Ruth2

Ruth, seeking to provide for herself and Naomi, requests permission to glean in the fields. She providentially arrives at the field of Boaz, a wealthy kinsman of Naomi's late husband. Boaz, having heard of Ruth's devotion to Naomi, shows her exceptional kindness, offering protection, food, and abundant gleanings. Naomi, upon learning of Boaz's generosity, recognizes him as a near kinsman and praises the Lord for his continued kindness to their family.

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Boaz, Kinsman of Elimelech

Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a prominent man of noble character from the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.

And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go into the fields and glean heads of grain after someone in whose sight I may find favor.” “Go ahead, my daughter,” Naomi replied.

So Ruth departed and went out into the field and gleaned after the harvesters. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.

Boaz Shows Favor to Ruth

Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, “The LORD be with you.” “The LORD bless you,” they replied.

And Boaz asked the foreman of his harvesters, “Whose young woman is this?”

The foreman answered, “She is the Moabitess who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab.

She has said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the harvesters.’ So she came out and has continued from morning until now, except that she rested a short time in the shelter.”

Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Do not go and glean in another field, and do not go away from this place, but stay here close to my servant girls.

Let your eyes be on the field they are harvesting, and follow along after these girls. Indeed, I have ordered the young men not to touch you. And when you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.”

At this, she fell on her face, bowing low to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you should take notice of me, even though I am a foreigner?”

Boaz replied, “I have been made fully aware of all you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and how you came to a people you did not know before.

May the LORD repay your work, and may you receive a rich reward from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have taken refuge.”

“My lord,” she said, “may I continue to find favor in your eyes, for you have comforted and spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your servant girls.”

At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here; have some bread and dip it into the vinegar sauce.” So she sat down beside the harvesters, and he offered her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied and had some left over.

When Ruth got up to glean, Boaz ordered his young men, “Even if she gathers among the sheaves, do not insult her.

Rather, pull out for her some stalks from the bundles and leave them for her to gather. Do not rebuke her.”

So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. And when she beat out what she had gleaned, it was about an ephah of barley.

Naomi Discovers the Kinsman

She picked up the grain and went into the town, where her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. And she brought out what she had saved from her meal and gave it to Naomi.

Then her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today, and where did you work? Blessed be the man who noticed you.” So she told her mother-in-law where she had worked. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.

Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the LORD, who has not withdrawn His kindness from the living or the dead.” Naomi continued, “The man is a close relative. He is one of our kinsman-redeemers.”

Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also told me, ‘Stay with my young men until they have finished gathering all my harvest.’”

And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “My daughter, it is good for you to work with his young women, so that nothing will happen to you in another field.”

So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean grain until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Study Notes for Ruth 2

Verse 1

Boaz is introduced as a *gibbor hayil* ('mighty man of wealth' or 'man of standing/valor'). This term signifies not only financial success but also high moral character and influence, setting him up as a potential redeemer.

Verse 2

Gleaning was a legally protected right for the poor, the sojourner, and the widow (Lev. 19:9-10). Ruth’s initiative is both practical and humble, demonstrating her commitment to providing for Naomi.

Verse 3

The phrase 'her hap was' (lit. 'her chance fell') is a subtle narrative device. While presented as coincidence, the text hints at divine providence guiding Ruth directly to the field of their nearest relative.

Verse 4

Boaz’s pious greeting and the reapers’ sincere response reflect a godly and communal atmosphere, contrasting sharply with the violence and moral decay often described in the Book of Judges.

Verse 6

The servant emphasizes Ruth’s vulnerable status by calling her the 'Moabitish damsel,' highlighting her foreign origin as a non-Israelite widow seeking refuge.

Verse 9

Boaz offers Ruth profound security by charging his young men not to harass her. This protective measure was crucial, as female gleaners were often vulnerable to abuse in the fields.

Verse 10

Ruth recognizes the extraordinary nature of Boaz’s generosity, acknowledging her status as a *nokriyah* (foreigner/stranger) who has no claim on his kindness.

Verse 11

Boaz’s kindness is not random; it is a direct response to Ruth’s demonstrated *hesed* (loyal love/covenant kindness) toward Naomi, fulfilling the ethical requirements of the Law.

Verse 12

This verse is a theological climax. Boaz uses the image of taking refuge 'under the wings' (a metaphor for divine protection, cf. Ps 17:8), affirming that Ruth’s loyalty and conversion will be rewarded by the God of Israel.

Verse 14

Inviting Ruth to eat with the workers and offering her parched grain (a delicacy) is a public gesture of adoption, bringing her into the community and ensuring her strength for the rest of the day’s labor.

Verse 16

Boaz moves beyond passive adherence to the gleaning law toward active, intentional generosity, instructing his workers to make Ruth’s labor highly productive by dropping handfuls of grain on purpose.

Verse 17

An ephah (roughly 3/5 of a bushel or 22 liters) was a substantial amount—enough to feed two people for over two weeks. This demonstrates the success of Boaz’s instructions and Ruth's diligence.

Verse 20

Naomi recognizes Boaz’s actions as continued *hesed* ('kindness'). She then identifies him as a *go'el* (kinsman-redeemer), a relative responsible for protecting the family line, land, and honor, thus setting up the central conflict of the next chapter.

Verse 23

The barley harvest (spring) and the subsequent wheat harvest (early summer) together span several months, indicating a prolonged period of safe, consistent provision under Boaz's protection.

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Ruth2

Boaz, Kinsman of Elimelech

Boaz Shows Favor to Ruth

Naomi Discovers the Kinsman

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