Ruth 2:15

2:15 When she got up to gather grain, Boaz told ¹  his male servants, “Let her gather grain even among ²  the bundles! Don’t chase her off! ³ 

Ruth 3:6

Ruth Visits Boaz

3:6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do. ⁴ 

Ruth 2:9

2:9 Take note of ⁵  the field where the men ⁶  are harvesting and follow behind with the female workers. ⁷  I will tell the men ⁸  to leave you alone. ⁹  When you are thirsty, you may go to ¹⁰  the water jars ¹¹  and drink some of the water ¹²  the servants draw.” ¹³ 

[2:15]  ¹ tn Or “commanded” (so KJV, NASB, NCV).

[2:15]  ² tn Heb “even between”; NCV “even around.”

[2:15]  ³ tn Heb “do not humiliate her”; cf. KJV “reproach her not”; NASB “do not insult her”; NIV “don’t embarrass her.” This probably refers to a verbal rebuke which would single her out and embarrass her (see v. 16). See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 176-77, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 126.

[3:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “and she did according to all which her mother-in-law commanded her” (NASB similar). Verse 6 is a summary statement, while the following verses (vv. 7-15) give the particulars.

[2:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “let your eyes be upon” (KJV, NASB similar).

[2:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “they.” The verb is masculine plural, indicating that the male workers are the subject here.

[2:9]  ⁹ tn Heb “and go after them.” The pronominal suffix (“them”) is feminine plural, indicating that the female workers are referred to here.

[2:9]  ¹⁰ tn Male servants are in view here, as the masculine plural form of the noun indicates (cf. KJV, NAB, NRSV “the young men”).

[2:9]  ¹¹ tn Heb “Have I not commanded the servants not to touch [i.e., “harm”] you?” The idiomatic, negated rhetorical question is equivalent to an affirmation (see v. 8). The perfect is either instantaneous, indicating completion of the action concurrent with the statement (see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 107, 121-22, who translates, “I am herewith ordering”) or emphatic/rhetorical, indicating the action is as good as done.

[2:9]  ¹² tn The juxtaposition of two perfects, each with vav consecutive, here indicates a conditional sentence (see GKC 337 §112.kk).

[2:9]  ¹³ tn Heb “vessels (so KJV, NAB, NRSV), receptacles”; NCV “water jugs.”

[2:9]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “drink [some] of that which” (KJV similar); in the context “water” is implied.

[2:9]  ¹⁵ tn The imperfect here either indicates characteristic or typical activity, or anterior future, referring to a future action (drawing water) which logically precedes another future action (drinking).