Rut 2

1 Rut trabaja en el campo de Booz
Había en Belén un hombre rico y muy influyente llamado Booz que era pariente de Elimelec, el esposo de Noemí.

2 Un día Rut la moabita le dijo a Noemí:
—Déjame ir a los campos de cosecha a ver si alguien en su bondad me permite recoger las espigas de grano dejadas atrás.
Noemí respondió:
—Está bien, hija mía, puedes ir.

3 Así que Rut salió a recoger espigas detrás de los cosechadores, y resultó que lo hizo en un campo que pertenecía a Booz, el pariente de su suegro, Elimelec.

4 Mientras estaba allí, llegó Booz de Belén y saludó a los cosechadores:
—¡El Señor
sea con ustedes! —les dijo.
—¡El Señor
lo bendiga! —respondieron los cosechadores.

5 Entonces Booz le preguntó a su capataz:
—¿Quién es esa joven que veo allá? ¿De quién es?

6 Y el capataz le contestó:
—Es la joven moabita que volvió con Noemí.

7 Esta mañana me pidió permiso para recoger grano detrás de los segadores. Desde que llegó no ha dejado de trabajar con esmero, excepto por unos momentos de descanso en el refugio.

8 Booz se acercó a Rut y le dijo:
—Escucha, hija mía. Quédate aquí mismo con nosotros cuando recojas grano; no vayas a ningún otro campo. Sigue muy de cerca a las jóvenes que trabajan en mi campo.

9 Fíjate en qué parcela están cosechando y síguelas. Advertí a los hombres que no te traten mal. Y cuando tengas sed, sírvete del agua que hayan sacado del pozo.

10 Entonces Rut cayó a sus pies muy agradecida.
—¿Qué he hecho para merecer tanta bondad? —le preguntó—. No soy más que una extranjera.

11 —Sí, lo sé —respondió Booz—; pero también sé todo lo que has hecho por tu suegra desde la muerte de tu esposo. He oído que dejaste a tu padre y a tu madre, y a tu tierra natal, para vivir aquí entre gente totalmente desconocida.

12 Que el Señor
, Dios de Israel, bajo cuyas alas viniste a refugiarte, te recompense abundantemente por lo que hiciste.

13 —Espero continuar siendo de su agrado, señor —respondió ella—. Usted me consoló al hablarme con tanta bondad, aunque ni siquiera soy una de sus trabajadoras.

14 Después, a la hora de comer, Booz la llamó:
—Ven aquí y sírvete de la comida. Puedes mojar tu pan en el vinagre.
De modo que Rut se sentó junto a los cosechadores, y Booz le dio a comer grano tostado. Ella comió todo lo que quiso y hasta le sobró.

15 Cuando Rut regresó a trabajar, Booz ordenó a sus trabajadores:
—Déjenla recoger espigas aun entre las gavillas, y no se lo impidan.

16 Además, arranquen de los manojos algunas espigas de cebada y déjenlas caer a propósito. ¡Permítanle recogerlas y no la molesten!

17 Así que Rut recogió cebada allí todo el día y, cuando la desgranó por la tarde, llenó toda una canasta.

18 Luego la cargó de vuelta al pueblo y la mostró a su suegra. También le dio el grano tostado que le había sobrado de su comida.

19 —¿Dónde recogiste todo este grano hoy? —preguntó Noemí—. ¿Dónde trabajaste? ¡Que el Señor
bendiga al que te ayudó!
Entonces Rut le contó a su suegra acerca del hombre en cuyo campo había trabajado. Le dijo:
—El hombre con quien trabajé hoy se llama Booz.

20 —¡Que el Señor
lo bendiga! —le dijo Noemí a su nuera—. Nos muestra su bondad no solo a nosotras sino también a tu marido que murió.
Ese hombre es uno de nuestros parientes más cercanos, uno de los redentores de nuestra familia.

21 Entonces Rut
dijo:
—Es más, Booz me dijo que volviera y me quedara con sus trabajadores hasta que termine la cosecha.

22 —¡Excelente! —exclamó Noemí—. Haz lo que te dijo, hija mía. Quédate con las jóvenes hasta que termine la cosecha. En otros campos podrían molestarte, pero con él estarás segura.

23 De modo que Rut trabajó junto a las mujeres en los campos de Booz y recogió grano con ellas hasta el final de la cosecha de cebada. Luego siguió trabajando con ellas durante la cosecha de trigo, a comienzos del verano. Y todo ese tiempo vivió con su suegra.

Rut 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

Ruth gleans in the field of Boaz. (1-3) The kindness of Boaz to Ruth. (4-16) Ruth returns to her mother-in-law. (17-23)

Verses 1-3 Observe Ruth's humility. When Providence had made her poor, she cheerfully stoops to her lot. High spirits will rather starve than stoop; not so Ruth. Nay, it is her own proposal. She speaks humbly in her expectation of leave to glean. We may not demand kindness as a debt, but ask, and take it as a favour, though in a small matter. Ruth also was an example of industry. She loved not to eat the bread of idleness. This is an example to young people. Diligence promises well, both for this world and the other. We must not be shy of any honest employment. No labour is a reproach. Sin is a thing below us, but we must not think any thing else so, to which Providence call us. She was an example of regard to her mother, and of trust in Providence. God wisely orders what seem to us small events; and those that appear altogether uncertain, still are directed to serve his own glory, and the good of his people.

Verses 4-16 The pious and kind language between Boaz and his reapers shows that there were godly persons in Israel. Such language as this is seldom heard in our field; too often, on the contrary, what is immoral and corrupt. A stranger would form a very different opinion of our land, from that which Ruth would form of Israel from the converse and conduct of Boaz and his reapers. But true religion will teach a man to behave aright in all states and conditions; it will form kind masters and faithful servants, and cause harmony in families. True religion will cause mutual love and kindness among persons of different ranks. It had these effects on Boaz and his men. When he came to them he prayed for them. They did not, as soon as he was out of hearing curse him, as some ill-natured servants that hate their master's eye, but they returned his courtesy. Things are likely to go on well where there is such good-will as this between masters and servants. They expressed their kindness to each other by praying one for another. Boaz inquired concerning the stranger he saw, and ordered her to be well treated. Masters must take care, not only that they do no hurt themselves, but that they suffer not their servants and those under them to do wrong. Ruth humbly owned herself unworthy of favours, seeing she was born and brought up a heathen. It well becomes us all to think humbly of ourselves, esteeming others better than ourselves. And let us, in the kindness of Boaz to Ruth, note the kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ to poor sinners.

Verses 17-23 It encourages industry, that in all labour, even that of gleaning, there is profit. Ruth was pleased with what she gained by her own industry, and was careful to secure it. Let us thus take care that we lose not those things which we have wrought, ( 2 John. 1:8 ) should examine their children, as Naomi did, not to frighten or discourage them, so as to make them hate home, or tempt them to tell a lie; but to commend them if they have done well, and with mildness to reprove and caution them if they have done otherwise. It is a good question for us to ask ourselves every night, Where have I gleaned to-day? What improvement have I made in knowledge and grace? What have I done that will turn to a good account? When the Lord deals bountifully with us, let us not be found in any other field, nor seeking for happiness and satisfaction in the creature. We lose Divine favours, if we slight them. Ruth dutifully observed her mother's directions. And when the harvest was ended, she kept her aged mother company at home. Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land; her vanity ended in disgrace, ( Genesis 34 ) . Ruth kept at home, and helped to maintain her mother, and went out on no other errand than to get provision for her; her humility and industry ended in preferment.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO RUTH 2

In this chapter we have an account of Ruth's gleaning corn in the fields of Boaz, a relation of Naomi, Ru 2:1-3, and of Boaz coming to his reapers, whom he saluted in a very kind manner; and observing a woman gleaning after them, inquired of them who she was, and they informed him, Ru 2:4-9, upon which he addressed himself to her, and gave her leave to glean in his field, and desired her to go nowhere else, and bid her eat and drink with his servants, Ru 2:8-14 and gave directions to his servants to let her glean, and to let fall some of the handfuls on purpose, that she might gather them up, Ru 2:15-17 and then an account is given of her returning to her mother-in-law with her gleanings, to whom she related where she had gleaned, who was owner of the field, and what he had said to her, upon which Naomi gave her advice, Ru 2:18-23.