# Ruth 3:3-7,13,14 and the Practice of Bundling



## baron (Feb 1, 2011)

Was reading Ruth the other day and came across bundling. Now I never heard of this before so I looked into it and was surprised. I found out that Joanthan Edwards preached a sermon against the practice of bundling in 1733. I tried searching for the sermon but had no luck, would any one on the board know the sermon that is refered to and if it is on the net? 

Bundling - A Ritual of Courtship

Courtship, Sex, and the Single Colonist : The Colonial Williamsburg Official History Site

Thanks.


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## iainduguid (Feb 1, 2011)

*Bundling*

Jonathan Edwards was not the first to preach against the practice of bundling as this article demonstrates: 
The original bundlers: Boaz and Ruth, and seventeenth-century English courtship practices - Critical Essay | Journal of Social History | Find Articles at BNET 

But notice that there is no evidenced adduced of a similar practice in ancient Near Eastern contexts; all the parallels are from later cultures. Ancient audiences would likely have found the idea as scandalous as we do. The problem in understanding Ruth 3 arises from the common misconception that what Naomi told Ruth to do is the same thing that Ruth did. Naomi's instructions to Ruth are highly dangerous, and the Hebrew underlines this with a whole series of double entendres. But Ruth immediately takes the encounter off in a different direction and it is clear that nothing immoral actually takes place. See my commentary for more details.

Iain


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## Marrow Man (Feb 1, 2011)

iainduguid said:


> Jonathan Edwards was not the first to preach against the practice of bundling as this article demonstrates:
> The original bundlers: Boaz and Ruth, and seventeenth-century English courtship practices - Critical Essay | Journal of Social History | Find Articles at BNET
> 
> But notice that there is no evidenced adduced of a similar practice in ancient Near Eastern contexts; all the parallels are from later cultures. Ancient audiences would likely have found the idea as scandalous as we do. The problem in understanding Ruth 3 arises from the common misconception that what Naomi told Ruth to do is the same thing that Ruth did. Naomi's instructions to Ruth are highly dangerous, and the Hebrew underlines this with a whole series of double entendres. But Ruth immediately takes the encounter off in a different direction and it is clear that nothing immoral actually takes place. See my commentary for more details.
> ...



Indeed, the text seems to be clear that Boaz goes out of his way to make sure that Ruth is protected, that no one takes advantage of her, that her name remains excellent, etc. (Boaz is quite the contrast from Elimelech in chapter 1). Also, he is careful to make sure that he does not overstep his bounds with regard to the "closer redeemer."


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## Jack K (Feb 1, 2011)

iainduguid said:


> Jonathan Edwards was not the first to preach against the practice of bundling as this article demonstrates:
> The original bundlers: Boaz and Ruth, and seventeenth-century English courtship practices - Critical Essay | Journal of Social History | Find Articles at BNET
> 
> But notice that there is no evidenced adduced of a similar practice in ancient Near Eastern contexts; all the parallels are from later cultures. Ancient audiences would likely have found the idea as scandalous as we do. The problem in understanding Ruth 3 arises from the common misconception that what Naomi told Ruth to do is the same thing that Ruth did. Naomi's instructions to Ruth are highly dangerous, and the Hebrew underlines this with a whole series of double entendres. But Ruth immediately takes the encounter off in a different direction and it is clear that nothing immoral actually takes place. See my commentary for more details.
> ...


 
Thanks. The chapter in the commentary that deals with this was a big help to me the last time I taught the story of Ruth to kids.


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## Pergamum (Feb 1, 2011)

fascinating


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## TimV (Feb 1, 2011)

I let my third son and his now wife bundle a few times after I was sure they would get engaged. They had to leave the door open, though.


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