Ruth — Chapter 2

Boaz is described as \"a mighty man of great wealth\" — Hebrew gibbor chail, that is, strong both in body and soul, or powerful in riches (which chail also signifies, and which is more apt here, since Boaz was being prepared as a husband, in whom wealth is chiefly regarded). His name in Hebrew means \"in strength\" or \"in him is strength,\" and he was strong as is evident in verse 1. The two columns of Solomon's Temple were called Jachin and Boaz (3 Kgs. 7:21), that is, \"direction and fortitude.\"

Ruth gleaned behind the reapers after the harvest — as the poor and hungry do, gathering fallen and remaining ears into a gleaning. This practice was not only licit under the Old Law but commended by God; yea, reapers were commanded to leave some ears deliberately for the poor to gather (Lev. 19:9; 23:22).

The Lord be with you — and the reapers answered: \"The Lord bless thee.\" Lapide: this is the first occurrence of the liturgical salutation \"Dominus vobiscum,\" first spoken by Boaz, later used by the Prophet sent to King Asa (2 Chr. 15:2), then by Gabriel greeting the Blessed Virgin (\"The Lord is with thee\"), and finally introduced by the Church into the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Divine Office. The Council of Braca, canon 21, decreed: \"It is pleasing that bishops and priests salute the people not in different ways but in one manner, saying 'The Lord be with you,' as is read in the book of Ruth.\"

Ruth asked permission to glean, though by law the ears were the property of the poor and she could have gathered them without asking. She preferred to ask so as to bind the reapers more to herself and make them more generous in leaving her more ears.

Ruth \"fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground\" before Boaz — showing reverence by prostration or inclination of the head, the ancient form of deep respect.

The Lord reward thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. Lapide: \"Wings\" signifies God's care, protection, and providence; as chicks flee under the hen's wings to be protected from injury and from the ravening hawk, so we must flee to God's wings, that we may be defended by Him from all evils of body and soul and from devils, according to David: \"Protect me under the shadow of thy wings\" (Ps. 16:8), and \"He shall overshadow thee with his shoulders, and under his wings thou shalt trust\" (Ps. 90:4). Hence also Christ cries over Jerusalem: \"How often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not?\" (Matt. 23:37). The Chaldean renders: \"Because thou art come to be a proselyte and to hide thyself under the shadow of the majesty of his glory.\"

I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, who hast comforted me and hast spoken to the heart of thine handmaid, though I be not like to one of thy handmaids. Lapide: behold the admirable humility of Ruth, who makes herself inferior to all Boaz's handmaids, and the servant of servants — and therefore merited to become his wife. So the Blessed Virgin, saying \"Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word,\" merited to become the Mother of God.

Dip thy morsel in the vinegar. Lapide notes the frugality of that age: labourers had no other relish or seasoning but vinegar, dipping bread in it to make a mouthful. Vinegar cools those labouring in heat, strengthens the sinews, fortifies the powers, removes corruption. Seneca writes: \"Learn to be content with little... habeamus aquam, habeamus polentam — let us have water, let us have polenta; let us dispute with Jupiter himself about happiness.\"

Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And: \"The man is near akin to us, one of our next kinsmen.\" Lapide explains the Hebrew goel, meaning \"redeemer\" or \"avenger,\" under three headings: (1) of the field — the kinsman's right to redeem a field sold to a stranger by paying back the price; (2) of the wife — the duty to marry the widow of a deceased kinsman and raise up seed to him; (3) of honour and blood — the duty to avenge a murdered kinsman before the judges.