Commentary on the Holy Bible

a^uS IVrO^ came to pass, in the days **'jj(£' when • the Judges "ruled, ihal there waa • a famine in the land. And i:il?r^*"^ a certain man of * Beth-Iehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and bis wife, and his two sons.

2 And the name of the man vsaa Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of fail two eons Mahlon and Chilion, * Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-jadah. And they came ^into the coTintry of Moab, and > continued there.

3 And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left, and her two sons.

4 And they took them wives of the women of fAoeh', the name of the one vsaa Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelt there about ten years.

5 And MatUon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

4 cThS 6 U Then she arose with her daugh- Aa.nMi.iK ters-m-law, that she might return from amm wm» theconntry of Moab: forshehadheardin Loiy^wi. tiie country of Moab how that the Lord had ^ visited his people in ■ giving them bread.

Verae 1. Wkm. judgu Tvied\ We know not under what judge tbia happened i aome aay under £Au(^ othera UAder ShBmgar. See llie jn-efaee.

Then woe a faminel Probably oceaaioned by the depredatioDa of the Philiatines, Ammonites, carrying off the oota na aoos aa it was ripe; or deatroTing it on the field.

The Targum aaya, "God haa decreed ten grievous bminea to take place in tbe world, to punish the inhabitants of the earth, before the coming of Meaaiah the King. The firttf in the daya of Adam; the cecmuZ, in the days of XjKmeeh } the Qtird, in the days of Abraham; the fourth, in (he daya of latutc; the./J/U, in the daya of Jacoh; the mixA, in the daya of Boaz, who ia called Abtaan, (Ibzan,) the Just, of Beui-lehem-judah; the aeceniA, in the days of David, king of larael; ihe aighih, in the daya of Elijah tlie profdMt; the ninth, in the raiya of Eliahnh, in Samaria; the UnOt ia yet to come; kdA it ia not a famine of bread or 9f vaUr, but of hearing the word of prophec}; from the ■outb of the Lord; ana even now thia faroine ia grievoua in the laiid of larael,"

OtUion} Finiahetl conipleted.

Verae 4. AruUkty iook thtm leiveM'] The Targum very propavly (rfiaehrea) that th»v iransgretted tht <Uere» qf the mrdqfOu EjOTiLand torn io thwitdvet ttrange mmm.

7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daaghtera-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return luto the land of Judah.

8 And Naomi said unto her two dauf hters-inlaw, I" Go, return each to her mothers house: > the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with " the dead, and witn me.

9 The LoBD grant you that ye may find "rest, each of you in the house of her hnmuid. Theo she kiBsed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

10 And they said unto her, Surdy we will rflturn with thee unto thy people.

11 And Naomi said, Turn a^n, my dauglbtera: why will ye go with me 7 are there yet any more sons in my womb, " that they may be your huabandR?

12 Turn again, my dauffhters; eo vour loay: for I am too old to have a Ausban£ It' I ehoiud say, 1 have hope, p t/ 1 should have a hiutnnd also to-ni@rht, and should also bear sons,

13 Would ye 'tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from navinS nusbEmds? nay, my daughters; for ■itgrieveth me much for your sokes, that * the hand of the Lord is cone out against me.

14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah "kiEsed her mother-in-law; but Ruth * clave unto her.

15 And she said. Behold, thy sister-in-law ii

word of (he hard, and joined (^nity reiik ttrangt people, tKei efore their daya were cuitif. It ia very lilcely that there is more here man conjecture.

VeiBe 6. She had hean^ By the mauih qf an angel, Bays the Targum.

T7u Lou> had visited hU peoplei "Becauae of the rightcouanesa of Ibznn the judge, and becauae of the npplirations of pious Boaz," Tarffum.

It ia imagined, ond not without probability, that HahJoB and Chilion are the same with Joaeh and SarajA, mentioned 1 Chron. iv. 22. where the Hebrew rfwuld be ibtis tranalated, And Joaeh and Seraph, ■ohomarrtedinAggabt and daell in Lthem. See the Sibrev.

Verae II. Are Aere yet any more ton*] lUs waa apokcn in alluaion to tlie euelom that wben a married brother died, without leaving posterity, bia brother should take hia widow; and the children of auch a marriage were accounffid the children of the deceued brother. There is aomeihing very penuanve and aSeeting in lbs address of Naomi to ha dauj^tert-ia-la v:— let ua (A> serve the particulara.

1. She intimatea tbst the had no other sons to giTs

2. That ahe waa not with child; ao there could be BO expectation.

3. That she waa too old to have a huaband.

4. That though she ahould marry that night, and ban children, yet ihey. could not wait till auch aona were n«rriageable: she, therefore, begs tbem to return to their owB country, where ihey vapA M eomflMrtaUy SBtllod mUng Hiuai own kindred.

fone back unto her people, aiMl unto

'return thou after thy eiater-in-law.

16 And Ruth said, ' Entreat ' me not to leave thee, or to return from rollowing after thee: for whitoer thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: ■ thy people ahall be my pecme, and thy God my God.

17 Where thou diest, will I die. and there will I be buried: the Lord do bo to me, and more also, if auffht but death part thee and me.

18 ' When the saw that she was eteadlhstly minded to -mUh her, then she left speaking unto her.

19 TT So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, tluit *all the city was moved about them, and they said, ' /« thu

20 And she said unto them. Gall me not f Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

rtturmd to her oxen people. Tho VulgaU, Syriae, and Arabic, are to the laine nirpOK.

VerM 15. Cfone bae&~~unio her gado} Tbtj were probably both idolaters: their having been protalyiee ia an unfiMinded coaiMture. Chanoek waa the ^rand idol of the Moabites. The conversioD of Ruth proMtbly commenoed at thia lime.

VerM 16. And JRuih aotcf] A niore perfect nirreader wma never made of friendly feelinga to a friend: / vUl not Uave theey I will follow thee: / will lodge where 'thou lodgeet; take the aame &r« with which thou roeeteat: — thy people e/\aU be my people; I moat cheerfully abandon my own countiy, and delermioe to end my dara io thine. / will also, henceforth, have no god but thy Oodf and be joined with thee in worship aa I am in a^ betion and conaanfTuinity. I will cleave unto thee even unto death, die whore taatt dieet, and be buried, if possibly in the aame grave, lliia waa a must extraoraioary attachment, and evidently without any secular motive.

Ttw Targum adds several things to this conversation betwe«i Naomi and Ruth: I aholT subjoin them. " And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave tbeeiTbr I desire to b&- oome a proeelyte." And Naomi eaid, We are command- «d to keep the tabbatk, and other holy daye; and on it not to travel more than two thousand cubiU. And Ruth eauL " Whither diou coeet, I will go." And Narnni oaitL We are commanded not to lodge wi& the GeiUtlee. Ruth anewered, "Where thou lodgest, I will lodge." And Naomi eaid, We are commanded to obeeree the one hundred and thirteen precepte. Ruth anewered, What thy people observe, that will J observe; as if they had been my people of old. And Naomi eaid. We are eommanded not to worAip with any etrange worehip. Ruth anewered, "Thy Ghid shall be my Clod." Naomi eaid, We have Jour kinde qf capital puniAmenta for eriminaiei etotdng, burning, beheading, and hanging. Ruth anewered, "In whatsoever manner thou diesL I will die." Naomi eaid, We have a houee qf burial. Bath anewered, "And there will I be buried."

It is veiT likely that some such conversation as this took place between the eldere and iboae who were becoming proeelytet. This verse is fomoua among those who strive to (ttvtne by the Bible. I shotild relate the particulars, bat am ofnid they mi^t lead to a continuance of the practice.

Verse 17. TTu LoKo do eo to me, and more] Hay he inflict any of those luniehmeDta on me, and any worse puniahment, if I part from tbee till death. And it appeara (bat ahe waa true to her engagement; for Naomi waa Douriahed in ths house of Boaz in her old age, and became the fosterer and nurae of their son Obed, chap. iv. 1^ 16.

Verse 19. AU the eily woe moved about them} It appeara that Naomi was not only well known, but highly rsapeeted alaa at Beth-lehem; a proof that Eliioelech was of nig^i consideration in that place.

TtuAlmightyi Shoddy, ht who iMeetT-miffloient baa taken away the props and supports of my Ufe.

ThflamphatKbrouifhtmehame again empty] Having lost sU Oral br death. It is also uWt ihat^nicleeE took MoridwaUe proper^with him into IM land (tf Jlosbi

SI IwentoutfuII, f and the Lord hath brought me home again empfy: whv then caD ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hatn testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflieted me 7

22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moab* itess, her dati^htcr-in-Iaw, with her, which re— turned out otthe country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem ^ in the beginning oT tarley-harrest.

AND Naomi hada 'kinsmanoTher husband's, a m%hty> man of f-»«> wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name leiu " Boaz."

2 And Ruth the Moabitesa said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and * glean ears cn com after Aim in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

for, aa he fled from the face fjf the fomine, be would vmr toimlly take hia pnqierty with lum ^ and on thia Naoaai subaiated till her return to Belh-ldiem, whiA wbt nugbt not have thoucfat of till all waa mpeaL

Verse 22. ^ the beginning daWey-Aarreaf.] lUa was in the beginning of epnng. Sot the harley-Aaf ieM began immediately siter the passover; and that feast was held the ISth of the month Niean, wfaidi eomspsoda nearly with our Mar^

The Tarrttm says, " Ther cane to Beth-lehem on that day in which the children of Israel begab to nMw the riieof of barley which was to be vraved before the Laid." This circumatanee ia the more diatinclly marked, because eif Ruth's gleaning, mentioned in the succeeding chapter.

1. Thk native, the amiable eimplinty in which the story of the preceding chapter ia told, is a proof of its gemmm^ neee. There are several sympathetic circnmsumces recorded here which no forger could have invented. Ttwn is too much of nature to admit any thing of ^<

2. On the marriage of Orpah exA Ruth, HoA die wiA of Naomi that ibey might find reet in the home of dieir husbands, there ore some pitwa and sensible ohaemtioiis in Mr. Nsfls' HiOory ondM/etery tfthe Beak ^RuAf from which 1 rinll uiy the folktving axtran boon my readers:

"A married estate is a state of rasf: so it is called hm, and in titep. iii. 1. Hence maniaga is called portiufitventutie, the port or haven of youn^ people; wnoae a&otiona, while unmarried, are continually.;(aaitnf, or leeeed to and ^ro, like a thip iipon die watere, till ih^ come into tliis happy harbour. There is a natural propension ia most persons toward nuptial communion; aa all created beings have a natural tendency toward dwir proper oent/& (/eve eureiim, et grave deorewm,) and an nstleaa out <■ it: so die rabbins aay, Requiret vir eoatem ettam, el roguiret famina sedem mam, "The nan is restless wiiils he miasea hia rib that was taken out ot his side, and the woman is restless till ahe get under the man'a arm, from whence slie waa taken.' Oh', fook up to God thei^ y« unmarried onea, and cry wldi good Naomi, T^e Lord grant me reet, (fiM- my roving anectiona,) inibeboiMeaf some good coiisoit, dwt I may live in peacs and pkoty, with content and comfort, all my days. Know that your marriage is, (of all your civil aflairs,) of the greatest iaaportanoe, having on influence upon your whole hfe. It ia either your makmg or marring in this world; 'da like a Btratogem in war, wherein a miscarriage cannot be rscolled when we will; for we marry for life. I am diiBf^ and thou art mine, Orevia midem cantnincula aa<^ is a short song; ted langum habet qdphonema, but it hath a long under-soiw. So an error here is irreooverabte; ran have need of Argus' hundred eyes, to look withal bsnca you leap." This is good advice — but who, araoog the persons concerned, will have grace enousfa to take itf NOTES ON CHAPTER H. Verse 1. A mighty man wealthj We have already seen that some auppoae Boaz to have been one of the jw%aa of lanel: hewaa^ no doubt, a man of conaiderafale property. Verse 2. Glean eare qf com} Ttte word gittm rnisna from the French glaner, to gather ears, or grains at eoro. Thia was formerly a geiieral custom in Bn^and and Iiwland: the poor went into the fieMa and arileeted tbe sln^ glinrearaof eomailar dwnwsrst and it was l««g sap- posed dm diia wasllMir right, and tet lbs

3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field aAer the reaiwrs: and her fhap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who tfotf of the kindred of Eliroelech.

4 T And, behold, Boaz came from BeUi-lehem and said onto the reapers, ^ The Lord he with you. And they answered him, The Loan bleea

6 Then said Boaz irnto hia serrant that was •et over the reapers, Whose damsel it this?

6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It it the Mot^itish damsel ^ that came back with Naomi out of the country of TAovJh.

7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapiBrB among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from tlie morning until now, that she tarried a Iktle in the house.

8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Heareet thou not, my daughter t Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:

9 tiel thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they sliall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels.

sized iL But aldiough it baa been an old matom, I find ihst it a now settled by k lolemn Jud^ent of die court of Cornmon Pleu, that a right to rmvi in Ibe harveat-field caanoc be claimed bfanyperMoatnomraonlaw: see Lav DUtimutry, sniels gUaning. Aw psnoo may parm.it or yreetnxix ia hi* own grounds. By the Irish acis, 2h Hen. VIIL c 1. and S8 Hen. VIII. c 24. gteaning and l«aHng are so restricted as to be, in focr, prohibited in that part of the United Kingdom. See the note oo Lev. xiz. 10.

AJltr him in. vAmc aigfU I ^mU find grace] She did not nieiB Boaz: but she purposed to go out wners they were now n^riofTi and glean after any pa-aon who mi^t parmit her, or use bar in a frietKlly manner. The words seen, to iatimate diat, Dotwithsianding the lav irf BIo«e% tbeeleanen might be prevented by the owner oT the field.

Verse 3. Andktr hap wtuj So she was accidentally, «r ptwi^enlioUy, led to that part of the cultivated country wlueh belonRed to Boaz.

Verse 4. Boaz came from Betk-Wiemi\ This salutation between Book and his reapers is wtmhy of particular regard 1 h* md, osof Tnrp YehwaK immakemj " Jehonh be with you!" T%*y taid, tutv Y^tkoia Ydunah, "Hay Jehovah bless ihee 1" Can a pious mind read these gpdly aolutations widiout wishing for a return of those Mmpte pimitiva timesl The words may be thus poraphraeed: "Hay God be with you to preserve you from •eoidents, atxl strengthen you to accomplish your work 1" **Mmj God Ueas thek with ibe increase of Um field, and paee tonaebiaboun^ to tbeglory of thegtTerl"

Verae ft. HU tenant tkaf vat »tt over Ike raaperai This was a kind of steward, or hind, who had the under management of the estate. Some think that an qffieer of this knki is intended in the description given bv Homer of the tobourera of a barveat-field, as repreaeDtea by Vnkan aa one compartment of the diield which be made for AehiUea:— and drink o£ thai which the yoimg men have drawn.

10 Then she ' fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, "Why hava I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

11 And Boaz answered aiwi said unto her. It hath fully been showed me, 'all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thine husband; and Aoir thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come imto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.

12 " The Loan recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Loan God of Israel, ' tmder whose wings thou art come to trust.

13 Then she said, * Let ' me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken ' friendly unto thine handmaid, ' though I oe not like unto one of thine handmaidens.

14 And Boaz said unto her, At meal-time come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched com, and she did eat, and ■ was sufficed, and left.

This scene ii well described t and ihe person who acU as merueer is here called 0aat\ntt f^ng, and his ttq^ is c&lled oKifwrpo)!, a aeeptre; tad i» ttandt in mute dignitv, merely to see that ibe work is well done, and that eodi performs his task: and there appear to me to be gUantrt m the description — via. the hovt uAo gather Ae nantifiU* after ihe three binders. See the OrtiM.

Verse 7. TViat «Ae tarried a little in the houae.} It seems as if the reapers were now resting in their tent; and dial Rudi had just gone in with them, lo take her rest also.

Verse B. Abide hert fatt by my maidetu} Tbeeewers probably employed in making band; and laying on Ifaera enough to form a Aeaf, which the binders would tie and form mto ihockt or Mraree. When the mmideni had gvdi* ered up the wattered handfnla thrown down by lha re^iar^ Ruth picked up aoy straggling beads or ears which ibey hod left.

Verse 9. The young men that Ouy $httUnUUmA&te\ TbiM was peculiarly neeeasery, as die was a stnuBiger, SDO uoproteoiM.

verae 10. Then thtfdl mhtrjaeet Proatrated her* eel( as was Ihe custom in Ihe But when inCeritm proacbed those of auperior rank. TTie T\irgum adds (0 the conversation between Ruth and Boaz: "'Vow, says she, have I obtained grace in thy sight, that diou shtNildst acknowledge me who am a stranger, and one «^ the dau^* ters of Moab, of whom it is said the unclean shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord 1 And Bms answered It has been eenainly told me by the word of the vrise, Ast what the Lord bath decreed he has not decreed conoeroing the vomen, but the men. And it has been surely said to me by prophecy, that kings and pnnhets ahall proceed from thee becuise of the good which thou hast done," &e.

Verse 12. The Loan reeomvenae thy wrkj llie dutiful respectwhichtfaouhastpaia to thy husband, and thy tender and affectionate attachment to thy aged motber-t»-law.

And a JiM reward be given Ihee] This is spoken widi great modes^ and piety; the kindness I diow owe is little ID comparison of thy desert; Qod alone can give thee a JUI reteard for thy kindness to thy husband and noiher-inlaw I and he will do it, because thou art come to truat under hia winga; lo become a proeeiyte to his religiiftL TTte metaphor is taken from the young of fowls) who^ seeing a bird of prey, run to their mother to be covered by her wings from danger I and also lake shelter from stormy tempests, cold, Ac It ie evident from this, that Radi had already attached herself to the Jewish religion.

Verse 13. Not like unto one qf thine kandmaidenal I am as unworthy of thy regards as any of thy own maidservants; ondyet thou showest me distinguished kifidnesf.

Verse 14. Dip Iky moraal in Ihe vinag^J The iwi Aometa, which we here tnwslate vinagar, eeems to have been some refresh ing kind of aeidsawes used by the reapers to dip dieir bread in, whiciibodieooledaMi remmd imbs. Vinegar, ro6& otfruita, Ac are Qsed for thisparpoee in the East to UM present day. And the custom of the Arafaai aeeordtng to Dr. Shaw, is M dfp As frrsod a«d head «»• gedier into Aeee eoolinc and reftedtng artieles.

16 And when afae was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, sayiiif, Let her

glean even among the sheaves, ana " reproach er not:

16 And lot fall also some of the handfula of purpose for her, and kave Ih^em, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned; and it was about aa ephah of barley,

18 TI And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned; and she brought forth, and gave to her * that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

19 And her mother-in-law said unto her. Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that did <■ take knowledge of thee. And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and ■aid. The man's name with whom I wrought today is Boaz.

20 And Naomi said unto her dau"hter-in-law, •Blessed be he of the Lord, who nath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her. The man is near of kin unto us, ' one ** of our next kinsmen.

31 And Ruth the Moabiless said. He said onto me also, Thou strait keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my t^rvest.

Pardud coraj This waa a frequenl repast among the •ncientt in almost all countries i we the notes on Lev. ii. 1-14.

Yene 16. Ltt her gUan even among the iheatei} Tbia was a privilege: for no person should glean till the sheaves were all bound, and the shocks set up.

Vene 17. An ephah qf barUi/] Not less than eeoen. gatlme and a halft a good day's work. On Hehrew measuns of capacity see the note on Exod. xvi. 16.

Terse 18. And gave ta her that »he had reaerved} As Buih had reeeived a distinot portion at dinner-time, of irtiich she bad more than she could eat, ver. 14. it appears sbe brought the rest home to her motber-in-Uw, as is here related.

VeraeSO. To Ae living and lo the dead A Naomi and Ruth were the living,- and they were also the representativea of JSUmtleth and Chiiion, who were dead. Naomi waa of th| /amity; and Ruth, though not of the family, waa a r^trtseataUee of one of its deceaaed branches Wng ths widow of Chilioo.

One qf our next kina7nen.1 ^J'S»^JO Megoaleynu, of our redtemert; one who has the right to redeem the forfeited inheritance of the family, 'rhe word itti eoil, signifies a near kineman i one who, by the Mosaic law, bad a ri^t to rede^ an inheritance, and also wan permitted to vitvdicaU or avenge the deaih of his relation by killing the slayer, if he found him out of the cities ot re-

I order to prevent families from running to decay, if a farodier died childless, the next unmarried brother took his widow; and the chUdren from that marriage were reputed the children of the deceaaed brother. The olGce of the aeztakln waa ihretfotd: — 1. It belonged to liim to buy bade the fbrfiHted uuieritance, or the liberty of him who had been obliged to sell himself for a servant. 2. It waa his right to avenge the blood of any of the family who had been killed, by killing the murderer. 3. It belonged to him to take the widow of a deceased broilicr, or relative, if he died eliildleaa. If the nearest akin in any case refiued, he was treated with indignity, lost hia right to die inheritance, and the next of kin to him might come forward and take the widow, &c. as in the case of Boaz. See diap. iv.

Versa 21. Keep faxt hy my yawng men] The word tsnpjn Aanodrim, should be tranalaled etrv^rxU, both the mofeand/ema^beinginchidedinit; the Utter eapecially, as we see in ver. 22, 23.

Verae 23. And ^ wheat harveet] That ia, aha waa to eontinue gleaning m the farm of Boaz, to the end of the (ortoy-harveatt and then, when the uAleot-harveat began, laeoatinueia its conclusion in the same way. Id the luterin, as wall as each ni^t, she lodged with her modier-inkw.

22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughterin-law. It is good, my daughter, that thon go out with his maidens, that they < meet thee not

23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley-harvest, and of wheat-harvest; and dwelt with her mother-inlaw.

THEN Naomi, her mother-in-law, said unto her, My daughter, * shall I not seek > rest for thee, that it may be welt with theel

2 And now ui not Boaz of our kindred, "with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to-niorht in the thrashing-floor.

3 Wash thyself, uierefore, ■ and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

4 And it shall be, when he Iieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie. and thou shalt go in, and " uncover his feet, ana lay thee down: and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

mind: she was modest, and she was indtulrimu, and most probably a comely woman; and oJl these dunija ser\-ed to attract the attention of Boaz. and to engage hts affei^ian. Her attachment also to her motber-in-law could not &il to secure hie enttem, A)l these things worked together, in the course of providence, to bring about a matrimonii connexion; which, in its issue, waa intimately connected with the salvation of a lost world t for, from this very line, Jeau* Christ, aecoiding to ihe flesh, sprang; and Ruth showed herself aa worthy to be one of ttia prosenilora aa the Virgin Hary was to be hia modier. See tne notes on Matt. cnap. i.

2. We should carefully attend to the Uadin^e and to the workings of God's providence; it is our dutynai our intertat to do both, for trie paih of duty is ever the way of eitfety. Had not Rnih acted thus, how drearv and unnnnforiable must her life have been; but she followed Qod fiilly, and in a path apparently dangerouM, and jtx not only sustained no injury, but succeeded well in all ifainga: from this, aa well aa from innumerable other eircoaastonces, we see the truth of that word. Acknowledge him in ail thy ways, and he will direct thy atepa. And wi4 this we may ever connect, TViiat in the LiOrd vUh tky \Bhole heart, and lean not to thy own mderetanding. Whosoever follows God in simphcity of heart will moat assuredly be guided into all tnith.

Verse 1. Shalt I not tetk rtst/or thee) Thatia-Aalll not endeavour to procure (hee a proper husband? See chap.!. 9. anrl die observations at the end of that cbspier.

Verse 2. He winnoweth barley to-niirht] It is very likely that the winno«ring of grain was effected by taking up in a broad thin vessel, or sieve, a portion of the com, and letting it down slowly in the wind: thus the crvim would, by iU own weight, fall in one nlaee, while ths chaff, &c. would be earned to a distance ny ihe wind. It is said here that this was done al ni^ht; probably what was thrashed out in the day was winnoweo in ihe eveaine, when the eea-breexe set in, which was common ia Pidestine; and aa this took piaoe in the cvevtng- only, that was the time in which they would naturally winnow their com.

Verse 3. Wa^ thytelf therefore) She made Rndi pat on her best dress, that Boaz might, in the course of dM day, be the more attracted by her person; and be the better disposed to receive her as Naomi wished.

Verse 4. Uncover hiajeet, and lay thte down] It ia said that women in die East, when going to the bed of their lawful fauabanda, through modeaiy, and in lolmi of eubje^ion, go to the bed's Toot, and, gently raising the clothes, creep under them up to their proper place. Sea Calmet.

On the whole, we must say, had not Boaz, been a pvson of extraMdiiuiy lue^, prudtnee, and eoMiBaMfv dtia

5 And she said unto her, All that thou Bayest onto roe 1 will do.

6 H And she went domi unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.

7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and r his heart wag merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and ehe came Boflty, and uncovered hie feet, and laid her down.

8 1[ And it came to pass at midnight, that the roan was afraid, and i turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet,

9 Apd he said. Who art thoo? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: 'spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art • a ' near kinsman.

10 And he said, " Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter; for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than * at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.

1 1 Antf now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the * city of my people doth know that thou ar< « a virtuous woman.

12 And now it ia true that I am thy y near kinsman: howbeit ■there is a kinsman nearer than I.

.experiment mi^ht have been fetal to Ruth. We caDoot ecuily account for this trana^tion; probably Naomi knew more than ibe revealed to her daug)tter-in-)aw. The ex-

He aill tell thee vAat thou akalt do."] The Targum read* the cl«ise ihua: " TJimiahalt oak counsel from him, and he aboil tell the? what thou ahauldst do."

Verse 7. When Boax had eaten and drunk] The Targum adds, " He bleaaed the name of the Lord, who had heard his prayer, and removed fomine from the land of lanel."

Went to lU down] As the thrashing-floors of the Eastern nations are, in general, in tlie open air, it is »ery likely that the otoner, or some confidential person, continued in the fields till the gnun was secured, having a tmt in the place where the com was dirashed and winnowed. Boaz seems to have acted thus.

Verse 8. 7%e man teas tjfraid, and turned himself \ mie verb nsV yiilapeth, which we render be turned himaelf, has puzzfed even the Tamimist, who translates the clause thus: "The man trembled, and his flesh became like a (boiled) turnip throueh fear." It is fully evident Boaz had no intimation of uie present proceedings. To tfaia verse the Targumist adds much: he say«, " Boaz subdued his concupiscence, and acted toward her as Joseph did to the E^ptian wife of his master, and as Pelatiel, the eon of Laiah the pious, did to Michal, the daughter of Soul, the wife of David, who put a sword between Michal and himself because he woiilu not approach to her."

Verse 9. Spread Ihertfore thy skirt over thine handmaid] Hebrew, spread thy ving. The icing is the emblem of protection; and is a metaphor taken from the young of fowls, which mn under the wings of their mothers, tliat they may be saved from birds of prey. The meaning here is, take me to thee far wife; and so the TBrjrum has translate J it. Let thy name he called on thy handmaiid to take nu for wife, because thou art the todeetner: i. e. Thou art the Ski goel, the kinsman to whom the right of redemption belongs. See on chap. ii. 20. Even to the present day, when a Jew marries a woman, he throw the skirt, or end of his talith, over her, to signify that he has taken her under his protection. ^ Verse 10. In the latter end than at Ike beginning^ It u nut ea^ to find out what Boaz means. Perhaps icn chased, which we tiaoalate kindness, laokDmpieiif; as if he had said, Thmi hast given great proof of thy piett/ in this latter instance, when thou luut avoided the young and those of thy own age, to associate thyself with an elderly man, merely for (be purpose of having the divine injunction IblfUledi vf*. diftt the brother, or next akin, might laks lbs wifb of the deceased, and raise a bmily to bun

part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part OT a kinsman to thee, t>a« the Lord liveth: lie down until the

14 M And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, ' Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.

15 Also he said. Bring the "* veil that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of Imrley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.

16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter 1 And she told her all that the man had done to her.

17 And she said, These eix measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law.

18 Then said ehe, • Sit still, mv daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, ' tmtil he hare finished the thing this day.

THEN went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, be-, hold, * the kinsman of whom Boaz

who hod died childtas, that his name might not become extinct in Israel: this latter act is a greater proof of thy piety and sincerity, than any thing that could be inferred from thy becoming a proselyte.

Whether poor or ricft] So it appears from this that it was not to mend her condition in life that Ruth endeavoured to get Boaz for her husband, for she might have had a rich young man; but she preferred the building up the house of her deceased hurinnd. See above.

Verse 12. There is a kinstnan nearer than XI It is very likely that Naomi was not acquainted with this circumstance. S<Hne have supposed that there was a broUur of Elimelech remaining, who was nearer than Boaz, who is supposed to have been only a nephew.- the former, therefore, must have a prior right.

Verse 13. As the Lorn livethj Thus he bound himself by an oath lo take her to wife, if the other should refuse.

Verse 16. Bring the veil} r\r\tim7\ hamitpathathi this seems to have been a cloak, plakl, or what the Arabs otll hyke, which hu been largely explained ebewhere. See Ju^es xiv. 12, measures of barley} We supply the word measuret, for the Hebrew mentions no quantity. The IVrgum renders six seaka, n<n n>v shith se'in. A seah was aboutfteo gallons and a naif, vhich must have been a very lorn load for a woman; and so the Targumist thought, for be adds. And the received strength from the Lord lo carry it. If ihe omer be meant, which is about six pints, tns load would not be so great, as this would amount lo but about four gallons and a haff: a very goodly present, and much more than she could have got gleaning. The Targum says, that on receiving ttiese six measures, "it was said, in the apirit of propbecv, that from her shouU proceed the six righteous persons ot the world: viz, David, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach. Abednega and ihe King Messiah; each of whom ahoula be blessed with six benedictions." It is, however, remarkable, that the Targtim makes the Messiah to springfrom her through die line of David, and goes down lo Daniel and his companions; which Daniel prophesied so clearly, not only of the advent of B^buvA tM Prineet bat also of the very time in which be was to come, and the saerifleidt death he was to die.

Verse IB. UtUil thou kriow hoio the matter wiiifaU] That is, whether he who is nearer of kin than Bonz wiU lake thee to wife: do not return again till this dting is determined. Boaz lost uo time to bring thia to an inu^ as wo shall see in the following chapter.

Verse 1. TTun loeni Boax uptoih* gaU\ We ham often had occasion to remark, that the eue or entrance to soy axy or town was the plaM^tere the court <rf justioe

•pake came by; unto whom be said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, Bit down bere. And he turned aside, and sat down.

2 And he took ten men of » the elders of the cUy, and. said, Sit ye down here. And they sat

3 And he eaid unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which waa our brother Elimelech'a;

4 And 1 1 thought to advertise thee, eayin^, k Buy U > before the inhabitants, and before the eUers of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: hut if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for ikere is none to redeem it besides thee; and I am after thee. And be said, I will redeem il.

5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the 6eld of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, " to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

6 if o And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem t< for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to ttqrself; for I cuanot redeem it.

wu ordinarily kcpL For an account of the officers in auch iriocea, aee the note on Deuu xvi. IQ.

Ho, nuh a one!— tit doicn lure.} This familiar mode of compellation ia first used here. The original is no nsv "itfttt Shebah poh, Peloni Almonil Ilark ye! Mr. Stuh'a-one, of tutA a place i come and sit down here. This is used vhen tlie pernn of the individual is known, and his name and reaidenee unknown: '•ithy aljnani cornea from oSv alam, he was hidden; hence the Septua-

£'nt render ii by k^d^, Ihou, unknown person, ^i^a Pent, comes from rrro palah, to tecer, or dUliTiguitk. Tou, of such a particular ptaee. Modes of coropeliation ot this kind are common in all languagea.

Verse 2. He took ten men] ProbaLly it required this number to constitute a court. How simple, and how rational was this proceedine! 1. The man who had a suit, w«iu 10 the city gates. 2. Here he stopped, till the jwrson with whom hs had the suit cama to ine gate, on his way to his work. '3. He called him by name, and he stopped and sat do^^'n. 4. Then ten elders were colled, and iliey came and sat down. 6. When all this was done, the appellant preferred his suit. 6. Hien the aopellee returned nis answer. 7. When the elders heard ine case, and the response of the appellee, they pronounced judgment; which tuctement was always according to the custom of tlte place, a. When this was done, ihe people, who happened to be present, witnessed the issue. And uius Ihe business was settled, without lawyers, or legal casuistry. A question «f this kind, in one of our courts of justice, in these enlightened times, would require many days previous prepa- [stion of the attorney, and several hourr arguing between oounaellor Batktrum and counsellor Borum, tin even an enlightened and conscientious judge would lind it extremely difficult to decide whether Naomi might teU her own tana; and whether Boax or Peloni might fruy it! O! glorious uncertainty of modern law!

Verse 3. A'otfini — selleih a parcel land} She was reduced to want, the immediate inheritors were extinct and it was now open for the nextheir to purchase the lan^and thus presenre iheinhcfitBDce in thetunilyseoording totlie custom of Israel.

Verse 4. IlKought la adva-tUe thet] Both Dr. Kennieett and Father HouHgant have noticed several corruptions in the pronauna of this and the following verses; and Iheir criticisms have been confirmed by a great number of MSS. since collated. The text corrected, reads thus: "And I said I will reveal this to thy ear, saying^ Buy it before the inhabitant^ and before ihe elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it; but if ihou wilt not redeem it, tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it but thou, and I, who am next to thee. KxA lie add, I will redeem it. And Booz said. In ihe day diat thou redeemest the land from the hand of Naomi, Uiou wilt also acquire Ruth, the wifi; of the dead, that thou mayest raise up the name of the dead upon his inherilaoee." ver. 4 aiid 6. See Ktnnicotft Dia»ertaliona,\tA. i. pare 449. Houhigant in loeo, and the VarUt Lettiones a KimniaUt and Dt Rout. This is Boaz'i atuement of the

in Israel concerning redeeming, and concerniaf changing, for toconnrm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neiglibour: this iffos a testimony lu Israel.

8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

9 ^ And Boaz said unto tlie elders, and unto all the peoule, Ye are witnesses ttiis day, that I have bought alt that was "ELimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the band of Naomi.

10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I ijorchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, 1 that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his pliice; ye are witnegses this day.

11 And nil the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. 'The Lord make this woman that is come into thine house like Rachel, and like Leah, which two did 'build the house of Israel: and 'do tbou worthily in "Ephratah, and be *famous in Bethlehem;

12 And let thine house be like the bouse of

/ will redeem U} I will pay down the money tMA it is worth. He knew not of the following coodition.

Verse S. Thou muH buy it alto ^ AhA] More ]voperly, Thou vUt oImo acquire Ruth. Una eaoat not get the land without taking the wife of the deceased; and then the children which thou mayest have shall be reputed lbs children of Chilion, thy deceased kinsman.

Verse 6. I cannot redeem \i for my t^y "Pie TWgum gives the proper sense of this passage: "And the kinsman said, On uiis ground I cannot redeem it, because I have a wife already; and I have no desire to take another, lest there should be contention in my house, and I should become a corrupter of my inheritance. Do thou ndeem tl^ for thou hast no wifb) forlesniMitndoem iL" lliitneeds no comment.

Verse 7. A man plucked o^ Am thoe} The law of soch a case is given at large in Deut. xxv. 5 — 9. It was simply this: — If a brother, who had married a wife, died wichoul childi-en, the eldest unmarried brother waa to take the widow, and raise up a family to the brother dee«ued; and he hod Ihe right to redeem the inheritance, if it had been alienatnl. But if the person who had die right of rvdemiH lion would not take the woman, she was to pull off fais shoe, and spit in his face; andhe wasever aflerconsidered as a dis^^ced man. Iq the present case, Ihe sAoc only ia taken on; probably because the circumstances of the man were such as to render it improper for him to redeem the ^otmd, and take Ruth to his wife: and because of this reoaonable excuse, the eonlemptuoua port of the ceremony is ommiiird. See the note on Deut. xxv. 9.

Verse 1 1. We are irilnettet] It is not very likely that any writing was drawn up. There waa an ^tpeal made lo the people then present whether they had reen and understood the transactitm; who answered, We hart vitnetted it. If any mimitea of court were kept, dien the transaction was entered probably in some such words as

TTu Lord make this woman — liiu Rachd laid Us Z^eak] May thy family be ioereMed fay her meua as ilks tribes were formed by maona of RaAel sad Itm, Vina of the patriach Jacob.

Which tv>o did build the houtenf Itra<l\ Wehavedready seen that |3 fren, a son, comes from the root naa banah, he built, and her.ce |aN o&en, a stooe; faerauae as a Asuse ii built up of ttonta, so is a^tnite of dtildmt. There is a similar figure in PLAtrrua, MotUlL Act- 1, sc. 2. ver. 36.

" I would also observe, that ye men are simihr lo Xousu: ye parents are the fabneatort of ibe children, and ifaey sre HatJinmitMon of Ihe biding."

^larez, 'whomTamarbareuntoJudah.of 'the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this yoDiUF woman.

Aa.£»Lfar.n«. wBH his wifc: and when he went in unto her, • the Lord ^ve her conception, and she bare a son.

14 And * the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lobd, which hath not left thee this day without a * hinamaa, that hla name ma; be &mou8 in Israel.

15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer oi tky fife, and a nouriaher of ' thine old age; for thy daufhter-in-law, which loveth thee, which is ' better to thee than seven sona, bath borne

Terae 12. lAke the houM ^ i*Aor«l Thie vu very approprintei for fituaPhnn^ thesonof Judah, bvTamar, ewoe the fiunily ai the Bethlehemitea, ind that w Ehmekch.

Verse 13. So Boax took Hutn] The Tb-w of Moses had prohibited the Mot^ces, even to Uie tenth reneracion, from entering into the coogr^gatjon of the Lord: but this lav, the Jews think, did tiot extend to women; and even if it bwl, Ruth's might be considered an exempt case, aa ^e had been already incorporated into the foinily by maxriaf^; and le^ her own country, people, and gods, to become a proteiyte to the true Qoa in the land of Israel.

Verse 16. Better to thee than seven tOTu] If Naomi had had even a Dumeious family of soriB, it is most lilcely that Ihi^ would hare been scattered to different quarters from her, and seuled io lib; whereas Ruth cleaved to faer, and it was by her affectionate servien that Naomi was preserved alive.

Verse 16. Naomi took the Aild] This might do for Noami; but it was bad for the child. A child, unless remarkably healthy and robust, will suffer considerably by being nureed by an old woman; especially if the child tleep -with her. The aged gain refreanment and ene^ by ■laepinx with -the young; and, from the same means, the young derive permature decrepitude. Hie vigour which IS abaorbed by the former, is lost by the latter. It is a foolish and destructive custom to permit young children (which is a common case) to sleep with aged aunts, and 0^ grandmolhert. Bacon's grand secret of the aire (jf old age, coached inso many obscure and enigmatical terms, is simply this: — Let young persons sleep constantly with those who are aged and infirm. And it was on this principle, that the phyBtcians of David recommended a young hsaiihy girl to sleep with David in his old age. They well luiew that the aged infirm body of the kmg would absorb a considerable portion of healthy energy &om the joun^ woman.

Verse 17. The nngA&ours gave it a name"] Hist is, Hxy recommended a name suitable to the circumstances of the case; and the parents and grandmother ad6pted it.

They called his Tiame Obea\ tyiy obed, serving, from ^ dbad, he served. Wliy was this name given f Behe was to be the nourislier of her old age, ver. 15.

16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it ia

17 « And the women her neighbors gave it a name, eayine, There la a eon Dora to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he i* the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18 1 Now these are the generations of Pha^ rez J " Pharez begat Hezron,

19 And HezroQ begat Ram, and *^ST~ Ram begat Amrainndab, a

20 And Amminadab i begat Nah- amil^bt. ghon, and Nahshon begat ^ SalmonJ

21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz be»at Obed,

22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse becat

And so be must be by Iwng in her bosom, even if services in future life wer« wnoRy left out of the question. These Qsigfaboun of Naomi were akilfiil people. See on ver. 16. Other meanings^ of which I am not ignorant, have been derived from these words 1 those who prefer them have my consent.

He is the father qf Jesse, the father Davld\ And for the sake of this coaclusion, to ascertain the line of Itevid, and, tn the counsel of God, to fix and ascertain the Use of the Hesaiah, was this instructive little book written, f'vea a copious paraphrase on thisand the following verses: ■hall insert the principal parts in their proper places. Verse 19. Sezron begat Ram] He is called Arom here by the Septuagint, and also by St. Matthew, ch. i. 3.

Verse 20. Amminadab bespat Nahshon] T\xt Targum adds, "And Nahshon was chief of the house of his father in the tribe of Judah." Nahslum btgat Satmon] In the Hebrew it is noVv

Salmah, which HoubigorU thinks was an error of an ancient scribe, before any final letters were acknowledged in the Hebrew alphabet: for then the word jvould be written psSv Salmon, which a scribe, after final letters were admitted, mi^t mistake for tid'jv Salmah, and so write instead of pnVv Salmon, to which the tan 1 and final | ntni| in conjunction p bear some resemblance.

The T^rgvm calls him " Salmah. the Just; he was die Salmah of Beth-lehem and Neto)na, whose sons abolished the watches which Jeroboam set over the highways ■ and their works and the works of their biher were good in Netopha."

Verse 21. And Salmon begat Boax] The ThrguM goes on, "And Salmon besfat Absan the judge; be is Boax the Just, on account of whose righteotisness the people of the house of Israel were redeemed from the bands of their enemies; and at whose supplication the fkmins departed from the land of Israel."

Verse 22. And Obed begat Jesse] " Who," save the Targum, "also is called Nachash vnj because neither iniquity nor corruption was fbund in him, that he should bs delivered into the hands of the angel of death, that he mi^t take away his soul from him. And he lived many days until the counsel was remembered before the Lorc^ that the serpent gave to Eve, the wife of Adam, that should eat of the tree; by eating of the fruit of which they became wise, to diBtinguiah between good and evil; and by that counsel, all toe inhabitants of ihe earth became niiliy of death: and by this iniquity, Jesse the Just died." 3ere is no mean or indistinct reference to the doctrine ol original sin: and it sliows us, at least, what ihd' very ancient rabbins thought on this subject. I should observe that these additions are taken from the London Polyglott: they are not found in that of Antwerp; but they are die same tlmt sfipears in the Targum of the great Bible printed hy Bamberg, at Venice, in 1647-49.

And Jesse begat David] To this no comment is added by the Targumis^ as tbehistoiy of thiskingis fbiuidinthe following book.

The ten persons whose genealogy is recorded in the fivs last verses, may be found, with a trifling change of namt^ in the genealogical lis^ in Hatt. ch. i. ver. ^ ^ 6. as forming important links in the line ol the Messiah. To introduce this, appears to have been the principal olgect of the writer, as introductory to the following books, where the history of David, the regal progenitor and type of thtt Messiah, is so panicularly detailed.

For the account of the birth of Pharez and hit brother Zara, the reader is requested to refer to Gen. ch. xxzviU. ver. 12—30. and to the notes there; and for several particulars in the gmealogy ilsell^ to (be notes on Matt i. and Luke iii. where the wisdom, goodness, and providence of God, in the preservation of this line, are partieutarly noticed,

We have already seen that Archbishop Usiber pIsoM the event mentioned here, in A.M. 2686^ about me hundred years after the conquest of Canaan.

THIS «Dd tba three fidlowiDB booki vers ftU formerly temwd the F^rgt, Soeotid, TTtxrd, and Fourth Bookt ^ ASnn; and the two boofcaof Sa-mud nuMte io ancient timca but onei uid the wpanuon which hu taken plaoe^ aeemi to nave been done without reaeon or neceaaiw. Theae boolu are, properly speaking, a continuation of the Book of Jadgu; aa thev give ua on account of the remaining judgca of lanel, down to Ihe aleotion of Saul; and of all lb* kings 01 Iirael and Judah, to the Babylonish captivi^.

Of thiabook, called the Firat Book of Samuel, the following are the contents:— The birth and education of Samuel; the hi^ priesthood Eii t the Philistines attack the iBiaelitea overthrow them with a terrible slaughter, tala the ark of the i.or^ and set it up in the temple of their eod Dagon; ibejr are visited with divine judgments, and. are obliged to Mad back the ark with o^rii^ and presents } Samuel, \oog acknowledged as a prophet of we Lord, takes the nvenftmant erf the people. Under his wise and pious administration, the afiiiurs of Israel become re-established, and toe Philistines are subdued. "The sons of Samuel, who principally admioislered the secular concerns of the kingdom, acting nnworthilT, lha people desire to have a king, who should be aupreme, both in civil and military aifaira. Samuel, after •xpostulations, yields to their entreaties ] and, under the direction of God, Saul, the son of Kish, while seeking the k«t asses of his blher, is met by the prophet, and anointed king over lemel. This man, not conducting himself in die

Svemment according to the direction of God, is rejected; and David, the son of Jesse, anointed king in tus place, though ul continues still in the government Tliis person soon becomes advantageously known to Israel by his single combat with a pganiie niilistina <})ie( called Goliah, whom he sla^s; on wluat thelsraelites aUack the Philistines, and pva tbem a total overthrow. Saul, envious of David's popularity, seeks his destruction; he is, in consequence, miged to escape for bis life, and lake refuge, sometimes among the Moabites, sometimes among the Philistines, and sometimes in the caves of the mountains of Judah; every where pursued by Saul, and every when; visibly protected by the LonL At last, Soul being pressed by the Philistine^ and finding that the Lord had forsaken him, had recourse to a witch that dwelt at En-dor, wnom he consulted relative to (he issue of the present war with the Phitistines; he loses the baule, and being sorely wounded, and his three sons slain, he blls on nis own sword, and expires on mount Oilboa. The niilistines find his body, and the bodies of his three sons, among dw slain; they cut off Saul's head, and affix the bodies to the walls of Beth-snan. The man of Jabesh Oilead, hearing thia, so by night, and lake the bodies from the walls of BMh-sban, bring tbem to Jaberii, burn them there, bury the bones, ana mourn over th^ fallen king, bating seven daya. Tlius concludes the First Book of Samuel.

Concerning the author of these books, there have been various conjectures. Because, in most of the Hebrew eopiei^ they bear the name of Samud, as a running title, it has been generally supposed that A« was the author. Buthianama does not appear to have been ancienity prefixed to these books, at least in those copies used by the Greek interpreter^ eommonlv called the Septuagint, as they simply term each ffaei>*ta». The Hisloru or Book <(f Kingdamo. TTic Cha^Ue has no inscription. The S^rrac and Arabic call each, The Book of Samud the ProphU; and the Vutrate, TTu Book of Sanma, umpljr. Tm Jews, in general, believe that Samuel ia the author of the twenty-aeven first owpters of diia book, which eonlain the histonr of nis own life and government, and what respects Saul and David durii^ that time. The remaining four chapters they suppose were added by the prophets Gad and Nathan. This opinion is fbunded on what is said 1 Chron. zxix. 29. rfow the adt qf David the king, first arid latt, behold they are itritUn in the book nf Samud the teer; and in the book qf NxUkan th4 prophd; ana in the book Gad the aeer. Others suppose the books to be more recent than persons already named; but that they were composed out of their ynemoir*.

But who was this compilerl Some of the moat learned among the Jews Mippose it to have been Jertmiah dispreriMtt and that the style bears a near resemblance to his prophecies. Thai they were the work of a more recent ainhor than Samuel, Ac. Grodus thinks evident, from this circumsbnce, that the names of the moniht are coinparatiTelymodem, and were not known among the ancient Jews. Others have attributed them to David; others to HezcUah; and others to Ezra the scribe, on his return from the Babylonian captivity.

Calmed s opinion is as probable as any, viz. "That these books were written by the same hand, thougli composed out of the memoirs left by persons of that lime; and that the compiler has generally used the same terma he fouini io those ntemoirai adding hero and there aomerhing of hia own, by way of illustration.' The equality of the styte.Om frequent SQlogiuma on the character and conduct of Samuel, the connexion of the materials, particular quotations and reraaite oa certain eveota, ar^ he thinks, proofs sufficiently clear of what he assumes. These books contain remarks or expreaakms which could only proceed flrain a contemporary author, and others which ore evidences of a much later age.

1. For instance, we read, chap. iii. 1. The word ^ the Lordvae preeiouain Ihoaedayt; HAerewiu noopen risum; 1 e. in the days of Eli, the high priest: hence it ia evident that the author lived in times in which prophecy was mots tommon; which, in fact, it was after Samuel, under David, and the succeeding kings of Israel and Judoh.

2. Ag^n, in the time of the author of this book, Beth-d was called Btih-aoen, chap. xiii. h.; which name wasgcven to it in derisioi^ itfUr Jer(d>oam had placed there his golden calves.

3. Again, it la aaid, chap. vi. 18. that the ark of theXord was set down in the field of Jodrna the Beih-dirmite, ithtre 4t remained to the time of Ihia author; and yet, in chap. vii. IS. he speaks of Samuel as being already desul — And Samud judged brad all the daye of hia life.

4. It ia not natural to suppoae that Samuel would have apoken of himaelf as is done chap. ii. 26: And Ou AUi Samud grew, and uhm in favour both leith the Lord and with men: but if he were dead when this hook waa written, any author might have added this with the strictest propriety.

6. In chap, xzvii.6. itissaid thotAchishgave Ziklagto David: Wherefort ZiJelagpertaindkto the king»iifJiidmk unto thia day. This is a proof that when this book was written,the kingdoms of Judah and Israel were sqMtrsiad; - and that, although the tribe of Simeon belonged to the kings of Israd, yet Ziklag, which was in dtat trib^ tcmaiBed in the hands of the kings of Judah.

Here, therefore, are proofs thai this book contains matters which must have been witten by a contemporary aittbor; and others, which could not have been inserted but in times much poelerior. These seeming contradictions are reconciled hy the hypothesis, that the books were compiled by a eompantively recent author, out of malenals of a moda prior (Mte I the author not changing many of the expressions whii^ he found in those ancient documents.

Several other proofs mi^t be here adduced to support this opinion; but as the reader will find them noticed in Hm places when tbnoreurJtia not neoessaiT to repeat tbem here. Thoae who wish to see this subject hrtber diir.w^ mayeonnlt Calmot. W« may rest satisfied with these Arss things; 1. "nut die Books of Samuel were conatnieteg outof original and auUwnticdoeoments. 2. That the eomptler was not contempomiy with the bets he nanalea. AwU 3. That both the author and time in whieh he compiled hia histonr, though oonpamtivelT more reeent thaa dM fa«a ibemsftlvas, are oevertheiess both tmcsrioin.

IVr*-^^ there was a rertain man ALE—itn; J.1 of X!amacliaini-zoE?!iim, cf mount ^t^maiM Ephraim, aod hia name was ■ Etkanah, 1. otj^ MS. aon of Jeroham, the son of Eliha, the BOD of Tohu, the son a[ Zupb, >> ao Ephrathite:

2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: uid Peninnah had childreD, but Hannah had DO children.

3 Andthismanwentupout<^hi8eity 'yearlr'' * to worship, and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in '' Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.