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Ruth 2:19: Naomi's Inquiry

Verse 19:[1] And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did (Ruth 2:10; Ps. 41:1) take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.



[Where hast thou done thy work? וְאָ֣נָה עָשִׂ֔ית] And where hast thou done? (Septuagint, Montanus), understanding, thy work (Munster, Junius and Tremellius, Piscator). There is an Ellipsis of the etymologically related noun. Thus, in Matthew 20:12, ἐποίησαν, they have done, namely, ἔργον/work (Piscator). Where hast thou labored? (Piscator, Tigurinus, English, Vatablus, Drusius). They use to do in the place of to labor. Thus, in Proverbs 10:4, he is made poor that does with a slack hand[2] (Drusius).

[1] Hebrew: וַתֹּאמֶר֩ לָ֙הּ חֲמוֹתָ֜הּ אֵיפֹ֙ה לִקַּ֤טְתְּ הַיּוֹם֙ וְאָ֣נָה עָשִׂ֔ית יְהִ֥י מַכִּירֵ֖ךְ בָּר֑וּךְ וַתַּגֵּ֣ד לַחֲמוֹתָ֗הּ אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשְׂתָה֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר שֵׁ֤ם הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֙ר עָשִׂ֧יתִי עִמּ֛וֹ הַיּ֖וֹם בֹּֽעַז׃


[2] Proverbs 10:4: “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand (רָ֗אשׁ עֹשֶׂ֥ה כַף־רְמִיָּ֑ה): but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.”

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