利二三22　　你们收割地的庄稼时，不可割尽田角，也不可拾取收割时所遗落的，要留给穷人和寄居的；我是耶和华你们的神。

　　西一12　　感谢父，叫你们够资格在光中同得所分给众圣徒的分。

　　路得的丈夫死后，她有两个选择：留在摩押，或与拿俄米一同回到以色列作外人。路得拣选往以色列地去，因为她可能听过很多关于神、神的应许和美地的事。她所听见的好消息，足以让她作美好的拣选。路得与拿俄米到了以色列地以后，就使用她的权利。

　　关于收割庄稼的事，神的吩咐乃是：以色列人若将田角和收割时所遗落的留给穷人、寄居的和孤儿寡妇，耶和华就要赐福与他们。关于这点，利未记二十三章二十二节说，“你们收割地的庄稼时，不可割尽田角，也不可拾取收割时所遗落的，要留给穷人和寄居的。”类似的话可见于十九章九至十节。申命记二十四章十九节说，“你在田间收割庄稼，若忘下一捆在田里，不可回去拾取，要留给寄居的与孤儿寡妇；这样，耶和华你神必在你手所办的一切事上，赐福与你。”这不仅显示神的慈爱，以及祂是何等伟大、纯良和无微不至，也显示美地丰富的出产（路得记生命读经，一四至一五页）。

　　Lev. 23:22 And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not completely reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner; I am Jehovah your God.

　　Col. 1:12 Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you for a share of the allotted portion of the saints in the light.

　　After Ruth’s husband died, she had two choices: remain in Moab or go with Naomi to be a foreigner in Israel. Ruth chose to go to the land of Israel because she probably had heard a great deal concerning God, God’s promise, and the good land. She had heard the good news sufficiently for her to make a wonderful choice. After arriving in the land of Israel with Naomi, Ruth exercised her right.

　　God’s commandment concerning the reaping of the harvest was that Jehovah would bless the children of Israel if they left the corners of their fields and the gleanings for the poor, the sojourners, the orphans, and the widows. Concerning this, Leviticus 23:22 says, “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not completely reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner.” A similar word is found in Leviticus 19:9-10. Deuteronomy 24:19 says, “When you reap your harvest in your field and you forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not turn back to gather it; it shall be for the sojourner, the orphan, and the widow, in order that Jehovah your God may bless you in all your undertakings.” This shows not only the lovingkindness of God and how great, fine, and detailed He is, but shows also the rich produce of the good land. (Life-study of Ruth, p. 11)

　　神要祝福以色列人在美地上的庄稼，但这祝福有个条件—要留些东西给穷人；百姓不可割尽田角。然而，在神借摩西所颁赐关于收割之律法的条例中，并没有指定田角的大小。田角大小在于地主对耶和华的信心。人对耶和华的信心越大，所留的田角就越大。我相信顺从这条例，乃是波阿斯的实行。他对耶和华必大有信心。在神的主宰权柄之下，这条例似乎是为路得一人写的。

　　拿俄米和她儿媳路得回到伯利恒，正是动手割大麦的时候（得一22下）。大麦比其他谷类先成熟，预表复活的基督（约六9~10、56~58）。

　　神是主宰一切的；在祂的主宰权柄里，祂将路得从摩押带到伯利恒城。在路得到达那里以前，祂预备了一个富有、慷慨的人，名叫波阿斯。…路得获拿俄米许可，去拾取麦穗（得二2~3）。路得求拿俄米让她往田间去，她在谁的眼中蒙恩，就在谁的身后拾取麦穗。拿俄米告诉路得只管去，她就去了。她来到田间，在收割的人身后拾取麦穗，恰巧是在波阿斯那块田里。

　　后来，波阿斯得以认识路得（4~7）。波阿斯从伯利恒来，对收割的人说，“愿耶和华与你们同在。”他们回答说，“愿耶和华赐福与你”（4）。波阿斯问监管收割之人的仆人关于路得的事，仆人告诉他，她是那摩押女子，随同拿俄米从摩押乡间回来的，请求在收割的人身后，拾取打捆剩下的麦穗。仆人对波阿斯所说关于路得的话，指明他很满意路得，认为她是贞洁、贤德的女子（路得记生命读经，一五至一六页）。

　　参读：路得记生命读经，第三篇。

　　God wanted to bless the harvest of the Israelites in the good land, but this blessing had a condition—that something would be left for the poor. The people would not be allowed to reap completely the corners of their field. However, in the ordinance of the law given by God through Moses regarding reaping, the size of the corners of the field was not specified. The size depended on the landlord’s faith in Jehovah. The larger one’s faith in Jehovah was, the larger the corners of the field would be. I believe that it was the practice of Boaz to obey this ordinance. He must have had great faith in Jehovah. Under God’s sovereignty this ordinance seems to have been written for one person—Ruth.

　　Naomi returned to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law Ruth at the beginning of the barley harvest (Ruth 1:22b). Barley, which ripens earlier than other grains, typifies the resurrected Christ (John 6:9-10, 56-58).

　　God is sovereign, and in His sovereignty He brought Ruth from Moab to the city of Bethlehem. Before she arrived there, He had prepared a rich, generous man by the name of Boaz. Ruth gained Naomi’s permission to go gleaning (Ruth 2:2-3). Ruth asked Naomi to let her go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight Ruth had found favor. Naomi told Ruth to go, and she went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, happening to glean in a portion of the field belonging to Boaz.

　　Boaz eventually became acquainted with Ruth (vv. 4-7). He came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “Jehovah be with you,” and they said to him, “Jehovah bless you” (v. 4). When Boaz asked the young man who was set over the reapers concerning Ruth, the young man told him that she was the young Moabite woman who had returned with Naomi from the country of Moab and who had asked to glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves. His word to Boaz regarding Ruth indicates that he was happy with her, considering her a woman of fidelity and virtue. (Life-study of Ruth, pp. 11-13)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Ruth, msg. 3