translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: RUT

label: NET study note

text: The text is written from Ruth’s limited perspective. As far as she was concerned, she randomly picked a spot in the field. But God was providentially at work and led her to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz , who, as a near relative of Elimelech, was a potential benefactor.


text: In this patriarchal culture Ruth would “belong” to either her father (if unmarried) or her husband (if married).


text: The female workers would come along behind those who cut the grain and bundle it up. Staying close to the female workers allowed Ruth to collect more grain than would normally be the case (see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel , 61, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 121).


text: The similarly spelled Hebrew terms נָכַר ( nakhar , “to notice”) and נָכְרִי ( nokhriy , “foreigner”) in this verse form a homonymic wordplay. This highlights the unexpected nature of the attentiveness and concern Boaz displayed to Ruth.


text: Barley was harvested from late March through late April, wheat from late April to late May (O. Borowski, Agriculture in Ancient Israel , 88, 91).