The Meaning of Ruth 2:9 Explained

Ruth 2:9

KJV: Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

YLT: thine eyes are on the field which they reap, and thou hast gone after them; have not I charged the young men not to touch thee? when thou art athirst then thou hast gone unto the vessels, and hast drunk from that which the young men draw.'

Darby: Let thine eyes be on the field which is being reaped, and go thou after them; have I not charged the young men not to touch thee? And when thou art athirst, go to the vessels and drink of what the young men draw.

ASV: Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Let] thine eyes  [be] on the field  that they do reap,  and go  thou after  them: have I not charged  the young men  that they shall not touch  thee? and when thou art athirst,  go  unto the vessels,  and drink  of [that] which the young men  have drawn. 

What does Ruth 2:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Ruth 2:1-13 - Gleaning After The Reapers
In great desolation of soul, Naomi had returned. She was no longer the happy woman of earlier days. Ruth also must sometimes have experienced the depression of homesickness which often steals over the heart of the stranger. But the two women found solace where sad hearts will always find it, first in God and then in ministry to each other, 2 Corinthians 1:4; 2 Corinthians 7:6. In fact, Ruth's devotion to her mother became the common talk of the village, Ruth 2:11.
Notice the beautiful old-time salutations between the employer and his employees. The omission of these courteous greetings is one of the mistakes of our modern civilization. We live in a time when the relations between master and servant, between mistress and maid, are strangely altered, being largely financial and selfish. Each tries to get as much as possible out of the other, and thus the personal touch is absent. Is it to be wondered at that the human machine runs hard and sometimes breaks down? But Boaz was clearly a good man. He had won the respect of the whole neighborhood, and his tender words to the young stranger, saluting her as a nestling under the wings of Jehovah, indicated that he dwelled "in the secret place of the Most High." [source]

Chapter Summary: Ruth 2

1  Ruth gleans in the field of Boaz
4  Boaz takes notice of her
8  and shows her great favor
18  That which she got, she carries to Naomi

What do the individual words in Ruth 2:9 mean?

[let] your eyes [be] on the field which they reap and go after them have not I commanded - the young men to not touch you and when you are thirsty and go to the vessels and drink from what have drawn the young men
עֵינַ֜יִךְ בַּשָּׂדֶ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־ יִקְצֹרוּן֙ וְהָלַ֣כְתִּ‪‬‪‬‪‬ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ן הֲל֥וֹא צִוִּ֛יתִי אֶת־ הַנְּעָרִ֖ים לְבִלְתִּ֣י נָגְעֵ֑ךְ וְצָמִ֗ת וְהָלַכְתְּ֙ אֶל־ הַכֵּלִ֔ים וְשָׁתִ֕ית מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשְׁאֲב֖וּן הַנְּעָרִֽים

עֵינַ֜יִךְ  [let]  your  eyes  [be] 
Parse: Noun, cdc, second person feminine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
בַּשָּׂדֶ֤ה  on  the  field 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
יִקְצֹרוּן֙  they  reap 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: קָצוּר 
Sense: to be short, be impatient, be vexed, be grieved.
וְהָלַ֣כְתִּ‪‬‪‬‪‬  and  go 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ן  after  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine plural
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הֲל֥וֹא  have  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
צִוִּ֛יתִי  I  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַנְּעָרִ֖ים  the  young  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
לְבִלְתִּ֣י  to  not 
Parse: Preposition-l
Root: בִּלְתִּי  
Sense: not, except adv.
נָגְעֵ֑ךְ  touch  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person feminine singular
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
וְצָמִ֗ת  and  when  you  are  thirsty 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: צָמֵא  
Sense: (Qal) to be thirsty.
וְהָלַכְתְּ֙  and  go 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
הַכֵּלִ֔ים  the  vessels 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
וְשָׁתִ֕ית  and  drink 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר  from  what 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יִשְׁאֲב֖וּן  have  drawn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: שָׁאַב  
Sense: to draw (water).
הַנְּעָרִֽים  the  young  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.