territory of Benjamin, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, after whom this special region was named, an Ephrathite, cp. 1 Chron. 6, 22-27, belonging to the tribe of Levi; v. 2. and he had two wives: the name of the one was Hannah (charm, grace), and the name of the other Peninnah (coral, pearl); and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. The bigamy of Elkanah, though tolerated by God among the Jews, was opposed to the original divine institution of monogamy, and the misfortune which attached to this relation appeared in Elkanah's married and family life. V. 3. And this man went up out of his city yearly, year after year, to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh, evidently at the Feast of Passover and of Unleavened Bread, since he took his whole household along. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. This notice is here inserted by the author to prepare for the subsequent history. Elkanah, as a true Israelite, worshiped the great Lord of hosts, the one true God, and he brought his sacrifices of peaceofferings in order to strengthen his fellowship with this God. V. 4. And when the time was that Elkanah offered, it happened on the day that he brought his sacrifice, he gave to Peninnah, his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions, as their part of the sacrificial feast, Deut. 12, 11-18; v.5. but unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion, a double portion; for he loved Hannah, she was his favorite wife, as Rachel had been Jacob's; but the Lord had shut up her womb, He had given her no children, and childlessness was rightly held to be a great

misfortune, a reproach, even a divine punishment, Gen. 19, 31; 30, 1. 23. V. 6. And her adversary, Peninnah, who was jealous of Elkanah's special love for Hannah, also provoked her sore for to make her fret, to make her worried and excited, because the Lord had shut up her womb, while Peninnah, more fortunate in child-bearing and therefore boastful, made it a point to vex her with her childlessness. V. 7. And as he, Elkanah, did so year by year, followed the same custom, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she, Peninnah, provoked her, for she had her flock of children about her and made use of the occasion to sneer at lonely Hannah; therefore she wept and did not eat, she was too deeply hurt to have any appetite. V. 8. Then said Elkanah, her husband, to her, Hannah, why weepest thou, and why eatest thou not, and why is thy heart grieved? This is a climax showing his deep anxiety and solicitude for her. Am I not better to thee than ten sons? The deep and tender love of the husband tried to console her in her great disappointment. V. 9. So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk, at the conclusion of the sacrificial meal. Now Eli, the priest, the high priest at that time, sat upon a seat by a post of the Temple of the Lord, at the entrance to the Tabernacle of Jehovah, the palace of the Lord. V. 10. And she was in bitterness of soul, on account of the continuance of her hopelessness and of the vexations which she suffered from her adversary, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore, her many tears being an expression of her grief because all her petitions up to that time had ben unheard. V. 11. And she vowed a vow and said, O Lord of hosts, Jehovah of Sabaoth, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thine handmaid, the misery of her childlessness, and remember me, and not forget Thine handmaid, but wilt give unto Thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, consecrate him for lifelong service in the