Rut 2

1 Tenía Noemí un pariente de su marido, varón valiente y de esfuerzo, de la familia de Elimelec, el cual se llamaba Booz.

2 Y Rut la moabita dijo a Noemí: Te ruego que me dejes ir al campo, y cogeré espigas en pos de aquel en cuyos ojos hallare gracia. Y ella le respondió: Ve, hija mía.

3 Fue pues, y llegando, espigó en el campo en pos de los segadores; y aconteció a caso, que la suerte (o heredad ) del campo era de Booz, el cual era de la parentela de Elimelec.

4 Y he aquí que Booz vino de Belén, y dijo a los segadores: El SEÑOR sea con vosotros. Y ellos respondieron: El SEÑOR te bendiga.

5 Y Booz dijo a su criado, el que estaba puesto sobre los segadores: ¿Cuya es esta joven?

6 Y el criado, que estaba puesto sobre los segadores, respondió y dijo: Es la joven de Moab, que volvió con Noemí de los campos de Moab;

7 y ha dicho: Te ruego que me dejes coger y juntar espigas tras los segadores entre las gavillas: entró pues , y está desde por la mañana hasta ahora, menos un poco que ha estado en casa.

8 Entonces Booz dijo a Rut: Oye, hija mía, no vayas a coger a otro campo, ni pases de aquí; y aquí estarás con mis criadas.

9 Mira bien el campo que segaren, y síguelas; porque yo he mandado a los criados que no te toquen. Y si tuvieres sed, ve a los vasos, y bebe del agua que sacaren los criados.

10 Ella entonces bajando su rostro se inclinó a tierra, y le dijo: ¿Por qué he hallado gracia en tus ojos para que tú me conozcas, siendo yo extranjera?

11 Y respondiendo Booz, le dijo: De cierto me ha sido declarado todo lo que has hecho con tu suegra después de la muerte de tu marido; que dejando a tu padre y a tu madre, y la tierra de tu natural has venido a pueblo que no conociste llegando hace tres días.

12 El SEÑOR galardone tu obra, y tu remuneración sea llena por el SEÑOR Dios de Israel; que has venido para cubrirte debajo de sus alas.

13 Y ella dijo: Señor mío, halle yo gracia delante de tus ojos; porque me has consolado, y porque has hablado al corazón de tu sierva, no siendo yo ni aun como una de tus criadas.

14 Y Booz le dijo a la hora de comer: Allégate aquí, y come del pan, y moja tu bocado en el vinagre. Y se sentó ella junto a los segadores, y él le dio del potaje, y comió hasta que se sació y le sobró.

15 Luego se levantó para espigar. Y Booz mandó a sus criados, diciendo: Que coja también espigas entre las gavillas, y no la avergoncéis;

16 antes echaréis a sabiendas de los manojos, y la dejaréis que coja, y no la reprendáis.

17 Y cogió en el campo hasta la tarde, y desgranó lo que había cogido, y fue como un efa de cebada.

18 Y lo tomó, y se fue a la ciudad; y su suegra vio lo que había cogido. Sacó también luego lo que le había sobrado después de haber quedado saciada, y se lo dio.

19 Y le dijo su suegra: ¿Dónde has cogido hoy? ¿Y dónde has trabajado? Bendito sea el que te ha conocido. Y ella declaró a su suegra lo que le había acontecido con aquél, y dijo: El nombre del varón con quien hoy he trabajado es Booz.

20 Y dijo Noemí a su nuera: Sea él bendito del SEÑOR, que aun no ha dejado su misericordia ni para con los vivos ni para con los muertos. Y le tornó a decir Noemí: Nuestro pariente es aquel varón, y de nuestros redentores es.

21 Y Rut la moabita dijo: Además de esto me ha dicho: Júntate con mis criados, hasta que hayan acabado toda mi siega.

22 Y Noemí respondió a Rut su nuera: Mejor es, hija mía, que salgas con sus criadas; que no que te encuentren en otro campo.

23 Y así ella se juntó con las criadas de Booz cogiendo, hasta que la siega de las cebadas y la de los trigos fue acabada; mas con su suegra habitó.

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.