translated “rust” (NW; RS) or “scum” (AV), is drawn from a word meaning “diseased,” hence “rust” or corrosion on metal. (Ezek. 24:6, 11, 12) The Greek word broʹsis, meaning “an eating” (Matt. 6:19, 20), and the word i·osʹ, “poison” are translated “rust,” and a related verb, ka·ti·oʹo, “to poison,” is translated “corroded” (NW), “rusted” (RS), “rotted,” (Yg) and “rusted down” (Kingdom Interlinear).—Jas. 5:3.

Ezekiel compared Jerusalem to a widemouthed copper cooking pot “the rust of which is in it.” This rust represented the uncleanness, loose conduct and bloodshed for which Jerusalem was responsible. The command was given, after cooking flesh in the pot, to “stand it empty upon its coals in order that it may get hot; and its copper must become heated up, and its uncleanness must be liquified in the midst of it. Let its rust get consumed [or, that “its copper may burn, that its filthiness may be melted in it, its rust consumed,” (RS)].”—Ezek. 24:3-12.

Jesus Christ said, in his Sermon on the Mount: “Stop storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust [broʹsis] consume, and where thieves break in and steal. Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matt. 6:19, 20) Material wealth hoarded up is put to no beneficial use; idle, it may rust and eventually be of no use even to its owner. In fact, as James warns rich men who trust in material wealth: “Your riches have rotted, . . . Your gold and silver are corroded, and their rust [i·osʹ] will be as a witness against you and will eat your fleshy parts. Something like fire is what you have stored up in the last days. Look! The wages due the workers who harvested your fields but which are held up by you, keep crying out, and the calls for help on the part of the reapers have entered into the ears of Jehovah of armies.” (Jas. 5:2-4) Instead of using their riches in the right way, they unrighteously hold them back. The longer this is done, and the greater the corrosion and rust gathered, the greater the witness is against them before the judgment throne of God. The opposite of such failure to use material wealth was recommended by Jesus when he said: “Make friends for yourselves by means of the unrighteous riches, so that, when such fail, they may receive you into the everlasting dwelling places.”—Luke 16:9.

RUTH

[perhaps, friendship].

A Moabitess who married Mahlon after the death of his father Elimelech and while Mahlon, his mother Naomi and his brother Chilion were living in Moab, a famine having provided the occasion for the family to leave their native Bethlehem in Judah. Ruth’s brother-in-law Chilion was married to the Moabitess Orpah. Eventually the two brothers died, leaving behind childless widows. Learning that Jehovah’s favor was again manifest in Israel, Naomi, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, proceeded to return to Judah.—Ruth 1:1-7; 4:9, 10.

HER LOYAL LOVE

Whereas Orpah finally returned to her people at Naomi’s recommendation, Ruth stuck with her mother-in-law. Deep love for Naomi and a sincere desire to serve Jehovah in association with his people enabled Ruth to leave her parents and her native land, with little prospect of finding the security that marriage might bring. (Ruth 1:8-17; 2:11) Her love for her mother-in-law was such that, later, others were able to say that she was better to Naomi than seven sons.—Ruth 4:15.

Arriving in Bethlehem at the commencement of the barley harvest, Ruth, in behalf of Naomi and herself, went out to the field to procure food. By chance she lighted on the field belonging to Boaz, a relative of Elimelech, and requested the overseer of the harvesters for permission to glean. Her diligence in gleaning must have been outstanding, as evident from the fact that the overseer commented about her work to Boaz.—Ruth 1:22–2:7.

When Boaz extended kindnesses to her, Ruth responded with appreciation and humbly acknowledged being less than one of his maidservants. At mealtime he provided roasted grain for her in such abundance that she had some left over to give to Naomi. (Ruth 2:8-14, 18) Though Boaz arranged matters to make it easier for her to glean, Ruth did not quit early but continued to glean until the evening, “after which she beat out what she had gleaned, and it came to be about an ephah [.62 bushel, 22 liters] of barley.” Having been requested by Boaz to continue gleaning in his field, Ruth did so during the remainder of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest.—Ruth 2:15-23.

REQUESTS THAT BOAZ ACT AS REPURCHASER

Desiring to find a “resting place” or home for her daughter-in-law, Naomi instructed Ruth to request Boaz to repurchase her. Accordingly, Ruth went down to Boaz’ threshing floor. After Boaz lay down, Ruth quietly approached, uncovered him at his feet and lay down herself. At midnight, trembling, he awoke and bent forward. Not recognizing her in the dark, he asked: “Who are you?” “I am Ruth your slave girl,” was her reply, “and you must spread out your skirt over your slave girl, for you are a repurchaser.”—Ruth 3:1-9.

NO IMMORALITY

Ruth’s actions, in compliance with Naomi’s instructions, must have been in line with the customary procedure followed by women when claiming the right to brother-in-law marriage. Regarding this, Bible commentator Paulus Cassel observes: “Undoubtedly this symbolical method of claiming the most delicate of all rights, presupposes manners of patriarchal simplicity and virtue. The confidence of the woman reposes itself on the honor of the man. The method, however, was one which could not easily be brought into operation. For every foreknowledge or pre-intimation of it would have torn the veil of silence and secrecy from the modesty of the claimant. But when it was once put into operation, the petition preferred could not be denied without disgrace either to the woman or the man. Hence, we may be sure that Naomi did not send her daughter-in-law on this errand without the fullest confidence that it would prove successful. For it is certain that to all other difficulties, this peculiar one was added in the present case: namely, that Boaz, as Ruth herself says, was indeed a goel [a repurchaser], but not the goel. The answer of Boaz, also, suggests the surmise that such a claim was not wholly unexpected by him. Not that he had an understanding with Naomi, in consequence of which he was alone on the threshing-floor; for the fact that he was startled out of his sleep, shows that the night visit was altogether unlooked for. But the thought that at some time the claim of Ruth to the rights of blood-relationship might be addressed to himself, may not have been strange to him. Even this conjecture, however, of what might possibly or probably take place, could not be used to relieve Ruth of the necessity of manifesting her own free will by means of the symbolical proceeding.”—A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (The Book of Ruth, p. 42), by J. P. Lange and translated by P. Schaff.

That Boaz viewed Ruth’s actions as being completely virtuous is evident from his reaction: “Blessed may you be of Jehovah, my daughter. You have expressed your loving-kindness better in the last instance than in the first instance, in not going after the young fellows whether lowly or rich.” Ruth unselfishly chose Boaz, a much older man, because of his being a repurchaser, in order to raise up a name for her deceased husband and her mother-in-law. As it would have been a natural thing for a young woman like Ruth to prefer a younger man, Boaz viewed this as an even better expression of her loving-kindness