C c 1. Boaz. His kindred.
d e 2. Ruth. Purpose.
f 3. Departure.
g 4-16. Colloquy. Boaz and Ruth.
d e 17. Ruth. Performance.
f 18. Return.
g 19-22. Colloquy. Naomi and Ruth.
c 23. Boaz. His maidens.
1326 B.C.
Ruth 2)
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 to 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 to her, "Go, my daughter."
3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap (from Anglo-saxon, good luck = happy) was to light on a part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, "The LORD be with you." And they answered him, "The LORD bless you." (This tells of a time of peace, prosperity, and quiet.)
5 Then said Boaz to 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 has continued even all the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house."
8 Then said Boaz to Ruth, "Hear you not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from here, but abide here steadfast by my maidens:
9 Let your eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go ou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch you? and when you are athirst, go to 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 to him, "Why have I found grace in your eyes, that you should take knowledge of me (fig. put for "caring for"), seeing I am a foreigner?"
11 And Boaz answered and said to her, "It has fully been showed me, all that you have done to your mother in law since the death of your husband: and how you have left your father and your mother, and the land of your nativity, and are come to a people which you knew not heretofore.
12 The LORD recompense your work, and a full reward be given you of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you are come to flee for refuge." (Note the order of these words for a spiritual application. Wings attributed to Yehovah; denoting His tender care.)
13 Then she said, "Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for that you have comforted me, and for that you have spoken to the heart to your handmaid, though I be not like to one of your handmaidens.
14 And Boaz said to her, "At mealtime come you here, and eat of the bread, and dip your 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 thereof remaining.
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 on purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
17 So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. (About 3 pecks.)
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 to her, "Where have you gleaned to day? and what did you work for? blessed be he that did take knowledge of you." And she showed her mother in law with whom she had worked for, and said, "The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz."
20 And Naomi said to her daughter in law, "Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not left off His loving-kindness to the living and to the dead." And Naomi said to her, "The man is near of kin to us, he is our next kinsmen."
21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, "He said to me also, "You shall keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest."
22 And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter in law, "It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, that they not meet you in any other field."
23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest (therefore near the Feast of Pentecost. This is why this book is read at that feast); and dwelt with her mother in law.