The word glean comes from the French {glaner} to gather ears or grains of corn. This was formerly a general custom in England and Ireland: the poor went into the fields, and collected the straggling ears of corn after the reapers; and it was long supposed that this was their right, and that the law recognized it; but although it has been an old custom, it is now settled by a solemn judgment of the Court of Common Pleas, that a right to glean in the harvest field cannot be claimed by any person at common law. Any person may permit or prevent it on his own grounds. By the Irish Acts, 25 Henry VIII. c. 1, and 28 Henry VIII. c. 24, gleaning and leasing are so restricted as to be in fact prohibited in that part of the United Kingdom.

off <03637> [reproach. Heb. shame.]

Jas 1:5

Ruth 2:23

2:23

Pr 6:6-8 13:1,20 1Co 15:33 Eph 6:1-3 [All]

Ruth 3:2

3:2

Boaz <01162> [is not Boaz.]

2:20-23 De 25:5,6 Heb 2:11-14 [All]

female servants <05291> [with whose.]

2:8,23 [All]

winnowing <02219> [he winnoweth.]

It is probable that the winnowing of grain was effected by taking up a portion of the corn in a sieve, and letting it down slowly in the wind; thus the grain would, by its own weight, fall in one place, while the chaff, etc., would be carried a distance by the wind. It is said here that this was done at night; probably what was threshed out in the day was winnowed in the evening, when the sea breeze set in, which was common in Palestine.

Ruth 3:7

3:7

feeling <03820> [his heart.]

Ge 43:34 Jud 16:25 19:6,9,22 2Sa 13:28 Es 1:10 Ps 104:15 Ec 2:24 3:12,13 8:15 9:7 10:19 1Co 10:31 Eph 5:18 [All]

lay down to sleep ............ crept up ....... lay down <0935 07901> [went to lie.]

Such was the simplicity of those early times, that the most wealthy persons looked after their own affairs, both at home and in the field. These threshing-floors were covered at top to keep off the rain, but lay open on all sides, that the wind might come in freely, for winnowing the corn; which being done, it is probable they were shut up at night, with doors fitted to them, that if any one lay there he might be kept warm, and the corn be secured from robbers.

Ruth 4:5

4:5

When <03117> [What day.]

Or rather, according to the emendations proposed by Houbigant and Dr. Kennicott, and which have been confirmed by a great many MSS. since collated, and agreeably to the ancient versions, "In the day thou purchasest the land from the hand of Naomi, thou wilt also acquire Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of the dead," etc. This is Boaz's statement of the case to his kinsman, before the people and elders.

preserve ....... up <06965> [to raise up.]

3:12,13 Ge 38:8 De 25:5,6 Mt 22:24 Lu 20:28 [All]