Ruth 3:11

11 Therefore, do not thou dread, but whatever thing thou shalt say to me, I shall do to thee; for all the people that dwelleth within the gates of my city know, that thou art a woman of virtue. (And so, do not thou fear, but whatever that thou shalt ask of me, I shall do for thee; for all the people who liveth within the gates of my city know, that thou art a woman of virtue.)

Ruth 3:11 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 3:11

And now, my daughter, fear not
Either of being forced and defiled, to which he had exposed herself by lying down at a man's feet, or of being reproached as an immodest woman for so doing, or of being despised as a poor woman, and of not succeeding in her suit and enterprise:

and I will do to thee all that thou requirest;
which could be done according to the law of God, and without injury to another person after mentioned:

for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman;
or righteous, as the Targum; a good woman, possessed of grace and virtue, having every agreeable qualification to recommend to the marriage state; and therefore, should they come to the knowledge of the step taken to obtain it, will never reproach thee for it, nor blame me for marrying a person, though poor, of such an excellent character, which, by her conduct and behaviour, was universally established. It is in the original text, "all the gate of my people" ^F21; meaning either all the people that pass through the gate of the city, that is, all the inhabitants of it, or the whole court of judicature, the elders of the city, that sit in judgment there, as was usual in gates of cities, see ( Ruth 4:1 Ruth 4:9 ) . So the Targum,

``it is manifest before all that sit in the gate of the great sanhedrim of my people that thou art a righteous woman''

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (yme rev-lk) "tota porta populi mei", Montanus; so Vatablus, Tigurine version.

Ruth 3:11 In-Context

9 and he said to her, Who art thou? She answered, I am Ruth, thine handmaid; stretch forth thy cloth on thy servantess, for thou art nigh of kin. (and he said to her, Who art thou? She answered, I am Ruth, thy servantess; stretch forth thy cloak over thy servantess, for thou art my next of kin.)

10 And he said, Daughter, thou art blessed of the Lord, and thou hast overcome the former mercy with the latter (and now thou hast surpassed thy earlier proof of family devotion, or loyalty, with this one); for thou followedest not young men, poor either rich.

11 Therefore, do not thou dread, but whatever thing thou shalt say to me, I shall do to thee; for all the people that dwelleth within the gates of my city know, that thou art a woman of virtue. (And so, do not thou fear, but whatever that thou shalt ask of me, I shall do for thee; for all the people who liveth within the gates of my city know, that thou art a woman of virtue.)

12 And I forsake not, that I am of nigh kin, but another man is nearer kin than I; (And I do not deny, that I am your close kin, but another man is a closer kin than I;)

13 (so) rest thou here this night, and when the morrowtide is made, if the man will hold thee to wife by right of nigh kin (if the man will make thee his wife by right of next of kin), (then) the thing is well done; and if he will not, (then) I shall take thee without any doubt, (as) the Lord liveth; (so) sleep thou till the morrowtide.