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In this chapter we have the wedding between Boaz and Ruth, in the circumstances of which there was something uncommon, which is kept upon record for the illustration, not only of the law concerning the marrying of a brother's widow (De 25:5-10, etc.), for cases help to expound laws, but of the gospel too, for from this marriage descended David, and the Son of David, whose espousals to the Gentile church were hereby typified. We are here told, I. How Boaz got clear of his rival, and fairly shook him off, Ru 4:1-8. II. How his marriage with Ruth was publicly solemnized, and attended with the good wishes of his neighbours, Ru 4:9-12. III. The happy issue that descended from this marriage, Obed, the grandfather of David, Ru 4:13-17. And so the book concludes with the pedigree of David, Ru 4:18-22. Perhaps it was to oblige him that the blessed Spirit directed the inserting of this story in the sacred canon, he being desirous that the virtues of his great-grandmother Ruth, together with her Gentile extraction and the singular providences that attended her, should be transmitted to posterity.
1-8
Ruth Refused by Her Kinsman (1312 BC)
简体中文
路得被亲族拒绝（主前1312年）
¹ 波阿斯上到城门，坐在那里。波阿斯所说的那亲族恰巧经过。波阿斯说："某人哪，你来坐在这里。"他就转过来坐下。 ² 波阿斯又从本城的长老中拣选了十个人，对他们说："请你们坐在这里。"他们就都坐下。 ³ 波阿斯对那亲族说："从摩押地回来的拿俄米，现在要卖我们兄弟以利米勒的那块地。 ⁴ 我想当赎这地的人正是你，其次才是我；除了你以外，再没有别人了。你若肯赎就赎，若不肯赎就告诉我，我好知道。"他说："我肯赎。" ⁵ 波阿斯说："你从拿俄米手中买这地的时候，也当娶死人的妻摩押女子路得，使死人在产业上存留他的名。" ⁶ 那亲族说："这样我就不能赎了，恐怕于我的产业有碍。你可以赎我所当赎的，我不能赎了。" ⁷ 从前在以色列中，无论买赎、交易，要定夺什么事，就脱鞋给那人。以色列人都以此作为定夺的凭据。 ⁸ 那亲族对波阿斯说："你自己买吧。"于是将鞋脱下来了。
此处可见：1. 波阿斯立即召集法庭。他本人可能就是城中的一位长老（或议员），因为他是个大财主。也许他是城中的元老，坐在首位；因为此处他似乎是以有权柄之人的身份上到城门，而非如普通人一般；如同约伯那样（伯29:7-25等）。他是犹大首领拿顺的孙子，我们不可设想他在城中的地位低于官长；而在那些淳朴的时代，他前一夜睡在禾场上麦堆的尽头，与他白日坐在城门口审断的尊荣毫不矛盾。但波阿斯为何如此急切，为何如此热切地盼望这桩婚事？路得并不富有，而是靠周济度日；并不显贵，而是个贫穷的外乡人。经上也从未说她容貌美丽；即使她曾经美丽，我们也可以设想哭泣、奔波和拾穗已使她容华凋零。但使波阿斯爱上她、急切地要促成此事的，乃是她的邻舍众口一词地称她为贤德的女子。这使她在波阿斯眼中远胜过红宝石（箴31:10）；因此他想，若娶她便可实实在在地善待她，同时也是对自己极大的美事。他于是要立即将此事定夺。那天并非开庭之日，但他请了城中十位长老在城门上的公厅聚齐——那是通常处理公务之处（得4:2）。按照城中的惯例，这么多人可能就构成一个完整的法庭。波阿斯虽是审判官，却不愿在自己的案子中独断，而希望其他长老共同参与。诚实的心意不怕公开的审查。2. 他传唤竞争对手前来听候将要向他提出的事（得4:1）："某人哪，你来坐在这里。"波阿斯当然是叫了他的名字，但圣史认为不宜将其记录下来，因为既然他拒绝为死者存留名号，就不配在这史册中将他的名字传于后世。护理眷顾了波阿斯，使这亲族恰在事情准备提出之时适时地经过。大事有时因一些 facilitating and expediting 的小插曲而大获推进。3. 他向另一位亲族提出赎买拿俄米田地之事——那田地很可能在饥荒之时已为买粮而抵押了（得4:3）："拿俄米有一块地要卖，即从受押人手中赎回的权益，她愿意出让"；也有人认为那是她终身的份，她因缺乏银钱，愿以低价将自己的权益卖给合法的继承人，他是最合适的买主。波阿斯将此依法通知了那位亲族（得4:4），使他有权优先承买。无论谁要得这地都必须付价银，波阿斯本可以说："我的银子和亲族的一样好；我若有意，既有优先承买权，为何不私下买下，也不告知亲族？"不，波阿斯虽然极想买下，却不肯做那种越过比自己更近之亲属的头的卑鄙之事；我们从他的榜样学到，在一切交易中不仅要诚实正直，还要光明磊落，不做任何不愿见光的事，要堂堂正正。4. 那亲族起初似乎乐意赎地，直到被告知若如此行就必须娶那寡妇，他便退缩了。他很喜欢那块地，也许更贪婪地抓住它，因为他指望那可怜的寡妇急于出卖，他可以因此捡到更好的便宜："我肯赎"（他说），满心以为这会为自己的产业添上一笔美产（得4:4）。但波阿斯告诉他此事中还牵涉一位年轻的寡妇，他若要得地，就必须连她一并娶过来——Terra transit cum onere——产业连同这负担一并转移；或是神圣律法或是当地风俗要求他如此行，也可能是拿俄米坚持非有此条件不肯卖地（得4:5）。有人认为这与弟兄遗孀婚姻的律法无关（因那律法似乎只约束同父之子，申25:5，除非后来因风俗而扩展到最近的亲属），而是与赎回产业的律法有关（利25:24,25），因为此处所寻求的是一位goel——一位救赎者；若如此，则是出于拿俄米自己的决定，而非律法的要求，要买者娶那寡妇。无论如何，这位亲族在听了交易条件之后便拒绝了（得4:6）："我不能赎。我不想在这些条件下参与，恐怕于我的产业有碍。"他觉得那块地可以增进自己的产业，但连那女人一起就不行了；那倒是会损害它。也许他认为娶这样一个来自异乡、几乎靠周济度日的贫穷寡妇有失身份。他幻想那会成为家族的污点，会损害他的血统，辱没他的后裔。在她眼中，她卓越的美德不足以抵消这一切。《他尔根》意译本将他拒绝的理由说成是他已有妻室，若再娶路得，可能引起家中的纷争不和，从而损害他产业的安宁。又或者他认为她可能为他生许多儿女，他们都指望从他产业中分得一份，那样产业便分散到太多人手中，家族的体面便会减损。正是这一点使许多人对那伟大的救赎望而却步：他们不愿意与信仰联姻。他们对信仰有所耳闻，也说不出什么反对的话；他们愿意说它的好话，但同时也愿意将它让出去；他们不能被它束缚，唯恐损害自己在今世的产业。天堂他们倒是愿意得着，但圣洁他们可以不要；圣洁与他们已经许配的情欲不相合，因此，无论谁愿意以那样的代价买天堂，他们是不能的。5. 赎买的权利公正地让渡给了波阿斯。这位无名亲族若是失去了一桩好买卖、一份好产业，还失去了一位好妻子，那只能怪他自己没有好好考虑；而波阿斯倒要感谢他为自己清除了道路，使他得以获得那他最为珍视和渴望的东西。古时不以文书来转让产业，像后来那样（耶32:10-12等），而是以某种记号或仪式，如同我们今日的"交付占有权"——交付房屋的钥匙，交付土地的草皮和枝条。此处所用的仪式是：出让者脱下自己的鞋（《他尔根》说是右手的手套），交给受让者，以此表明他无论有什么踏上或行走于该地之上的权利，都已基于有价对价而转让给了买主：这是在以色列中的凭据（得4:7）。此事在本案中也照此行了（得4:8）。若这位亲族是受律法约束必须娶路得，而他的拒绝是对那律法的轻慢，那么路得当脱下他的鞋，吐唾沫在他脸上（申25:9）。但虽然他的亲属关系在某种程度上使他有义务尽此本分，他亲属关系的远近却可使他免于刑罚，或者路得很可以不追究，因为他的拒绝正是她所盼望的。但帕特里克主教和最优秀的解经家们认为这与那律法无关，脱鞋在此并非像在那里一样是一种羞辱，而是对让渡的确认，并证明此让渡不是以欺诈或偷偷摸摸的方式取得的。须知，在一切契约和商业事务中，公平而公开的交易，是一切想要证明自己确实是无诡诈的真以色列人的人所当凭良心持守的。波阿斯买得此项权利，比他若是暗中算计亲族、背着他与拿俄米私下成交，要体面诚实多少啊。诚实终将被证明是最好的策略。
英文原文
Ruth Refused by Her Kinsman (1312 BC)
¹ Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
² And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
³ And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:
⁴ And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
⁵ Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field 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 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.
⁷ Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.
⁸ Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.
Here, 1. Boaz calls a court immediately. It is probable he was himself one of the elders (or aldermen) of the city; for he was a mighty man of wealth. Perhaps he was father of the city, and sat chief; for he seems here to have gone up to the gate as one having authority, and not as a common person; like Job, Job 29:7-25, etc. We cannot suppose him less than a magistrate in his city who was grandson to Nahshon, prince of Judah; and his lying at the end of a heap of corn in the threshing-floor the night before was not at all inconsistent, in those days of plainness, with the honour of his sitting judge in the gate. But why was Boaz so hasty, why so fond of the match? Ruth was not rich, but lived upon alms; not honourable, but a poor stranger. She was never said to be beautiful; if ever she had been so, we may suppose that weeping, and travelling, and gleaning, had withered her lilies and roses. But that which made Boaz in love with her, and solicitous to expedite the affair, was that all her neighbours agreed she was a virtuous woman. This set her price with him far above rubies (Pr 31:10); and therefore he thinks, if by marrying her he might do her a real kindness, he should also do himself a very great kindness. He will therefore bring it to a conclusion immediately. It was not court-day, but he got ten men of the elders of the city to meet him in the town-hall over the gate, where public business used to be transacted, Ru 4:2. So many, it is probable, by the custom of the city, made a full court. Boaz, though a judge, would not be judge in his own cause, but desired the concurrence of other elders. Honest intentions dread not a public cognizance. 2. He summons his rival to come and hear the matter that was to be proposed to him (Ru 4:1): "Ho, such a one, sit down here." He called him by his name, no doubt, but the divine historian thought not fit to record it, for, because he refused to raise up the name of the dead, he deserved not to have his name preserved to future ages in this history. Providence favoured Boaz in ordering it so that this kinsman should come by thus opportunely, just when the matter was ready to be proposed to him. Great affairs are sometimes much furthered by small circumstances, which facilitate and expedite them. 3. He proposes to the other kinsman the redemption of Naomi's land, which, it is probable, had been mortgaged for money to buy bread with when the famine was in the land (Ru 4:3): "Naomi has a parcel of land to sell, namely, the equity of the redemption of it out of the hands of the mortgagee, which she is willing to part with;" or, as some think, it was her jointure for her life, and, wanting money, for a small matter she would sell her interest to the heir at law, who was fittest to be the purchaser. This he gives the kinsman legal notice of (Ru 4:4), that he might have the refusal of it. Whoever had it must pay for it, and Boaz might have said, "My money is as good as my kinsman's; if I have a mind to it, why may not I buy it privately, since I had the first proffer of it, and say nothing to my kinsman?" No, Boaz, though fond enough of the purchase, would not do so mean a thing as to take a bargain over another man's head that was nearer a-kin to it; and we are taught by his example to be not only just and honest, but fair and honourable, in all our dealings, and to do nothing which we are unwilling should see the light, but be above-board. 4. The kinsman seemed forward to redeem the land till he was told that, if he did that, he must marry the widow, and then he flew off. He liked the land well enough, and probably caught at that the more greedily because he hoped that the poor widow being under a necessity of selling he have so much the better bargain: "I will redeem it" (said he) "with all my heart," thinking it would be a fine addition to his estate, Ru 4:4. But Boaz told him there was a young widow in the case, and, if he have the land, he must take her with it, Terra transit cum onere—The estate passes with this incumbrance; either the divine law or the usage of the country would oblige him to it, or Naomi insisted upon it that she would not sell the land but upon this condition, Ru 4:5. Some think this does not relate to the law of marrying the brother's widow (for that seems to oblige only the children of the same father, De 25:5, unless by custom it was afterwards made to extend to the next of kin), but to the law of redemption of inheritances (Le 25:24,25), for it is a goel, a redeemer, that is here enquired for; and if so it was not by the law, but by Naomi's own resolution, that the purchaser was to marry the widow. However it was, this kinsman, when he heard the conditions of the bargain, refused it (Ru 4:6): "I cannot redeem it for myself. I will not meddle with it upon these terms, lest I mar my own inheritance." The land, he thought, would be an improvement of his inheritance, but not the land with the woman; that would mar it. Perhaps he thought it would be a disparagement to him to marry such a poor widow that had come from a strange country, and almost lived upon alms. He fancied it would be a blemish to his family, it would mar his blood, and disgrace his posterity. Her eminent virtues were not sufficient in his eye to counterbalance this. The Chaldee paraphrase makes his reason for this refusal to be that he had another wife, and, if he should take Ruth, it might occasion strife and contention in his family, which would mar the comfort of his inheritance. Or he thought she might bring him a great many children, and they would all expect shares out of his estate, which would scatter it into too many hands, so that the family would make the less figure. This makes many shy of the great redemption: they are not willing to espouse religion. They have heard well of it, and have nothing to say against it; they will give it their good word, but at the same time they will give their good word with it; they are willing to part with it, and cannot be bound to it, for fear of marring their own inheritance in this world. Heaven they could be glad of, but holiness they can dispense with; it will not agree with the lusts they have already espoused, and therefore, let who will purchase heaven at that rate, they cannot. 5. The right of redemption is fairly resigned to Boaz. If this nameless kinsman lost a good bargain, a good estate, and a good wife too, he may thank himself for not considering it better, and Boaz will thank him for making his way clear to that which he valued and desired above any thing. In those ancient times it was not the usage to pass estates by writings, as afterwards (Jer 32:10-12, etc.), but by some sign or ceremony, as with us by livery and seisin, as we commonly call it, that is, the delivery of seisin, seisin of a house by giving the key, of land by giving turf and a twig. The ceremony here used was, he that surrendered plucked off his shoe (the Chaldee says it was the glove of his right hand) and gave it to him to whom he made the surrender, intimating thereby that, whatever right he had to tread or go upon the land, he conveyed and transferred it, upon a valuable consideration, to the purchaser: this was a testimony in Israel, Ru 4:7. And it was done in this case, Ru 4:8. If this kinsman had been bound by the law to marry Ruth, and his refusal had been a contempt of that law, Ruth must have plucked off his shoe and spit in his face, De 25:9. But, though his relation should in some measure oblige him to the duty, yet the distance of his relation might serve to excuse him from the penalty, or Ruth might very well dispense with it, since his refusal was all she desired from him. But bishop Patrick, and the best interpreters, think this had no relation to that law, and that the drawing off of the shoe was not any disgrace as there, but a confirmation of the surrender, and an evidence that it was not fraudulently nor surreptitiously obtained. Note, Fair and open dealing in all matters of contract and commerce is what all those must make conscience of that would approve themselves Israelites indeed, without guile. How much more honourably and honestly does Boaz come by this purchase than if he had secretly undermined his kinsman, and privately struck up a bargain with Naomi, unknown to him. Honesty will be found the best policy.
9-12
Ruth Married to Boaz (1312 BC)
简体中文
路得与波阿斯成婚（主前1312年）
⁹ 波阿斯对长老和众民说："你们今日作见证。凡属以利米勒和基连、玛伦的，我都从拿俄米手中置买了。 ¹⁰ 我又买了玛伦的妻摩押女子路得为妻，好使死人在产业上存留他的名，免得死人的名在本弟兄本乡被剪除。你们今日作见证。" ¹¹ 在城门坐着的众民和长老都说："我们作见证。愿耶和华使进你家的这女子，像建立以色列家的拉结、利亚二人一样。愿你在以法他得亨通，在伯利恒得名声。 ¹² 愿你的家像她玛从犹大所生法勒斯的家。愿耶和华从这少年女子赐你后裔。"
波阿斯如今道路已通，因此不再迟延，立即履行他对路得所许的诺言——要尽至亲的本分。他在城门口，在长老和众百姓面前，公开宣布了他与摩押女子路得之间的婚约，以及与此相关的、对以利米勒家族全部产业的购置。他若不是（得2:1）一个有大财力的人，便无力成就这赎回之事，也不能为他亲族的家族尽此效力。庞大的产业有何益处呢？岂不是使人能在自己的世代中行更多的善——尤其对自己的家人——只要他有如此使用的心志！如今关于这桩婚事，我们可以看到：
I. 它是在许多见证人面前隆重举行——或至少是公开宣布的（得4:9,10）。"你们作见证，"1."我已买下了那产业。无论谁手中持有其中任何部分的抵押，让他来找我，他必照地价得着银钱"——地价是按距禧年的年数来估算的（利25:15），到那一年产业本当归还以利米勒的家族。产业交易越是公开，便越能防范欺诈。2."我已买了那寡妇为妻。"她没有嫁妆；她原有的份也附带负担，他若不付出与价值相当的代价便不能得着，因此他完全可以说是"买"了她；然而，她既是贤德的女子，他便认为自己做了一笔好买卖。房屋钱财是祖宗所遗留的遗产，但贤慧的妻子更为宝贵，是耶和华特别的恩赐。他娶她，是为了存留死人的纪念，使玛伦的名——虽然他没有儿子来承继——不致从本城门口被剪除，而可以借此保存：在公共户籍册上记明波阿斯娶了以利米勒之子玛伦的遗孀路得；后人若需要查阅户籍册，必会特别注意到这一条。而这段历史，正是因这桩婚姻及其后裔的缘故而得以保存，竟成了使玛伦之名永存的有效手段——甚至超出了波阿斯所思所愿，直到世界的末了。请注意，正因为波阿斯如此尊荣死者、善待活人，神也赐尊荣给他，使他列入弥赛亚的家谱之中——借此他的家族得着了超越以色列一切家族的尊荣；而另一位亲族，因如此害怕因娶寡妇而损害自己、危及自己的产业，他的名字、家族和产业却都埋葬于遗忘和羞辱之中。对死者的尊荣和贫穷寡妇、外乡人之安慰的温柔而慷慨的关切——他们都不能回报这份善行（路14:14）——必蒙神喜悦，也必蒙报答。我们的主耶稣是我们的Goel——我们的救赎主——我们永远的救赎主。祂像波阿斯一样，以怜悯的目光注视着堕落人类可悲的处境。祂以极大的代价为我们赎回了因罪而抵押、丧失于神圣公义手中的天国产业——这本是我们永远无力赎回的。祂也买了一群特别的子民，归自己为妻——虽然他们如路得一样是外邦人、贫穷而被轻看——为要使那已死已葬之种族的名不致永远被剪除。祂冒着损害自己产业的危险来成就此事，因为祂本为富，却为我们成了贫穷；但祂的天父丰丰富富地报偿了祂——因祂如此谦卑自己，天父便将祂升为至高，赐给祂那超乎万名之上的名。让我们承认自己对祂所欠的债，确保我们与祂所立的约，并终生研究如何尊荣祂。波阿斯公开宣告这桩婚事和买卖，不仅以公告的方式确保了自己的权利，免受一切觊觎者的干扰，也尊重了路得，表明他并不以她、她的出身和贫穷为耻，并为暗中的婚姻留下了警戒。唯有恶事才恨光，不来就光。波阿斯为他所作之事召集了见证人，因为这是他能自证正当、也永不否认的事；当时连被人轻看的群众也受到如此的尊重——不仅长老，连所有在城门口出入的百姓都被告知（得4:9），并得到回应（得4:11）——他们说：我们作见证。
II. 这桩婚事伴随着许多祷告。长老和众百姓在作见证之时，也为之祝福祈愿（得4:11,12）。看来路得此时已被请来；因为他们提到她时（得4:12）以她为在场之人：这少年女子；他既已娶她为妻，他们便看她为已经进入他的家了。他们为新婚夫妇恳切地祷告。
1. 大概是年长的长老率先作此祷告，其余的长老和百姓与他同心合意，因此经上将这祷告归于他们全体；因为在公共祷告中，虽然只有一人发言，我们都当一同祷告。请注意：(1.) 婚姻当受祝福，并以祷告相伴，因为一切受造之物和一切境遇对我们是好是坏，全在乎神如何使用它们。对进入婚姻之人祝愿一切幸福，是礼貌也是友善；我们所愿的善，当向那一切美善的源头祈求。那专心致力于圣道和祷告的牧者，既是最适合劝勉的人，也是最适合作祝福和代祷的人——为进入此关系之人。(2.) 我们当彼此渴慕和祈求福祉与通达，而不当嫉妒或为之忧愁。
2. 此处：(1.) 他们为路得祷告：愿耶和华使进你家的这女子像拉结和利亚，即"愿神使她成为好妻子和多子的母亲。"路得是贤德的女子，却仍需朋友的代祷，使她靠着神的恩典成为她所进入之家的祝福。他们祈愿她像拉结和利亚，而不是像撒拉和利百加，因为撒拉只有一个儿子，利百加只有一个在圣约中的儿子——另一个是被弃的以扫；而拉结和利亚却建立了以色列家——她们的儿女都在教会中，后裔繁多。"愿她作一棵在你家旁茂盛结果、忠贞的葡萄树。"(2.) 他们为波阿斯祷告，愿他在他所妆饰的城中继续行得尊贵，在那里越来越有名。他们愿妻子在家事上成为祝福，丈夫在城镇公务上成为祝福——愿她在她位上、他在他位上都智慧、有德、通达。请注意，得名的途径是行得尊贵。大名望必须靠大功劳来获得。仅仅不作卑劣之事、无害无过是不够的，我们必须行得尊贵——对我们的世代有所贡献、有所帮助。那些真正要发光的人，必须在自己的位上如明光照耀。(3.) 他们为这个家族祷告："愿你的家像法勒斯的家，"即"愿它极其众多，大大增加繁衍，正如法勒斯的家那样。"伯利恒人属于法勒斯的家，深知它多么人多势众；在支派分配中，雅各的这个孙子得着了其余人（除了玛拿西和以法莲之外）所得不到的尊荣——他的后裔被细分为两个独立的家族，即希斯伦和哈母勒（民26:21）。如今他们祷告，波阿斯的家族——那族中的一支——日久之后能像如今整个一族那样人多势大。
英文原文
Ruth Married to Boaz (1312 BC)
⁹ And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
¹⁰ Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
¹¹ And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth-lehem:
¹² And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.
Boaz now sees his way clear, and therefore delays not to perform his promise made to Ruth that he would do the kinsman's part, but in the gate of the city, before the elders and all the people, publishes a marriage-contract between himself and Ruth the Moabitess, and therewith the purchase of all the estate that belonged to the family of Elimelech. If he had not been (Ru 2:1) a mighty man of wealth, he could not have compassed this redemption, nor done this service to his kinsman's family. What is a great estate good for, but that it enables a man to do so much the more good in his generation, and especially to those of his own household, if he have but a heart to use it so! Now concerning this marriage it appears,
I. That it was solemnized, or at least published, before many witnesses, Ru 4:9,10. "You are witnesses," 1. "That I have bought the estate. Whoever has it, or any part of it, mortgaged to him, let him come to me and he shall have his money, according to the value of the land," which was computed by the number of years to the year of jubilee (Le 25:15), when it would have returned of course to Elimelech's family. The more public the sales of estates are the better they are guarded against frauds. 2. "That I have purchased the widow to be my wife." He had no portion with her; what jointure she had was encumbered, and he could not have it without giving as much for it as it was worth, and therefore he might well say he purchased her; and yet, being a virtuous woman, he reckoned he had a good bargain. House and riches are the inheritance of fathers, but a prudent wife is more valuable, is from the Lord as a special gift. He designed, in marrying her, to preserve the memory of the dead, that the name of Mahlon, though he left no son to bear it up, might not be cut off from the gate of his place, but by this means might be preserved, that it should be inserted in the public register that Boaz married Ruth the widow of Mahlon, the son of Elimelech, which posterity, whenever they had occasion to consult the register, would take particular notice of. And this history, being preserved for the sake of that marriage and the issue of it, proved an effectual means to perpetuate the name of Mahlon, even beyond the thought or intention of Boaz, to the world's end. And observe that because Boaz did this honour to the dead, as well as this kindness to the living, God did him the honour to bring him into the genealogy of the Messiah, by which his family was dignified above all the families of Israel; while the other kinsman, that was so much afraid of diminishing himself, and marring his inheritance, by marrying the widow, has his name, family, and inheritance, buried in oblivion and disgrace. A tender and generous concern for the honour of the dead and the comfort of poor widows and strangers, neither of which can return the kindness (Lu 14:14), is sure what God will be well pleased with and will surely recompense. Our Lord Jesus is our Goel, our Redeemer, our everlasting Redeemer. He looked, like Boaz, with compassion on the deplorable state of fallen mankind. At a vast expense he redeemed the heavenly inheritance for us, which by sin was mortgaged, and forfeited into the hands of divine justice, and which we should never have been able to redeem. He likewise purchased a peculiar people, whom he would espouse to himself, though strangers and foreigners, like Ruth, poor and despised, that the name of that dead and buried race might not be cut off for ever. He ventured the marring of his own inheritance, to do this, for, though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor; but he was abundantly recompensed for it by his Father, who, because he thus humbled himself, hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name. Let us own our obligations to him, make sure our contract with him, and study all our days how to do him honour. Boaz, by making a public declaration of this marriage and purchase, not only secured his title against all pretenders, as it were by a fine with proclamations, but put honour upon Ruth, showed that he was not ashamed of her, and her parentage and poverty, and left a testimony against clandestine marriages. It is only that which is evil that hates the light and comes not to it. Boaz called witnesses to what he did, for it was what he could justify, and would never disown; and such regard was then had, even to the contemned crowd, that not only the elders, but all the people that were in the gate, passing and re-passing, were appealed to (Ru 4:9), and hearkened to (Ru 4:11) when they said, We are witnesses.
II. That it was attended with many prayers. The elders and all the people, when they witnessed to it, wished well to it, and blessed it, Ru 4:11,12. Ruth, it should seem, was now sent for; for they speak of her (Ru 4:12) as present: This young woman; and, he having taken her to wife, they look upon her as already come into his house. And very heartily they pray for the new-married couple.
1. The senior elder, it is likely, made this prayer, and the rest of the elders, with the people, joined in it, and therefore it is spoken of as made by them all; for in public prayers, though but one speaks, we must all pray. Observe, (1.) Marriages ought to be blessed, and accompanied with prayer, because every creature and every condition are that to us, and no more, that God makes them to be. It is civil and friendly to wish all happiness to those who enter into that condition; and what good we desire we should pray for from the fountain of all good. The minister who gives himself to the word and prayer, as he is the fittest person to exhort, so he is the fittest to bless and pray for those that enter into this relation. (2.) We ought to desire and pray for the welfare and prosperity one of another, so far from envying or grieving at it.
2. Now here, (1.) They prayed for Ruth: The Lord make the woman that has come into thy house like Rachel and Leah, that is, "God make her a good wife and a fruitful mother." Ruth was a virtuous woman, and yet needed the prayers of her friends, that by the grace of God she might be made a blessing to the family she had come into. They prayed that she might be like Rachel and Leah, rather than like Sarah and Rebekah, for Sarah had but one son, and Rebekah but one that was in covenant, the other was Esau, who was rejected; but Rachel and Leah did build up the house of Israel: all their children were in the church, and their offspring was numerous. "May she be a flourishing, fruitful, faithful vine by thy house side." (2.) They prayed for Boaz, that he might continue to do worthily in the city to which he was an ornament, and might there be more and more famous. They desired that the wife might be a blessing in the private affairs of the house, and the husband a blessing in the public business of the town, that she in her place, and he in his, might be wise, virtuous, and successful. Observe, The way to be famous is to do worthily. Great reputation must be obtained by great merits. It is not enough not to do unworthily, to be harmless and inoffensive, but we must do worthily, be useful and serviceable to our generation. Those that would be truly illustrious must in their places shine as lights. (3.) They prayed for the family: "Let thy house be like the house of Pharez," that is, "let it be very numerous, let it greatly increase and multiply, as the house of Pharez did." The Bethlehemites were of the house of Pharez, and knew very well how numerous it was; in the distribution of the tribes, that grandson of Jacob had the honour which none of the rest had but Manasseh and Ephraim, that his posterity was subdivided into two distinct families, Hezron and Hamul, Nu 26:21. Now they prayed that the family of Boaz, which was one branch of that stock, might in process of time become as numerous and great as the whole stock now was.
13-22
The Pedigree of David; Naomi Comforted in Her Grandson (1312 BC)
简体中文
大卫的家谱；拿俄米因孙子得安慰（主前1312年）
¹³ 于是波阿斯娶了路得为妻，与她同房。耶和华使她怀孕生子。 ¹⁴ 妇人们对拿俄米说："耶和华是应当称颂的。因为今日没有撇下你使你无至近的亲属。愿这人在以色列中得名声。 ¹⁵ 他必提起你的精神，奉养你的老年的。因为是爱你的儿媳所生的。有这儿媳比有七个儿子还好。" ¹⁶ 拿俄米就把孩子抱在怀中，作他的养母。 ¹⁷ 邻舍的妇人说："拿俄米得孩子了。"就给孩子起名叫俄备得。这俄备得是耶西的父亲耶西的父，大卫的祖父。 ¹⁸ 法勒斯的后代记在下面：法勒斯生希斯伦， ¹⁹ 希斯伦生兰，兰生亚米拿达， ²⁰ 亚米拿达生拿顺，拿顺生撒门， ²¹ 撒门生波阿斯，波阿斯生俄备得， ²² 俄备得生耶西，耶西生大卫。
此处可见：I. 路得成了妻子。波阿斯按照通行的礼仪将她迎入家中，她成了他的妻子（得4:13）。全城无疑都为这位贤德女子——纯粹因她的美德——所得的高升而庆贺。我们有理由相信，那从拿俄米回到本国和她神那里的俄珥巴，从未得到路得这样美满的婚配。凡为基督撇下一切的，必在祂里面得着更多——在今世就得着百倍的报偿。如今俄珥巴巴不得自己也跟着拿俄米走了；但她像那另一位亲族一样，挡了自己的路。波阿斯曾祷告，愿这位敬虔的归信者从她来投靠其翅膀下的以色列神那里，得着勇气和坚定的丰满赏赐；如今他自己成了那恩惠的器皿——这正应允了他的祷告，也帮助他兑现了自己的话。如今她可以管辖她从前所同伴的仆人，拥有她从前在其中拾穗的田地。如此，神从灰尘中抬举贫寒人，使他们与王子同坐（诗113:7,8）。
II. 路得成了母亲：耶和华使她怀孕；因为所怀的胎是祂的赏赐（诗127:3）。这是祂手中所持的钥匙之一；祂有时使那素来不生育的女子成为快乐的母亲（诗113:9，赛54:1）。
III. 路得仍然是儿媳——她对拿俄米一如以往，毫不改变；拿俄米非但没有被遗忘，反而是这些新喜乐中的主要分享者。在孩子出生时在场的好妇人们，向拿俄米道贺，甚于向波阿斯或路得，因为她是这桩婚事的撮合者，也是她丈夫的家族借此被建立的。请看此处，与先前一样，当时以色列人即便在日常的客气话中也弥漫着何等敬虔的气息。孩子的出生伴有向神的祷告。可惜这样的敬虔言辞在基督徒中间竟然废弃不用，或流于形式。"耶和华是应当称颂的，因祂赐给你这个孙子"（得4:14,15）。1. 这孩子是她的家族之名的保存者，而且她们盼望他将来会像他父亲那样有名。2. 这孩子将来会对她孝顺恩慈——她们如此盼望，因为他的母亲正是如此。他只要像他母亲，就必成为年迈祖母的安慰，是提起她精神的人；若有所需，也必有能力奉养她的晚年。对于那些年事渐长的人来说，看见自己的后代中有长大的、在神的祝福下有望在他们将来需要扶持之时——在那些他们说毫无乐趣的年日里——成为他们的依靠与支持，这实在是极大的安慰。请注意，她们论到路得说，她爱拿俄米，因此比七个儿子还好。请看，神在祂的护理中有时以我们期望最少的人，弥补我们原指望从其中得最多安慰的亲人的缺失与损失。爱的纽带比血亲的纽带更坚固；有一朋友比弟兄更亲密；此处便有一位儿媳胜过亲生的儿女。请看智慧和恩典能做什么。此处可见：(1.) 孩子由邻舍命名（得4:17）。妇人们愿叫他俄备得——即"仆人"——或是为纪念母亲的卑微贫穷，或是盼望他将来作祖母的仆人，大有用处。出身再高贵的人，甘心作神、作朋友、作自己世代的仆人，并不羞辱。威尔士亲王的格言正是Ich dien——我服事。(2.) 孩子由祖母照料——即母亲断奶之后由祖母抚养（得4:16）。她把孩子抱在怀中，作为她对孩子温柔的爱和悉心照料的标记。祖母往往最为疼爱。
IV. 路得因此被列入大卫和基督的先祖之中——这是最大的尊荣。此处所载的家谱从法勒斯开始，经由波阿斯和俄备得，一直到大卫，如此引向弥赛亚，因此这并不是一份无尽的家谱。
英文原文
The Pedigree of David; Naomi Comforted in Her Grandson (1312 BC)
¹³ So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.
¹⁴ And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
¹⁵ And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
¹⁶ And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
¹⁷ And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
¹⁸ Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
¹⁹ And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
²⁰ And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
²¹ And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
²² And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
Here is, I. Ruth a wife. Boaz took her, with the usual solemnities, to his house, and she became his wife (Ru 4:13), all the city, no doubt, congratulating the preferment of a virtuous woman, purely for her virtues. We have reason to think that Orpah, who returned from Naomi to her people and her gods, was never half so well preferred as Ruth was. He that forsakes all for Christ shall find more than all with him; it shall be recompensed a hundred-fold in this present time. Now Orpah wished she had gone with Naomi too; but she, like the other kinsman, stood in her own light. Boaz had prayed that this pious proselyte might receive a full reward of her courage and constancy from the God of Israel, under whose wings she had come to trust; and now he became an instrument of that kindness, which was an answer to his prayer, and helped to make his own words good. Now she had the command of those servants with whom she had associated and of those fields in which she had gleaned. Thus sometimes God raiseth up the poor out of the dust, to set them with princes, Ps 113:7,8.
II. Ruth a mother: The Lord gave her conception; for the fruit of the womb is his reward, Ps 127:3. It is one of the keys he hath in his hand; and he sometimes makes the barren woman that had been long so to be a joyful mother of children, Ps 113:9, Isa 54:1.
III. Ruth still a daughter-in-law, and the same that she always was, to Naomi, who was so far from being forgotten that she was a principal sharer in these new joys. The good women that were at the labour when this child was born congratulated Naomi upon it more than either Boaz or Ruth, because she was the match-maker, and it was the family of her husband that was hereby built up. See here, as before, what an air of devotion there was then even in the common expressions of civility among the Israelites. Prayer to God attended the birth of the child. What a pity it is that such pious language should either be disused among Christians or degenerate into a formality. "Blessed be the Lord that has sent thee this grandson," Ru 4:14,15. 1. Who was the preserver of the name of her family, and who, they hoped, would be famous, because his father was so. 2. Who would be hereafter dutiful and kind to her, so they hoped, because his mother was so. If he would but take after her, he would be a comfort to his aged grandmother, a restorer of her life, and, if there should be occasion, would have wherewithal to be the nourisher of her old age. It is a great comfort to those that are going into years to see any of those that descend from them growing up, that are likely, by the blessing of God, to be a stay and support to them, when the years come wherein they will need such, and of which they will say they have no pleasure in them. Observe, They say of Ruth that she loved Naomi, and therefore was better to her than seven sons. See how God in his providence sometimes makes up the want and loss of those relations from whom we expected most comfort in those from whom we expected least. The bonds of love prove stronger than those of nature, and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother; so here there was a daughter-in-law better than an own child. See what wisdom and grace will do. Now here, (1.) The child is named by the neighbours, Ru 4:17. The good women would have it called Obed, a servant, either in remembrance of the meanness and poverty of the mother or in prospect of his being hereafter a servant, and very serviceable, to his grandmother. It is no dishonour to those that are ever so well born to be servants to God, their friends, and their generation. The motto of the princes of Wales is Ich dien—I serve. (2.) The child is nursed by the grandmother, that is, dry-nursed, when the mother had weaned him from the breast, Ru 4:16. She laid it in her bosom, in token of her tender affection to it and care of it. Grandmothers are often the most fond.
IV. Ruth is hereby brought in among the ancestors of David and Christ, which was the greatest honour. The genealogy is here drawn from Pharez, through Boaz and Obed, to David, and so leads towards the Messiah, and therefore it is not an endless genealogy.
路得记第四章概述
本章记载了波阿斯与路得的婚事，其情形颇有特殊之处，之所以载之于册，不仅是为了阐明关于弟兄遗孀婚姻的律法（申25:5-10等）——因案例有助于解释律法——更是为了彰显福音的奥秘，因为从这桩婚姻生出了大卫，以及大卫的子孙，而祂与外邦教会的联姻正由此预表。本章内容如下：I. 波阿斯如何排除了竞争对手，公正地将其摆脱（得4:1-8）。II. 他与路得的婚姻如何公开地隆重缔结，并有邻舍的祝福相随（得4:9-12）。III. 这桩婚姻所结的美好果实——俄备得，即大卫的祖父（得4:13-17）。全书以大卫的家谱作结（得4:18-22）。或许正是为了成全大卫的缘故，圣灵才引导将这段故事纳入正典，因他渴望使其曾祖母路得的德行、她的外邦出身，以及伴随她一生的非凡护理，都传于后世。