1 Samuel 10

1 Samuel 10:1

Threshing - floor - Which was in a place covered at the top, but open elsewhere, whither Ruth might easily come. And this work of winnowing corn was usually ended with a feast.

1 Samuel 10:2

Raiment - Thy best raiment. Known - In so familiar a way, as thou mayest do hereafter.

1 Samuel 10:3

Uncover his feet - Remove the clothes that were upon his feet; thereby to awaken him. Will tell thee - What course thou shalt take to obtain that marriage which belongs unto thee.

1 Samuel 10:7

At midnight - He did not discover her sooner.

1 Samuel 10:8

Spread thy Skirt - That is, take me to be thy wife, and perform the duty of an husband to me.

1 Samuel 10:9

Shewed kindness - Both to thy deceased husband, the continuance of whose name and memory thou seekest; and to thy mother - in - law, whose commands thou hast punctually obeyed. Followedst not - To seek thy marriage here, or in thy own country, as thou wouldst have done if thou hadst not preferred obedience to God’s command, before pleasing thyself.

1 Samuel 10:12

Perform, &c. - Take thee to wife, to raise up seed to his brother. Bishop Hall sums up the matter thus. “Boaz, instead of touching her as a wanton, blesseth her as a father, encourages her as a friend, promises her as a kinsman, rewards her as a patron, and sends her away laden with hopes and gifts, no less chast, but more happy than she came. O admirable temperance, worthy the progenitor of him, in whose lips and heart there was no guile!”

1 Samuel 10:13

Let it not, &c. - He takes care to preserve not only his conscience towards God, but his reputation, and hers also, among men.

1 Samuel 10:14

Veil - Or, the apron.

1 Samuel 10:15

Who art thou? - This is not a question of doubting, but of wonder, as if she had said, Art thou in very deed my daughter? I can hardly believe it. How camest thou hither in this manner, and thus early?

1 Samuel 10:20

Ten men - To be witnesses: for though two or three witnesses were sufficient, yet in weightier matters they used more. And ten was the usual number among the Jews, in causes of matrimony and divorce, and translation of inheritances; who were both judges of the causes, and witnesses of the fact.

1 Samuel 10:21

Naomi - Both Naomi and Ruth had an interest in this land during their lives, but he mentions only Naomi, because all was done by her direction; lest the mention of Ruth should raise a suspicion of the necessity of his marrying Ruth, before he had given his answer to the first proposition.

1 Samuel 10:23

Buy it - According to the law, Deuteronomy 25:5. To raise, &c - To revive his name, which was buried with his body, by raising up a seed to him, to be called by his name.

1 Samuel 10:24

Mar - Either because having no children of his own, he might have one, and but one son by Ruth, who, though he should carry away his inheritance, yet would not bear his name, but the name of Ruth’s husband; and so by preserving another man’s name, he should lose his own. Or, because as his inheritance would be but very little increased by this marriage, so it might be much diminished by being divided amongst his many children, which he possibly had already, and might probably have more by Ruth. My right - Which I freely resign to thee.

1 Samuel 10:25

All things - That is, in all alienation of lands. So that it is no wonder if this ceremony differ a little from that, Deuteronomy 25:9, because that concerned only one case, but this is more general. Besides, he pleads not the command of God, but only ancient custom, for this practice. Gave it - He who relinquished his right to another, plucked off his own shoe and gave it to him. This was symbolical, and a significant and convenient ceremony, as if he said, take this shoe wherewith I used to go and tread upon my land, and in that shoe do thou enter upon it, and take possession of it. This was a testimony - This was admitted for sufficient evidence in all such cases.