Ruth 2:10

10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

Ruth 2:10 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
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?
English Standard Version (ESV)
10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?"
New Living Translation (NLT)
10 Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”
The Message Bible (MSG)
10 She dropped to her knees, then bowed her face to the ground. "How does this happen that you should pick me out and treat me so kindly - me, a foreigner?"
American Standard Version (ASV)
10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found favor in thy sight, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a foreigner?
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
10 Ruth immediately bowed down to the ground and said to him, "Why are you so helpful? Why are you paying attention to me? I'm only a foreigner."
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
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?"
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
10 When Ruth heard that, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked, "Why are you being so kind to me? In fact, why are you even noticing me? I'm from another country."

Ruth 2:10 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 2:10

Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
&c.] In great humility, and under a deep sense of the favour done her, and as showing the greatest respect, in a civil manner, she was capable of:

and said unto him, why have I found grace in thine eyes:
how is it that one so mean and unworthy should have such favour shown?

that thou shouldest take knowledge of me;
take such notice of her, show such affection to her, and bestow such kindness on her:

seeing I am a stranger?
not a citizen of Bethlehem, nor indeed one of the commonwealth of Israel; but, as the Targum,

``of a strange people, of the daughters of Moab, and of a people who were not fit and worthy to enter into the congregation of the Lord.''

Ruth 2:10 In-Context

8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me.
9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”
10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”
11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.
12 May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

Cross References 3

  • 1. S Genesis 19:1; S 1 Samuel 20:41; 1 Samuel 25:23
  • 2. ver 19; Psalms 41:1
  • 3. S Genesis 31:15; S Deuteronomy 15:3
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