Ruth 2:9

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 asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest in the shelter.” 8Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.” 10Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.” 11“Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers.

Ruth 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 20:6In the dream God responded, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her.
• Job 19:21“Have mercy on me, my friends, have mercy, for the hand of God has struck me.
• Psalms 105:15“Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.”
• Proverbs 6:29So it is with the man who sleeps with another man’s wife. He who embraces her will not go unpunished.
• 1 Corinthians 7:1Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations.
• 1 John 5:18We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
• Genesis 24:18“Yes, my lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink.
• Matthew 10:42And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”
• John 4:7Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”

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

• Ruth

In the dictionaries

• Damsel
• Glean
• Knowledge
• Suffice
• Boaz
• Gleaning
• Naomi

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