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

1
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. ​
2
And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. ​
3
And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. ​

Boaz Shows Favor to Ruth

4
And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. ​
5
Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
6
And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: ​
7
And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.
8
Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:
9
Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. ​
10
Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? ​
11
And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. ​
12
The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. ​
13
Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
14
And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. ​
15
And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
16
And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. ​
17
So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. ​

Naomi Discovers the Kinsman

18
And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.
19
And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
20
And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. ​
21
And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
22
And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.
23
So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt 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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