SECTION XXXI

Ruth 3:18

Text:

v‚7¦1ƒ‘o!t‘h1ƒ AhÜ!t7v «y`e}AÐh t‹µ h±1ƒ r×7c7� k`±ŸÐh Lh„2t ihÜ!g0s2¯ r±#A4t s*g‰ hÜ!¯1c h±1c}A «r#nt`«¯•u   jh

:o¨œ8v r„7c7�8v

Targum:

TANAKH	Translation	SEPTUAGINT	Translation
r#nt`«¯•u	and she said
h±1c}A	wait
hÜ!¯1c	my daughter
s*g‰	until
r±#A4t	when
ihÜ!g0s2¯	you find out
Lh„2t	what
k`±ŸÐh	he happens
r×7c7�	matter
h±1ƒ	for
t‹µ	not
«y`e}AÐh	he will rest
AhÜ!t7v	the man
‘h1ƒ	for
‘o!t	when
v‚7¦1ƒ	he settles
r„7c7�8v	the matter
:o¨œ8v	the day

Peshitta

3:18 Then her mother-in-law said to her, Sit still, my daughter, until you know the outcome; for the man will not rest until he brings the case to judgment today.

Stone’s Translation

3:18 Then she said, “Sit [patiently], my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out, for the man will not rest unless he settles the matter today.”

KJV

3:18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

Septuagint

Ruth 3:18 hJ de; ei\pen kavqou quvgater e{w" tou' ejpignw'naiv se pw'" ouj pesei'tai rJh'ma ouj ga;r mh; hJsucavsh/ oJ ajnhvr e{w" a]n televsh/ to; rJh'ma shvmeron

Ruth 3:18 Then she said, “Sit, my daughter, until you find out how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until the matter is concluded this day.”

Peshat Level:

Targum

18- Then Naomi said: "Abide with me at home, my daughter, until you find out how it is decreed by God and how the matter is decided, for the man will not rest unless he complete the matter satisfactorily today."

Rashi

3:18 Unless he finishes (Unless) the man (finishes) “the matter today.”

Gemarah Level:

Midrash Level:

Midrash Rabbah

Ruth VII:6 THEN SAID SHE: SIT STILL MY DAUGHTER... FOR THE MAN WILL NOT REST, UNTIL HE HAVE FINISHED THE THING (ib. 18). R. Huna said in the name of R. Samuel b. Isaac: The yes of the righteous is yes, and their no, no, as it is said, FOR THE MAN WILL NOT REST UNTIL HE HAVE FINISHED THE THING THIS DAY.

Zohar Level:

Other Commentaries:

Me’am Lo’ez

3:18 Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall. For the man will not rest unless he settles the matter today.”

Ruth wanted to return to help with the winnowing, which could not possibly have been completed in a single evening. But Naomi advised her to stay home, in readiness for Boaz to call her. “It will not be long,” she assured her. “Even as you are resting here, he will be busy settling the matter of your redemption.”

Ruth worried that she might be redeemed by Tov, who had a wife and children, to which he later alluded when he said, “lest I ruin my inheritance” (v. 4:6). So Naomi told her to “sit.” She could rest assured that Boaz would settle the matter, i.e., by redeeming her himself.

Naomi also prophesied that he had only “today” left to live.

Abraham Ibn Ezra

Malbim

18. [Naomi] then said [to her], "Stay [here], my daughter, until you find out how the matter evolves, for the man will not rest unless he has completed the matter today. " Naomi concluded that this was Boaz's intention by virtue of his providing only enough food for one meal (as explained above in verse 3:15).

Alshich