² tn Here Ruth uses אָמָה (ʾamah), a more elevated term for a female servant than שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah), the word used in 2:13. In Ruth 2, where Ruth has just arrived from Moab and is very much aware of her position as a foreigner (v. 10), she acknowledges Boaz’s kindness and emphasizes her own humility by using the term שִׁפְחָה, though she admits that she does not even occupy that lowly position on the social scale. However, here in chap. 3, where Naomi sends her to Boaz to seek marriage, she uses the more elevated term אָמָה to describe herself because she is now aware of Boaz’s responsibility as a close relative of her deceased husband and she wants to challenge him to fulfill his obligation. In her new social context she is dependent on Boaz (hence the use of אָמָה), but she is no mere שִׁפְחָה.

¹ tn Heb “and she went out from the place she had been, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.”

² tn Heb “she called for a man and she shaved off.” The point seems to be that Delilah acted through the instrumentality of the man. See J. A. Soggin, Judges (OTL), 254.

² tn Heb “the seven days [during] which they held the party.” This does not mean she cried for the entire seven days; v. 15 indicates otherwise. She cried for the remainder of the seven day period, beginning on the fourth day.

¹ tn Heb “he reckoned her for a prostitute,” which was what Tamar had intended for him to do. She obviously had some idea of his inclinations, or she would not have tried this risky plan.

³ tn Heb “and she saw that she was pregnant and her mistress was despised in her eyes.” The Hebrew verb קָלַל (qalal) means “to despise, to treat lightly, to treat with contempt.” In Hagar’s opinion Sarai had been demoted.

¹ tn The words “she told them” are repeated from the first part of the same verse to improve clarity.

¹ tn Her age is emphasized by the Greek phrase here, “she was very old in her many days.”

² tn Grk “She said”; the referent (the girl’s mother) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁷ tn The introductory phrase “she cries out” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

⁸ tn The words “she cried” do not appear in the Hebrew. They are added to indicate that personified Jerusalem is speaking.

² tn Heb “The sea has risen up over Babylon. She has been covered by the multitude of its waves.”

² tn Heb “because of the lightness of her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood.”

² tn Heb “because she committed adultery.” The translation is intended to spell out the significance of the metaphor.

² tn The verb וַתַּעַשׂ (vataʿas) is a preterite, conveying the next thing she did in a past time sequence.

³ sn The claim of wisdom in this passage is that she was foundational to all that God would do.

² tc The LXX adds a lengthy section at the end of the verse on the lesson from the bee: “Or, go to the bee and learn how diligent she is and how seriously she does her work—her products kings and private persons use for health—she is desired and respected by all—though feeble in body, by honoring wisdom she obtains distinction.” The Greek translator thought the other insect should be mentioned (see C. H. Toy, Proverbs [ICC], 124).

² tn Heb “even a bird finds a home, and a swallow a nest for herself, [in] which she places her young.”

² tn Heb “Attend to this accursed woman and bury her for she was the daughter of a king.”

³ tn Heb “Among my people I am living.” This answer suggests that she has security within the context of her family.