Rut 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 

Rut 3:16

3:16 and she returned to her mother-in-law.

Ruth Returns to Naomi

When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi ⁴  asked, ⁵  “How did things turn out for you, ⁶  my daughter?” Ruth ⁷  told her about all the man had done for her. ⁸ 

[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.

[3:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “she”; the referent (Naomi) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ⁵ tn Heb “said.” Since what follows is a question, the present translation uses “asked” here.

[3:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “Who are you?” In this context Naomi is clearly not asking for Ruth’s identity. Here the question has the semantic force “Are you his wife?” See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 223-24, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 184-85.

[3:16]  ⁷ tn Heb “she”; the referent (Ruth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ⁸ sn All that the man had done. This would have included his promise to marry her and his gift of barley.