Ruth 3 · set as a daf · Migne’s recension, PL 1136 glosses in the school’s own voice · 0 naming a sourceLatin on migne.app · pilot view, Ruth only
GlossaLaon, c. 1120 · unattributed
Douay-Rheims · Challoner
Auctoresthe Fathers Migne names
1After she was returned to her mother in law, Noemi said to her: My daughter, I will seek rest for thee, and will provide that it may be well with thee.
2This Booz, with whose maids thou wast joined in the field, is our near kinsman, and behold this night he winnoweth barley in the threshingfloor.
v. 2The threshing-floor. The synagogue of the Jews, where the barley of the law was stored: this Christ winnows, when, preaching the Gospel on the floor, he threshes out the counsels and the wills of each man toward himself; whence: But Jesus did not trust himself unto them, for that he knew all men, and because he needed not that any should give testimony of man (Joan. II).
3Wash thyself therefore and anoint thee, and put on thy best garments, and go down to the barnfloor: but let not the man see thee, till he shall have done eating and drinking.
v. 3Let no man see thee. Because the faith of the Church of the Gentiles did not appear before Christ had fulfilled the mystery of his incarnation, when, living bodily among men, he used food and drink, and at last, supping with his disciples, he shared with them the sacraments of his body and his blood. But when the mystery of the dispensation was fulfilled, the Church of Christ from the Gentiles came to the faith with confidence.
4And when he shall go to sleep, mark the place wherein he sleepeth: and thou shalt go in, and lift up the clothes wherewith he is covered towards his feet, and shalt lay thyself down there: and he will tell thee what thou must do.
v. 4Thou shalt uncover, etc. What he says is: Acknowledge Christ as having suffered for thee, and come with a devout mind; shake off the covering of the letter of the Old Testament, in which the sacrament of Christ's incarnation is hidden; and when thou hast known that salvation was promised thee therein, flee humbly to his help, that thou mayest abide there at all times.
5She answered: Whatsoever thou shalt command, I will do.
6And she went down to the barnfloor, and did all that her mother in law had bid her.
7And when Booz had eaten, and drunk, and was merry, he went to sleep by the heap of sheaves, and she came softly, and uncovering his feet, laid herself down.
v. 7The heap. The testimonies of the Scriptures; whence: The Son of man goeth, as it is written of him (Matth. XXVI). Or, beside the throngs of faithful souls which by his death he called back from hell. To this bed the Church hastened, and, the mantle being uncovered, etc.
8And behold, when it was now midnight the man was afraid, and troubled: and he saw a woman lying at his feet,
9And he said to her: Who art thou? And she answered: I am Ruth, thy handmaid: spread thy coverlet over thy servant, for thou art a near kinsman.
10And he said: Blessed art thou of the Lord, my daughter, and thy latter kindness has surpassed the former: because thou hast not followed young men either poor or rich.
11Fear not therefore, but whatsoever thou shalt say to me I will do to thee. For all the people that dwell within the gates of my city, know that thou art a virtuous woman.
12Neither do I deny myself to be near of kin, but there is another nearer than I.
v. 12But there is another nearer than I. John the Baptist, who was thought to be the Christ, but did not usurp the name of the bridegroom, and kept it for Christ, saying: He that hath the bride is the bridegroom, etc. He is nearer, because he was born first in the world. Or this kinsman is the decalogue of the law, which seemed nearer to the Synagogue than the Gospel, because it was given especially to that people and is prior in time.
13Rest thou this night: and when morning is come, if he will take thee by the right of kindred, all is well: but if he will not, I will undoubtedly take thee, so the Lord liveth: sleep till the morning.
14So she slept at his feet till the night was going off. And she arose before men could know one another, and Booz said: Beware lest any man know that thou camest hither.
v. 14She arose therefore before. Because, before the Jews, steeped in the teaching of the law, could come to know the rights of their own nature, the Church of the Gentiles, shaking off the sleep of her own sloth, rose again in the dawn of a faith just being born, and hastened to the grace of Christ.
15And again he said: Spread thy mantle, wherewith thou art covered, and hold it with both hands. And when she spread it and held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it upon her. And she carried it, and went into the city,
16And came to her mother in law; who said to her: What hast thou done, daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
17And she said: Behold he hath given me six measures of barley: for he said: I will not have thee return empty to thy mother in law.
18And Noemi said: Wait, my daughter, till we see what end the thing will have. For the man will not rest until he have accomplished what he hath said.
The page follows the form the Glossa itself was written for: text in the centre, the school’s own glosses on the inner margin, the Fathers it excerpts on the outer. The printed Talmud page, on the usual reading, descends from this Latin glossed page (Soncino 1483, Bomberg 1520). Migne’s nineteenth-century recension keeps only the marginal layer; the interlinear glosses survive here only as the italic lemma that heads each note. Sigla are printed as Migne gives them; Id. and ibid. are resolved to the last author named, and the resolution is shown.