Ruth 3:17

17 She said, "He gave me these six [measures] of barley, because he said,^[a] 'Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.' "

Ruth 3:17 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 3:17

And she said, these six measures of barley gave he me
Which she laid down before her, which was a proof of his kindness to her, that she was acceptable to him, and had well sped; of these six measures, see ( Ruth 3:15 ) which by some are allegorically interpreted of six blessings that should be bestowed upon her, as the spirit of wisdom, understanding as ( Isaiah 11:2 ) so Jarchi; or of six persons that should spring from her, as David, Daniel, and his companions, and the King Messiah, as the Targum:

for he said unto me, go not empty unto thy mother in law;
which, as it expressed a regard to Naomi, and a compassionate concern for her support, so would give her assurance of the success Ruth met with, she would relate to her.

Ruth 3:17 In-Context

15 And he told [Ruth], "Bring the shawl you're wearing and hold it out." When she held it out, he shoveled six [measures] of barley into her shawl, and she went into the city.

16 She went to her mother-in-law, Naomi, who asked [her], "How did it go, my daughter?" Then Ruth told her everything the man had done for her.

17 She said, "He gave me these six [measures] of barley, because he said, 'Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.' "

18 "Wait, my daughter," she said, "until you find out how things go, for he won't rest unless he resolves this today."

Footnotes

• [a] Alt Hb tradition, LXX, Syr, Tg read said to me