| Ruth 3:9
| And he said to her: Who art thou? And she answered: I am Ruth, thy handmaid: spread thy coverlet over thy servant, for thou art a near kinsman.
| Kinsman. Hebrew, "a redeemer;" (Calmet) one bound to defend and to espouse a brother's widow, if others more nearly akin refuse. (Haydock) --- Ruth modestly admonishes him of this duty, and begs that he would take her to wife, (Calmet) as he might then have done without any other formality. (Serar. q. vii.) --- We find a similar expression [in] Ezechiel 16:8., and Deuteronomy 22:80. Some think that she only asked for protection. The custom of the husband, stretching a part of his garment over his bride, was perhaps already established among the Hebrews. (Calmet) --- Hebrew and Septuagint, "stretch thy wing over," etc. Chaldean, "Let thy name be invoked upon thy handmaid, to take me to wife." (Menochius; Isaias 4:1.)
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