God’s Word Translation
Ruth 2:9
9Watch where my men are reaping, and follow the young women in that field. I have ordered my young men not to touch you. When you’re thirsty, go to the jars and drink some of the water that the young men have drawn.”
Ruth 2:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
- New International Version (NIV)Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.”
Context of Ruth 2:9
7She said, ‘Please let me gather grain. I will only gather among the bundles behind the reapers.’ So she came here and has been on her feet from daybreak until now. She just sat down this minute in the shelter.” 8Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go in any other field to gather grain, and don’t even leave this one. Stay here with my young women. Watch where my men are reaping, and follow the young women in that field. I have ordered my young men not to touch you. When you’re thirsty, go to the jars and drink some of the water that the young men have drawn.” 10Ruth immediately bowed down to the ground and said to him, “Why are you so helpful? Why are you paying attention to me? I’m only a foreigner.” 11Boaz answered her, “People have told me about everything you have done for your mother-in-law after your husband died. They told me how you left your father and mother and the country where you were born. They also told me how you came to people that you didn’t know before.
Read all of Ruth 2Ruth 2:9 word by word
עֵינַ֜יִךְ בַּשָּׂדֶ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־יִקְצֹרוּן֙ וְהָלַ֣כְתִּ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ן הֲל֥וֹא צִוִּ֛יתִי אֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים לְבִלְתִּ֣י נָגְעֵ֑ךְ וְצָמִ֗ת וְהָלַכְתְּ֙ אֶל־הַכֵּלִ֔ים וְשָׁתִ֕ית מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשְׁאֲב֖וּן הַנְּעָרִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- thine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- on the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
- that they do reapקָצַרqâtsar · to reapH7114
- and goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: followH1980
- thou afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- them: have I not chargedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- the young menנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- that they shall not touchנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
- thee? and when thou art athirstצָמֵאtsâmê' · to thirstH6770
- goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- unto the vesselsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
- and drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- have drawnשָׁאַבshâ'ab · to drawH7579
Cross-references for Ruth 2:9
- Genesis 20:6“Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience,” God said to him in the dream. “In fact, I kept you from sinning against me. That’s why I didn’t let you touch her.
- Job 19:21“Have pity on me, my friends! Have pity on me because God’s hand has struck me down.
- Psalms 105:15“Do not touch my anointed ones or harm my prophets.”
- Proverbs 6:29So it is with a man who has sex with his neighbor’s wife. None who touch her will escape punishment.
- 1 Corinthians 7:1Now, concerning the things that you wrote about: It’s good for men not to get married.
- 1 John 5:18We know that those who have been born from God don’t go on sinning. Rather, the Son of God protects them, and the evil one can’t harm them.
- Genesis 24:18“Drink, sir,” she said. She quickly lowered her jar to her hand and gave him a drink.
- Matthew 10:42I can guarantee this truth: Whoever gives any of my humble followers a cup of cold water because that person is my disciple will certainly never lose his reward.”
- John 4:7A Samaritan woman went to get some water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water.”
Commentaries on Ruth 2:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The young men that they shall not touch thee - This was peculiarly necessary, as she was a stranger and unprotected.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9After them - i. e. “after my maidens.” The fields not being divided by hedges, but only by unplowed ridges, it would be easy for her to pass off Boaz‘s land without being aware of it, and so find herself among strangers where Boaz could not protect her.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-16Verses 4-16 The pious and kind language between Boaz and his reapers shows that there were godly persons in Israel. Such language as this is seldom heard in our field; too often, on the contrary, what is immoral and corrupt. A stranger would form a very different opinion of our land, from that which Ruth would form of Israel from the converse and conduct of Boaz and his reapers. But true religion will teach a man to behave aright in all states and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9Boaz gave Ruth the special privilege of gleaning right behind the young women. After the men cut the grain and tied it in small bundles, the women gathered the bundles into larger sheaves. The Torah did not require farmers to allow gleaners into the fields until they took the sheaves to the threshing floor. I have ordered the young men not to touch you: Boaz assured Ruth that no one under his authority would taunt her or try to drive her away from his…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-98-9. said Boaz unto Ruth, ... bide here fast by my maidens--The reaping was performed by women while the assortment of sheaves was the duty of men-servants. The same division of harvest labor obtains in Syria still. Boaz not only granted to Ruth the full privilege of gleaning after his reapers, but provided for her personal comfort.Read the comment
Topics related to Ruth 2:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ruth 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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