Ruth 2

Ruth and Boaz Meet

1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side named Boaz.^[a] He was a prominent man of noble character^[b] from Elimelech's family.

2 Ruth the Moabitess asked Naomi, "Will you let me go into the fields and gather fallen grain behind someone who allows me to?" Naomi answered her, "Go ahead, my daughter."

3 So Ruth left and entered the field to gather [grain] behind the harvesters. She happened^[c] to be in the portion of land belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech's family.

4 Later, when Boaz arrived from Bethlehem, he said to the harvesters, "The Lord be with you." "The Lord bless you," they replied.

5 Boaz asked his servant who was in charge of the harvesters, "Whose young woman is this?"

6 The servant answered, "She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab.

7 She asked, 'Will you let me gather fallen grain among the bundles behind the harvesters?' She came and has remained from early morning until now, except that she rested a little in the shelter."^[d]

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter.^[e] Don't go and gather [grain] in another field, and don't leave this one, but stay here close to my young women.

9 See which field they are harvesting, and follow [them]. Haven't I ordered the young men not to touch you?^[f] When you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled."

10 She bowed with her face to the ground and said to him, "Why are you so kind to notice me, although I am a foreigner?"

11 Boaz answered her, "Everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband's death has been fully reported to me: [how] you left your father and mother, and the land of your birth, and [how] you came to a people you didn't previously know.

12 May the Lord reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge."

13 "My lord," she said, "you have been so kind to me, for you have comforted and encouraged^[g] your slave, although I am not like one of your female servants."

14 At mealtime Boaz told her, "Come over here and have some bread and dip it in the vinegar sauce." So she sat beside the harvesters, and he offered her roasted grain. She ate and was satisfied and had [some] left over.

15 When she got up to gather [grain], Boaz ordered his young men, "Be sure to let her gather [grain] among the bundles, and don't humiliate her.

16 Pull out [some] stalks from the bundles for her and leave [them] for her to gather. Don't rebuke her."

17 So Ruth gathered [grain] in the field until evening. She beat out what she had gathered, and it was about 26 quarts^[h] of barley.

18 She picked up [the grain] and went into the city, where her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. Then she brought out what she had left over from her meal and gave [it] to her.

19 Then her mother-in-law said to her, "Where did you gather [barley] today, and where did you work? May [the Lord] bless the man who noticed you." Ruth told her mother-in-law about the men she had worked [with] and said, "The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz."

20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed by the Lord, who has not forsaken his^[i] kindness to the living or the dead." Naomi continued, "The man is a close relative. He is one of our family redeemers."

21 Ruth the Moabitess said, "He also told me, 'Stay with my young men until they have finished all of my harvest.' "

22 So Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, "My daughter, it is good for you to work^[j] with his young women, so that nothing will happen to you in another field."

23 Ruth stayed close to Boaz's young women and gathered [grain] until the barley and the wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with^[k] her mother-in-law.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Quickness
• [b]. Ru 3:11; Pr 31:10
• [c]. Pr 16:33; 20:24
• [d]. LXX reads until evening she has not stopped in the field; Vg reads now and she did not return to the house; Hb uncertain
• [e]. Lit Haven't you heard, my daughter?
• [f]. Either sexual or physical harassment
• [g]. Lit and spoken to the heart of
• [h]. Lit about an ephah
• [i]. Or His
• [j]. Lit go out
• [k]. A few Hb mss, Vg read she returned to

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.