Ruth 3 - On the Threshing Floor

Ruth and Boaz on the threshing floor together... Interesting story...

The NRSV Bible that I normally use in the mornings has the notes printed so small I have to use a magnifying glass to read. But, I wanted to read the notes, so opened up "The Lutheran Study Bible" (that would be published by Concordia) that my godfather just gave to me - with large print. Yeah!! I can read the notes. Then I thought: I wonder how the other "Lutheran Study Bible" (published by Augsburg) compares. So I pulled it off the bookshelf and dusted it off.

Thought I'd share the differences with you all just for something a little different today.

"The Lutheran Study Bible" (Concordia) on Ruth 3:4
"observe the place where he lies. No amount of darkness could hide the embarrassment associated with approaching the wrong man! uncover his feet. The night's chill would waken Boaz. In light of v 9, the uncovering of Boaz's feet symbolized Ruth's proposal for marriage. See "Boaz's Feet," p 422."

On page 422 we find: "Boaz's Feet. Some interpreters view the uncovering of Boaz's feet as a polite way to note sexual activity. However, nothing else in the Book agrees with this interpretation, and everywhere the faithfulness and intergrity of Ruth and Boaz are emphasized."

Here is the note from "Lutheran Study Bible" (Augsburg Fortress) on the same verse Ruth 3:4.
"go and uncover his feet: In Hebrew the word for foot is often used to refer to a man's sexual organ, and thus the original hearers of this story would have heard a double meaning. Ruth is making a bold move by lying next to Boaz."

I'd share/compare more with you, but out of 18 verses the Augsburg version only comments on 5 of them so there's not much to compare. I wouldn't think that it's the authors' faults that there's not much there. I'm sure that it was the intent of the publishers not to overwhelm the average person with anything that might be too difficult for us to understand :) I don't know why I hadn't ever noticed before that the "Lutheran Study Bible" isn't really geared for real study - better to get a good commentary or "The Lutheran Study Bible." Maybe I never noticed, because I haven't really used it. The Bible I've been using most often is the Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV) which is really good as well. (But, I do require large print for early mornings. Thanks to my Godfather Ken for the gift of the large print from Concordia!)

No matter what we think may or may not have happened on the threshing floor, the story of Ruth remains about love and faithfulness. It is not all about sex. It is about a proposal of marriage. It is about commitment. It is about taking care of one's neighbors, one's family.