14 Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back. 15 And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.” 17 So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.
2:14
Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.”
Boaz invited Ruth to the noon meal as an expression of hospitality. This was another act of grace towards her. The vinegar was a delicacy that highlighted the meal. This was “wine vinegar” to moisten dry bread. Boaz’s inviting a Gentile to this meal caught the workers by surprise.
So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back.
The “bread” was roasted grain, a staple food that consisted of barley roasted on an iron plate over an open fire. Boaz himself served her this grain.
2:15
And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her.
Boaz ordered his workers to allow Ruth to harvest more than the Mosaic Law required.
2:16
Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”
Boaz commanded his workers to deliberately drop stalks on purpose for her.
2:17
So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.
Ruth’s harvest for the day was an “ephah” (about 3/5th of a bushel or 30 pounds). This was a liberal quantity for one day’s gleaning.
PRINCIPLE:
Believers should act towards others with generosity.
APPLICATION:
Have you ever been extraordinarily generous towards someone else? As Boaz gave Ruth much more than she’d asked for, have you given anyone much more than they’ve asked for? As we have been recipients of God’s grace, are we willing to give grace to others? All this has to do with our sense of compassion toward others.
