Matthew Poole and continuators on Ruth 2:14

14 And Boaz said unto her, At meal-time come thou hither, and eat of the bread , and dip thy morsel in the vinegar . And she sate beside the reapers : and he reached her parched corn , and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.

Which in those simple and frugal times was the usual Food of Servants and the meaner Sort, at least when they were engaged in such Works as this, which required speed, and therefore must be quick in their Eating as well as in their Work. Or, Bread may be here put for any Food, as it o[illegible: 1+ letters]t is.

Either simple Vinegar, in which the Poorer sort used to dip their Bread, and so Eat it in hot Countries, as they did not only in Canaan, but afterwards in Italy; it being very proper, especially in those Par[illegible: 1+ letters] for cooling them in those hot Seasons, for strengthning their Sinews, &c. or Vinegar mixed with other things to make some kind of S[illegible: 1+ letters]uce.

Not with or among them, but at some little distance from them, and as one Inferior to them, as she had acknowledged before in Words, and now sheweth it by her Actions.

A Food in frequent use, and some esteem with them. See 2 Sam. 17. 28.