Boaz Favors Ruth
Ruth 2, verse 1. There was a relative of Naomi's husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. Ruth 2, verse 2. So Ruth the Moabite woman said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean heads of grain after him in whose eyes I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, daughter.” Ruth 2, verse 3. Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. Ruth 2, verse 4. Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered him, “The Lord bless you!” Ruth 2, verse 5. Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” Ruth 2, verse 6. So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. Ruth 2, verse 7. And she said, ‘Let me glean and gather by handfuls after the reapers.’ So she came and continued from morning until evening, not stopping to rest in the field, not even a little.” Ruth 2, verse 8. Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Did you not hear, daughter? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. Ruth 2, verse 9. Let your eyes be on the field that my men reap, and follow after them. Behold, I have commanded the young men not to touch you. And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men draw.” Ruth 2, verse 10. So she fell on her face, bowed down 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 stranger?” Ruth 2, verse 11. And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done with your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know yesterday or the day before. Ruth 2, verse 12. May the Lord repay your work, and may a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” Ruth 2, verse 13. Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken to the heart of your maidservant. Behold, I will be like one of your bondswomen.” Ruth 2, verse 14. Now Boaz said to her, “It is already time to eat. Come here and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So Ruth sat beside the reapers, and Boaz made a pile of grain for her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back. Ruth 2, verse 15. And she rose up to glean, and Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not bring shame upon her. Ruth 2, verse 16. When you carry sheaves, carry them for her also; and when you throw them on the piles, throw them for her also; and let her gather from what has piled up, and do not rebuke her.” Ruth 2, verse 17. So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat with a rod what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. Ruth 2, verse 18. Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So Ruth brought forth and gave to her what she had kept back after she had been satisfied. Ruth 2, verse 19. And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you.” So Ruth told her mother-in-law where she had worked and said, “The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” Ruth 2, verse 20. Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed is he of the Lord, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” And Naomi said to her, “This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.” Ruth 2, verse 21. Ruth said to her mother-in-law, “He also said to me, ‘Stay near by my young men until they finish all my reaping.’” Ruth 2, verse 22. And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and thus people will not meet you in another field.” Ruth 2, verse 23. So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of the barley and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.