Ruth 2

1 And Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, an ish gibbor chayil, of the mishpochah of Elimelech; and shmo was Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the sadeh, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I shall find chen (grace, favor). And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the sadeh behind the kotzerim (harvesters, reapers); and it so happened that she came on a part of the sadeh belonging unto Boaz, who was of the mishpochah of Elimelech.

4 And, hinei, Boaz came from Beit-Lechem, and said unto the kotzerim, Hashem be with you. And they answered him, Yevarech’chah Adonoi (Hashem bless thee).

5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the kotzerim, Whose na’arah is this?

6 And the servant that was set over the kotzerim answered and said, It is the na’arah from Moav that came back with Naomi out of the sadeh of Moav.

7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the kotzerim among the omarim (sheaves); so she came, and hath worked steadily from the boker even until now, except for a short rest in the bais.

8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another sadeh, neither go from hence, but abide here close by my ne’arot;

9 Let thine eyes be on the sadeh that they do reap, and go thou after them; have I not charged the ne’arim that they shall not touch thee? And when thou art athirst, go unto the kelim (vessels), and drink of that which the ne’arim have drawn.

10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found chen (favor, grace) in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a nokhriyah (foreigner, alien)?

11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shown me, all that thou hast done unto thy chamot since the mot (death) of thine ish; and how thou hast left thy av and thy em, and the eretz moledet, and art come unto an Am (people) which thou knewest not heretofore.

12 Hashem recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of Hashem Elohei Yisroel, under Whose wings thou art come to seek refuge.

13 Then she said, Let me find chen (favor, grace) in thy sight, adoni; for that thou hast brought nachamah (comfort) to me, and for that thou hast spoken to the lev of thine shifcha, though I be not like unto one of thine shfakhot.

14 And Boaz said unto her, At et haokhel (mealtime) come thou hither, and eat of the lechem, and dip thy morsel in the chometz. And she sat beside the kotzerim; and he offered her roasted grain, and she did eat, and was filled, and had left over [shirayim].

15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his ne’arim, saying, Let her glean even among the omarim, and reproach her not;

16 And let fall also some [out from the omarim] 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 sadeh until the erev, and she threshed what she had gleaned; and it was about an ephah of seorim.

18 And she took it up, and went into the town; and her chamot saw what she had gleaned; and she brought forth, and gave to her the left over [shirayim] after she had been filled.

19 And her chamot said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned hayom (today)? And where did you work? Baruch be he who did take knowledge of thee. And she showed her chamot with whom she had worked, and said, Shem HaIsh with whom I worked hayom (today) is Boaz.

20 And Naomi said unto her kallah, Baruch hu l’Hashem asher lo azav chasdo et haChayyim v’et haMesim (Blessed be he of Hashem who hath not abandoned his chesed to the living and to the dead). And Naomi said unto her, The man is karov unto us. MiGoaleinu hu (he is one of our kinsmen redeemers).

21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep close by my ne’arim, until they have ended kol HaKatzir that is mine.

22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her kallah, It is tov, my daughter, that thou go out with his ne’arot, because in someone else’s sadeh you might be harmed.

23 So she kept close by the ne’arot of Boaz to glean unto the end of katzir haseorim and of katzir chittim; and dwelt with her chamot.

Ruth 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.