Ruth 2:17 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening, and then she beat out the grain she had collected. It came to about a bushel of barley.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

Ruth worked hard all day collecting leftover grain, and by evening she had gathered about a bushel of barley - enough to feed her and Naomi for several days.

📚 Historical Context

In ancient Israel, the law allowed poor people and foreigners to 'glean' - collect leftover grain that harvesters missed or dropped. This was a form of social welfare that provided for the needy. An ephah was about 22 liters or half a bushel, representing a surprisingly generous amount that would have fed Ruth and Naomi for about a week.

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So Paul was collecting some sticks to throw on the fire when suddenly a venomous snake came out because of the heat and bit down on his hand.

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