John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. And it shall be, when he lieth down , etc.] On the threshingfloor, under the open air, in order to sleep, and take rest: that thou shall mark the place where he shall lie ; the spot he shall lie on, and the direction in which he shall lie, whether east, west, etc. that when the light shall be taken away, and the darkness of the night come on, she might pretty easily find the place where he lay: and thou shall go in and uncover his feet, and lay thee down ; go into the threshingfloor, or to the place where he lay down and gently lay aside the covering upon his feet, whether a blanket, or rug, or his own long clothes, with which his feet were wrapped, and then lay herself down at his feet; this seems to be advised to, in order to give him a hint that there was somebody at his feet. This may seem to us to be strange advice, and not consistent with the character of pious and virtuous women, which they both bore, and with that modesty they otherwise seem to be possessed of; to clear this, let it be observed, that this man was, as Naomi thought, the next kinsman, and so in right of the law in ( Deuteronomy 25:5), was the husband of Ruth, and therefore might take such a freedom with him as she did; and it seems by the same law as if the woman was to make the demand of marriage, which may serve to reconcile the carriage of Ruth to her character: besides, what things in one age, and in one nation, are reckoned immodest, are not so accounted in another age, and in another nation; add to this the age and gravity of Boaz, and the well known virtue of Ruth to Naomi, she might think herself quite safe in the advice she gave: and yet after all, it must be owned, it is somewhat difficult to account for her simplicity and wisdom in it; since she could not be sure that sin and folly would not be committed, considering the infirmity of human nature; or that such a behaviour in Ruth would not alienate the affection of Boaz from her, and cause him to consider her as a light and loose woman, and unfit to be his wife: and he will tell thee what thou shall do ; being a judge of Israel, and expert in the law, he would inform her whether he was the next kinsman, and had the right of redemption or not, and what methods must be taken, and what rites used, in order to her marriage with him, or another person.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - The married state should be a rest, as much as any thing upon earth can be so, as it ought to fix the affections and form a connexion for life Therefore it should be engaged in with great seriousness, with earnes prayers for direction, for the blessing of God, and with regard to his precepts. Parents should carefully advise their children in thi important concern, that it may be well with them as to their souls. Be it always remembered, That is best for us which is best for our souls The course Naomi advised appears strange to us; but it was according to the laws and usages of Israel. If the proposed measure had borne the appearance of evil, Naomi would not have advised it. Law and custo gave Ruth, who was now proselyted to the true religion, a legal claim upon Boaz. It was customary for widows to assert this claim, D 25:5-10. But this is not recorded for imitation in other times, and is not to be judged by modern rules. And if there had been any evil in it Ruth was a woman of too much virtue and too much sense to have listene to it.
Original Hebrew ויהי1961 בשׁכבו7901 וידעת3045 את853 המקום4725 אשׁר834 ישׁכב7901 שׁם8033 ובאת935 וגלית1540 מרגלתיו4772 ושׁכבתי7901 והוא1931 יגיד5046 לך את853 אשׁר834 תעשׂין׃6213
