What significance does the "six measures of barley" hold in Ruth 3:15? A Snapshot of the Moment “‘Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.’ When she did so, he scooped six measures of barley into her shawl, and she went back to the town.” (Ruth 3:15) Why a Gift of Grain? • In the dark, early-morning hush at the threshing floor, Boaz sends Ruth away laden with barley. This act is literal provision—food Naomi and Ruth can eat that very day. • Yet Scripture rarely wastes details; the Spirit preserves even the weight of grain to teach. Six Measures: Layers of Meaning 1. Practical Provision • Naomi and Ruth had returned from Moab destitute (Ruth 1:21). • Six measures—likely between 60–90 pounds—would feed two widows for several weeks, signaling Boaz’s genuine care. 2. Pledge of Redemption • In ancient Israel, lavish gifts often accompanied marriage negotiations (Genesis 24:53). • By sending the barley to Naomi, Boaz virtually says, “I intend to redeem your family; here is earnest money.” 3. Assurance for Naomi • Naomi had asked Ruth to seek “rest” (3:1)—security under a husband’s roof. • The grain weighs down Ruth’s shawl just as hope now outweighs Naomi’s bitterness (cf. 1:20). 4. Symbolic Numbering • Six is the number of work (Genesis 1:31; Exodus 20:9). It points forward to a coming seventh-day rest. • Ruth and Boaz’s union, finalized shortly after, supplies that “rest” (4:13), completing what the six measures anticipated. 5. Echo of God’s Covenant Faithfulness • Ruth’s story unfolds during “the days of the judges” (1:1), a spiritually bleak era. • This generous act reminds us that the LORD still “satisfies the hungry with good things” (Psalm 107:9) and keeps covenant mercy alive. Connecting Threads Across Scripture • Boaz mirrors God’s character: “The LORD is gracious and compassionate…He provides food for those who fear Him” (Psalm 111:4-5). • The six-then-seven pattern recurs—manna fell six days, double on the sixth, then rest (Exodus 16:22-30). Boaz’s barley foreshadows the Sabbath-like rest found in covenant marriage and, ultimately, in Christ (Hebrews 4:9-10). • Grain offerings often accompanied joyful fellowship with God (Leviticus 7:12-14). Here, grain accompanies fellowship restored within Naomi’s family line. Takeaway for Today The six measures of barley are both literal sustenance and living symbolism. They proclaim that God’s redemption is tangible, abundant, and moving steadily toward completion—first for Naomi and Ruth through Boaz, and finally for all who trust the true Kinsman-Redeemer. |
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