Volume II
The Book of Ruth
With John Brown’s marginal references, notes and reflections · Vol. II, p. 623
Is another appendix to the history of the Judges; calculated to represent the marvellous providence of God, the propriety of constant dependence thereon; and to show the happy issue of patience, humility, and industry. It was probably penned by Samuel, and relates to events which happened about the time of Ehud or Barak, Ju. iii. or iv.; particularly the afflictions of Naomi and Ruth, ch. i.; their industry and humility, ii.; their alliance with Boaz, iii.; and happy settlement by means thereof, iv. [The ancient Jews, and some of the early Christian fathers, accounted Ruth a part of the book of Judges, regarding that whole book as a series of independent narratives, arranged without regard to chronological order. The author of Ruth is unknown, but it has been ascribed with much probability to Samuel. It would appear to have been written a considerable time after the events recorded in it occurred; for in ch. 4. 7 we find reference made to one of its incidents as being an old custom. It could not have been written sooner than the time of king David, for his name is mentioned; and one of the objects of the book evidently was to illustrate David's genealogy. Another probable object in writing this book and placing it in the Canon, was 'to pre-intimate, by the recorded adoption of a Gentile woman into the family from which Christ was to derive his origin, the final reception of the Gentile nations into the true church as fellow-heirs of the salvation of the gospel.' P.]