‘ And she said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, “Do not go empty to your mother-in-law.”
Ruth then produced the six measures of barley explaining that Boaz had said, “Do not go empty to your mother-in-law.” We must almost certainly see, in view of the next verse, that Naomi recognised in this gift an acceptance by Boaz of the proposal that had been made, a gift assuring her that he would do all that was necessary. Had Boaz been at all offended, or even neutral, he would not have offered such a gift. It may even be that it was intended to be a kid of firstfruits of what they could hope to enjoy in the future.