John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 9. And he said, who art thou ? etc.] He spoke quick and short, as one displeased, or however surprised and frightened, just coming out of sleep, and in the night: and she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid ; that had gleaned in his fields with his maidens, and with whom he had conversed there, and knew her by name: spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid ; which seems to account for the reason of her uncovering his feet, or turning up the skirt of his garment that was upon them; not through wantonness and immodesty, but to direct him, when opportunity offered, to spread it over her as a token of his taking her in marriage, and of her being under his care and protection, and of her subjection to him; so the Targum, “let thy name be called upon me to take me for a wife,” Whether the custom now used with the Jews at marriage, for a man to cast the skirt of his “talith”, or outward garment, over the head of his spouse, and cover it, was in use so early, is questionable; and yet something like it seems to have been done, as this phrase intimates, and to which there is an allusion in ( Ezekiel 16:8). So Jarchi, “spread the skirt of thy garments to cover me with thy talith, and this is expressive of marriage;” and Aben Ezra says, it intimates taking her to him for wife; though as the word signifies a wing, the allusion may be to the wings of birds spread over their young, to cherish and protect them, which are acts to be done by a man to his wife: for thou art a near kinsman ; as she had been informed by Naomi, to whom the right of redemption of her husband’s estate belonged, and in whom it lay to marry her, and raise up seed to his kinsman, her former husband.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-13 - What in one age or nation would be improper, is not always so in another age or another nation. Being a judge of Israel, Boaz would tel Ruth what she should do; also whether he had the right of redemption and what methods must be taken, and what rites used, in order to accomplishing her marriage with him or another person. The conduct of Boaz calls for the highest praise. He attempted not to take advantag of Ruth; he did not disdain her as a poor, destitute stranger, no suspect her of any ill intentions. He spoke honourably of her as virtuous woman, made her a promise, and as soon as the morning arrived sent her away with a present to her mother-in-law. Boaz made his promise conditional, for there was a kinsman nearer than he, to who the right of redemption belonged.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 מי4310 את859 ותאמר559 אנכי595 רות7327 אמתך519 ופרשׂת6566 כנפך3671 על5921 אמתך519 כי3588 גאל1350 אתה׃859
