Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Ruth » Chapter 2 » Verse 1-23

Ruth 2:1-23 King James Version (KJV)

1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.

5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:

7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:

9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

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?

11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.

12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

13 Then she said, Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.

14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.

15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:

16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.

18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she showed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.

20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.

22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.

23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.


Ruth 2:1-23 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And Naomi H5281 had a kinsman H4129 H3045 of her husband's, H376 a mighty H1368 man H376 of wealth, H2428 of the family H4940 of Elimelech; H458 and his name H8034 was Boaz. H1162

2 And Ruth H7327 the Moabitess H4125 said H559 unto Naomi, H5281 Let me now go H3212 to the field, H7704 and glean H3950 ears of corn H7641 after H310 him in whose sight H5869 I shall find H4672 grace. H2580 And she said H559 unto her, Go, H3212 my daughter. H1323

3 And she went, H3212 and came, H935 and gleaned H3950 in the field H7704 after H310 the reapers: H7114 and her hap H4745 was to light H7136 on a part H2513 of the field H7704 belonging unto Boaz, H1162 who was of the kindred H4940 of Elimelech. H458

4 And, behold, Boaz H1162 came H935 from Bethlehem, H1035 and said H559 unto the reapers, H7114 The LORD H3068 be with you. And they answered H559 him, The LORD H3068 bless H1288 thee.

5 Then said H559 Boaz H1162 unto his servant H5288 that was set H5324 over the reapers, H7114 Whose damsel H5291 is this?

6 And the servant H5288 that was set H5324 over the reapers H7114 answered H6030 and said, H559 It is the Moabitish H4125 damsel H5291 that came back H7725 with Naomi H5281 out of the country H7704 of Moab: H4124

7 And she said, H559 I pray you, let me glean H3950 and gather H622 after H310 the reapers H7114 among the sheaves: H6016 so she came, H935 and hath continued H5975 even H227 from the morning H1242 until now, that she tarried H3427 a little H4592 in the house. H1004

8 Then said H559 Boaz H1162 unto Ruth, H7327 Hearest H8085 thou not, my daughter? H1323 Go H3212 not to glean H3950 in another H312 field, H7704 neither go H5674 from hence, but abide H1692 here fast by my maidens: H5291

9 Let thine eyes H5869 be on the field H7704 that they do reap, H7114 and go H1980 thou after H310 them: have I not charged H6680 the young men H5288 that they shall not touch H5060 thee? and when thou art athirst, H6770 go H1980 unto the vessels, H3627 and drink H8354 of that which the young men H5288 have drawn. H7579

10 Then she fell H5307 on her face, H6440 and bowed H7812 herself to the ground, H776 and said H559 unto him, Why have I found H4672 grace H2580 in thine eyes, H5869 that thou shouldest take knowledge H5234 of me, seeing I am a stranger? H5237

11 And Boaz H1162 answered H6030 and said H559 unto her, It hath fully H5046 been shewed H5046 me, all that thou hast done H6213 unto thy mother in law H2545 since H310 the death H4194 of thine husband: H376 and how thou hast left H5800 thy father H1 and thy mother, H517 and the land H776 of thy nativity, H4138 and art come H3212 unto a people H5971 which thou knewest H3045 not heretofore. H8543 H8032

12 The LORD H3068 recompense H7999 thy work, H6467 and a full H8003 reward H4909 be given thee of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 under whose wings H3671 thou art come H935 to trust. H2620

13 Then she said, H559 Let me find H4672 favour H2580 in thy sight, H5869 my lord; H113 for that thou hast comforted H5162 me, and for that thou hast spoken H1696 friendly H3820 unto thine handmaid, H8198 though I be not like unto one H259 of thine handmaidens. H8198

14 And Boaz H1162 said H559 unto her, At mealtime H6256 H400 come H5066 thou hither, H1988 and eat H398 of the bread, H3899 and dip H2881 thy morsel H6595 in the vinegar. H2558 And she sat H3427 beside H6654 the reapers: H7114 and he reached H6642 her parched H7039 corn, and she did eat, H398 and was sufficed, H7646 and left. H3498

15 And when she was risen up H6965 to glean, H3950 Boaz H1162 commanded H6680 his young men, H5288 saying, H559 Let her glean H3950 even among the sheaves, H6016 and reproach H3637 her not:

16 And let fall H7997 also some of the handfuls H6653 of purpose H7997 for her, and leave H5800 them, that she may glean H3950 them, and rebuke H1605 her not.

17 So she gleaned H3950 in the field H7704 until even, H6153 and beat out H2251 that she had gleaned: H3950 and it was about an ephah H374 of barley. H8184

18 And she took it up, H5375 and went H935 into the city: H5892 and her mother in law H2545 saw H7200 what she had gleaned: H3950 and she brought forth, H3318 and gave H5414 to her that she had reserved H3498 after she was sufficed. H7648

19 And her mother in law H2545 said H559 unto her, Where hast thou gleaned H3950 to day? H3117 and where H375 wroughtest H6213 thou? blessed H1288 be he that did take knowledge H5234 of thee. And she shewed H5046 her mother in law H2545 with whom she had wrought, H6213 and said, H559 The man's H376 name H8034 with whom I wrought H6213 to day H3117 is Boaz. H1162

20 And Naomi H5281 said H559 unto her daughter in law, H3618 Blessed H1288 be he of the LORD, H3068 who hath not left off H5800 his kindness H2617 to the living H2416 and to the dead. H4191 And Naomi H5281 said H559 unto her, The man H376 is near of kin H7138 unto us, one of our next kinsmen. H1350

21 And Ruth H7327 the Moabitess H4125 said, H559 He said H559 unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast H1692 by my young men, H5288 until they have ended H3615 all my harvest. H7105

22 And Naomi H5281 said H559 unto Ruth H7327 her daughter in law, H3618 It is good, H2896 my daughter, H1323 that thou go out H3318 with his maidens, H5291 that they meet H6293 thee not in any other H312 field. H7704

23 So she kept fast H1692 by the maidens H5291 of Boaz H1162 to glean H3950 unto the end H3615 of barley H8184 harvest H7105 and of wheat H2406 harvest; H7105 and dwelt H3427 with her mother in law. H2545


Ruth 2:1-23 American Standard (ASV)

1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

3 And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on the portion of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, Jehovah be with you. And they answered him, Jehovah bless thee.

5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:

7 And she said, Let me glean, I pray you, and gather after the reapers among the sheaves. So she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, save that she tarried a little in the house.

8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither pass from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens.

9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

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?

11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband; and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people that thou knewest not heretofore.

12 Jehovah recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of Jehovah, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge.

13 Then she said, Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken kindly unto thy handmaid, though I be not as one of thy handmaidens.

14 And at meal-time Boaz said unto her, Come hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers, and they reached her parched grain, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left thereof.

15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not.

16 And also pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and rebuke her not.

17 So she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.

18 And she took it up, and went into the city; and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth and gave to her that which she had left after she was sufficed.

19 And her mother-in-law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where hast thou wrought? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to-day is Boaz.

20 And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Jehovah, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen.

21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, Yea, he said unto me, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.

22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, and that they meet thee not in any other field.

23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.


Ruth 2:1-23 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And Naomi hath an acquaintance of her husband's, a man mighty in wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name `is' Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabitess saith unto Naomi, `Let me go, I pray thee, into the field, and I gather among the ears of corn after him in whose eyes I find grace;' and she saith to her, `Go, my daughter.'

3 And she goeth and cometh and gathereth in a field after the reapers, and her chance happeneth -- the portion of the field is Boaz's who `is' of the family of Elimelech.

4 And lo, Boaz hath come from Beth-Lehem, and saith to the reapers, `Jehovah `is' with you;' and they say to him, `Jehovah doth bless thee.'

5 And Boaz saith to his young man who is set over the reapers, `Whose `is' this young person?'

6 And the young man who is set over the reapers answereth and saith, `A young woman -- Moabitess -- she `is', who came back with Naomi from the fields of Moab,

7 and she saith, Let me glean, I pray thee -- and I have gathered among the sheaves after the reapers; and she cometh and remaineth since the morning and till now; she sat in the house a little.

8 And Boaz saith unto Ruth, `Hast thou not heard, my daughter? go not to glean in another field, and also, pass not over from this, and thus thou dost cleave to my young women:

9 thine eyes `are' on the field which they reap, and thou hast gone after them; have not I charged the young men not to touch thee? when thou art athirst then thou hast gone unto the vessels, and hast drunk from that which the young men draw.'

10 And she falleth on her face, and boweth herself to the earth, and saith unto him, `Wherefore have I found grace in thine eyes, to discern me, and I a stranger?'

11 And Boaz answereth and saith to her, `It hath thoroughly been declared to me all that thou hast done with thy mother-in-law, after the death of thy husband, and thou dost leave thy father, and thy mother, and the land of thy birth, and dost come in unto a people which thou hast not known heretofore.

12 Jehovah doth recompense thy work, and thy reward is complete from Jehovah, God of Israel, under whose wings thou hast come to take refuge.'

13 And she saith, `Let me find grace in thine eyes, my lord, because thou hast comforted me, and because thou hast spoken unto the heart of thy maid-servant, and I -- I am not as one of thy maid-servants.'

14 And Boaz saith to her, `At meal-time come nigh hither, and thou hast eaten of the bread, and dipped thy morsel in the vinegar.' And she sitteth at the side of the reapers, and he reacheth to her roasted corn, and she eateth, and is satisfied, and leaveth.

15 And she riseth to glean, and Boaz chargeth his young men, saying, `Even between the sheaves she doth glean, and ye do not cause her to blush;

16 and also ye do surely cast to her of the handfuls -- and have left, and she hath gleaned, and ye do not push against her.'

17 And she gleaneth in the field till the evening, and beateth out that which she hath gleaned, and it is about an ephah of barley;

18 and she taketh `it' up, and goeth into the city, and her mother-in-law seeth that which she hath gleaned, and she bringeth out and giveth to her that which she left from her satiety.

19 And her mother-in-law saith to her, `Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where hast thou wrought? may he who is discerning thee be blessed.' And she declareth to her mother-in-law with whom she hath wrought, and saith, `The name of the man with whom I have wrought to-day `is' Boaz.'

20 And Naomi saith to her daughter-in-law, `Blessed `is' he of Jehovah who hath not forsaken His kindness with the living and with the dead;' and Naomi saith to her, `The man is a relation of ours; he `is' of our redeemers.'

21 And Ruth the Moabitess saith, `Also he surely said unto me, Near the young people whom I have thou dost cleave till they have completed the whole of the harvest which I have.'

22 And Naomi saith unto Ruth her daughter-in-law, `Good, my daughter, that thou goest out with his young women, and they come not against thee in another field.'

23 And she cleaveth to the young women of Boaz to glean, till the completion of the barley-harvest, and of the wheat-harvest, and she dwelleth with her mother-in-law.


Ruth 2:1-23 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And Naomi had a relation of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me, I pray, go to the field and glean among the ears of corn after [him] in whose sight I shall find favour. And she said to her, Go, my daughter.

3 And she went; and she came and gleaned in the fields after the reapers; and she chanced to light on an allotment of Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem; and he said to the reapers, Jehovah be with you! And they said to him, Jehovah bless thee!

5 And Boaz said to his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose maiden is this?

6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish maiden who came back with Naomi out of the fields of Moab;

7 and she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers. And she came, and has continued from the morning until now: her sitting in the house has been little as yet.

8 And Boaz said to Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from here, but keep here with my maidens.

9 Let thine eyes be on the field which is being reaped, and go thou after them; have I not charged the young men not to touch thee? And when thou art athirst, go to the vessels and drink of what the young men draw.

10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found favour in thine eyes, that thou shouldest regard me, seeing I am a foreigner?

11 And Boaz answered and said to her, It has fully been shewn me, all that thou hast done to thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband; and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come to a people that thou hast not known heretofore.

12 Jehovah recompense thy work, and let thy reward be full from Jehovah the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge.

13 And she said, Let me find favour in thine eyes, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken kindly to thy handmaid, though I am not like one of thy handmaidens.

14 And Boaz said to her at mealtime, Come hither and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers; and he reached her parched corn, and she ate and was sufficed, and reserved [some].

15 And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and ye shall not reproach her.

16 And ye shall also sometimes draw out for her [some ears] out of the handfuls, and leave them that she may glean, and rebuke her not.

17 And she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out what she had gleaned; and it was about an ephah of barley.

18 And she took [it] up, and came into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned; and she brought forth and gave to her that which she had reserved after she was sufficed.

19 And her mother-in-law said to her, Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where hast thou wrought? Blessed be he that did regard thee! And she told her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to-day is Boaz.

20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Jehovah, who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead! And Naomi said to her, The man is near of kin to us, one of those who have the right of our redemption.

21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said to me also, Thou shalt keep with my young men until they have ended all my harvest.

22 And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.

23 So she kept with the maidens of Boaz to glean, until the end of the barley-harvest and of the wheat-harvest. And she dwelt with her mother-in-law.


Ruth 2:1-23 World English Bible (WEB)

1 Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.

2 Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor. She said to her, Go, my daughter.

3 She went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

4 Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, Yahweh be with you. They answered him, Yahweh bless you.

5 Then said Boaz to his servant who was set over the reapers, Whose young lady is this?

6 The servant who was set over the reapers answered, It is the Moabite lady who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:

7 She said, Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves. So she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, except that she stayed a little in the house.

8 Then said Boaz to Ruth, Don't you hear, my daughter? Don't go to glean in another field, neither pass from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens.

9 Let your eyes be on the field that they reap, and go after them: haven't I charged the young men that they shall not touch you? and when you are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take knowledge of me, seeing I am a foreigner?

11 Boaz answered her, It has fully been shown me, all that you have done to 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 that you didn't know before.

12 Yahweh recompense your work, and a full reward be given you of Yahweh, the God of Israel, under whose wings you are come to take refuge.

13 Then she said, Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, because you have comforted me, and because you have spoken kindly to your handmaid, though I am not as one of your handmaidens.

14 At meal-time Boaz said to her, Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your morsel in the vinegar. She sat beside the reapers, and they reached her parched grain, and she ate, and was sufficed, and left of it.

15 When she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and don't reproach her.

16 Also pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and don't rebuke her.

17 So she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.

18 She took it up, and went into the city; and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth and gave to her that which she had left after she was sufficed.

19 Her mother-in-law said to her, Where have you gleaned today? and where have you worked? blessed be he who did take knowledge of you. She shown her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.

20 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Yahweh, who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. Naomi said to her, The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen.

21 Ruth the Moabitess said, Yes, he said to me, You shall keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.

22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, and that they not meet you in any other field.

23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she lived with her mother-in-law.


Ruth 2:1-23 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 And Naomi had a relation of her husband, a man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Now let me go into the field and take up the heads of grain after him in whose eyes I may have grace. And she said to her, Go, my daughter.

3 And she went, and came and took up the heads of grain in the field after the cutters; and by chance she went into that part of the field which was the property of Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

4 And Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said to the grain-cutters, The Lord be with you. And they made answer, The Lord give you his blessing.

5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in authority over the cutters, Whose girl is this?

6 And the servant who was in authority over the cutters said, It is a Moabite girl who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab;

7 And she said to me, Let me come into the grain-field and take up the grain after the cutters. So she came, and has been here from morning till now, without resting even for a minute.

8 Then said Boaz to Ruth, Give ear to me, my daughter: do not go to take up the grain in another field, or go away from here, but keep here by my young women:

9 Keep your eyes on the field they are cutting, and go after them; have I not given orders to the young men not to put a hand on you? And when you are in need of drink go to the vessels and take of what the young men have put there.

10 Then she went down on her face to the earth, and said to him, Why have I grace in your eyes, that you give attention to me, seeing I am from a strange people?

11 And Boaz answering said to her, I have had news of everything you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband; how you went away from your father and mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people who are strange to you.

12 The Lord give you a reward for what you have done, and may a full reward be given to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take cover.

13 Then she said, May I have grace in your eyes, my lord, for you have given me comfort, and you have said kind words to your servant, though I am not like one of your servants.

14 And at meal-time Boaz said to her, Come here, and take some of the bread, and put your bit into the wine. And she took her seat among the grain-cutters: and he gave her dry grain, and she took it, and there was more than enough for her meal.

15 And when she got ready to take up the grain, Boaz gave his young men orders, saying, Let her take it even from among the cut grain, and say nothing to her.

16 And let some heads of grain be pulled out of what has been corded up, and dropped for her to take, and let no sharp word be said to her.

17 So she went on getting together the heads of grain till evening; and after crushing out the seed it came to about an ephah of grain.

18 And she took it up and went into the town; and she let her mother-in-law see what she had got, and after taking enough for herself she gave her the rest.

19 And her mother-in-law said to her, Where did you take up the grain today, and where were you working? May a blessing be on him who gave such attention to you. And she gave her mother-in-law an account of where she had been working, and said, The name of the man with whom I was working today is Boaz.

20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, May the blessing of the Lord, who has at all times been kind to the living and to the dead, be on him. And Naomi said to her, The man is of our family, one of our near relations.

21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, Truly, he said to me, Keep near my young men till all my grain is cut.

22 And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, It is better, my daughter, for you to go out with his servant-girls, so that no danger may come to you in another field.

23 So she kept near the servant-girls of Boaz to take up the grain till the cutting of the early grain and the cutting of the late grain were ended; and she went on living with her mother-in-law.

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Commentary on Ruth 2 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary


Introduction

Ruth Gleans in the Field of Boaz - Ruth 2

Ruth went to the field to glean ears of corn, for the purpose of procuring support for herself and her mother-in-law, and came by chance to the field of Boaz, a relative of Naomi, who, when he heard that she had come with Naomi from Moabitis, spoke kindly to her, and gave her permission not only to glean ears in his field and even among the sheaves, but to appease her hunger and thirst with the food and drink of his reapers (vv. 1-16), so that in the evening she returned to her mother-in-law with a plentiful gleaning, and told her of the gracious reception she had met with from this man, and then learned from her that Boaz was a relation of her own (Ruth 2:17-23).


Verses 1-7

The account of this occurrence commences with a statement which was necessary in order to make it perfectly intelligible, namely that Boaz, to whose field Ruth went to glean, was a relative of Naomi through her deceased husband Elimelech. The Kethibh מידע is to be read מידּע , an acquaintance (cf. Psalms 31:12; Psalms 55:14). The Keri מודע is the construct state of מודע , lit . acquaintanceship, then an acquaintance or friend (Proverbs 7:4), for which מודעת occurs afterwards in Ruth 3:2 with the same meaning. That the acquaintance or friend of Naomi through her husband was also a relation, is evident from the fact that he was “of the family of Elimelech. ” According to the rabbinical tradition, which is not well established however, Boaz was a nephew of Elimelech. The ל before אישׁהּ is used instead of the simple construct state, because the reference is not to the relation, but to a relation of her husband; at the same time, the word מודע has taken the form of the construct state notwithstanding this ל (compare Ewald , §292 , a ., with § 289, b .). חיל גּבּור generally means the brave man of war (Judges 6:12; Judges 11:1, etc.); but here it signifies a man of property. The name Boaz is not formed from עז בּו , in whom is strength, but from a root, בּעז , which does not occur in Hebrew, and signifies alacrity .

Ruth 2:2-3

Ruth wished to go to the field and glean at (among) the ears, i.e., whatever ears were left lying upon the harvest field (cf. Ruth 2:7), אשׁר אחר , behind him in whose eyes she should find favour. The Mosaic law (Leviticus 19:9; Leviticus 23:22, compared with Deuteronomy 24:19) did indeed expressly secure to the poor the right to glean in the harvest fields, and prohibited the owners from gleaning themselves; but hard-hearted farmers and reapers threw obstacles in the way of the poor, and even forbade their gleaning altogether. Hence Ruth proposed to glean after him who should generously allow it. She carried out this intention with the consent of Naomi, and chance led her to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, a relation of Elimelech, without her knowing the owner of the field, or being at all aware of his connection with Elimelech. מקרה ויּקר , lit., “ her chance chanced to hit upon the field .”

Ruth 2:4-7

When Boaz came from the town to the field, and had greeted his reapers with the blessing of a genuine Israelites, “ Jehovah be with you ,” and had received from them a corresponding greeting in return, he said to the overseer of the reapers, “ Whose damsel is this? ” to which he replied, “ It is the Moabitish damsel who came back with Naomi from the fields of Moab, and she has said (asked), Pray, I will glean (i.e., pray allow me to glean) and gather among the sheaves after the reapers, and has come and stays (here) from morning till now; her sitting in the house that is little .” מאז , lit . a conjunction, here used as a preposition, is stronger than מן , “ from then ,” from the time of the morning onwards (see Ewald , §222, c.). It is evident from this answer of the servant who was placed over the reapers, (1) that Boaz did not prohibit any poor person from gleaning in his field; (2) that Ruth asked permission of the overseer of the reapers, and availed herself of this permission with untiring zeal from the first thing in the morning, that she might get the necessary support for her mother-in-law and herself; and (3) that her history was well known to the overseer, and also to Boaz, although Boaz saw her now for the first time.


Verse 8-9

The good report which the overlooker gave of the modesty and diligence of Ruth could only strengthen Boaz in his purpose, which he had probably already formed from his affection as a relation towards Naomi, to make the acquaintance of her daughter-in-law, and speak kindly to her. With fatherly kindness, therefore, he said to her (Ruth 2:8, Ruth 2:9), “ Dost thou hear, my daughter? (i.e., 'thou hearest, dost thou not?' interrogatio blande affirmat ;) go not to reap in another field, and go not away from here, and keep so to my maidens (i.e., remaining near them in the field). Thine eyes (directed) upon the field which they reap, go behind them (i.e., behind the maidens, who probably tired up the sheaves, whilst the men-servants cut the corn). I have commanded the young men not to touch thee (to do thee no harm); and if thou art thirsty ( צמת , from צמה = צמא : see Ewald , §195, b .), go to the vessels, and drink of what the servants draw.


Verse 10

Deeply affected by this generosity, Ruth fell upon her face, bowing down to the ground (as in 1 Samuel 25:23; 2 Samuel 1:2; cf. Genesis 23:7), to thank him reverentially, and said to Boaz, “ Why have I found favour in thine eyes, that thou regardest me, who am only a stranger? ” הכּיר , to look at with sympathy or care, to receive a person kindly (cf. Ruth 2:19).


Verse 11-12

Boaz replied, “ Everything has been told me that thou hast done to ( את , prep. as in Zechariah 7:9; 2 Samuel 16:17) thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband, that thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and thy kindred, and hast come to a people that thou knewest not heretofore ” (hast therefore done what God commanded Abraham to do, Genesis 12:1). “ The Lord recompense thy work, and let thy reward be perfect (recalling Genesis 15:1) from the Lord the God of Israel, to whom thou hast come to seek refuge under His wings! ” For this figurative expression, which is derived from Deuteronomy 32:11, compare Psalms 91:4; Psalms 36:8; Psalms 57:2. In these words of Boaz we see the genuine piety of a true Israelite.


Verse 13

Ruth replied with true humility, “ May I find favour in thine eyes; for thou hast comforted me, and spoken to the heart of thy maiden (see Judges 19:3), though I am not like one of thy maidens, ” i.e., though I stand in no such near relation to thee, as to have been able to earn thy favour. In this last clause she restricts the expression “thy maiden.” Carpzov has rightly pointed this out: “But what am I saying when I call myself thy maiden? since I am not worthy to be compared to the least of thy maidens.” The word אמצא is to be taken in an optative sense, as expressive of the wish that Boaz might continue towards her the kindness he had already expressed. To take it as a present, “I find favour” ( Clericus and Bertheau ), does not tally with the modesty and humility shown by Ruth in the following words.


Verse 14

This unassuming humility on the part of Ruth made Boaz all the more favourably disposed towards her, so that at meal-time he called her to eat along with his people ( לה without Mappik , as in Numbers 32:42; Zechariah 5:11; cf. Ewald , §94, b . 3). “ Dip thy morsel in the vinegar. Chomez , a sour beverage composed of vinegar (wine vinegar or sour wine) mixed with oil; a very refreshing drink, which is still a favourite beverage in the East (see Rosenmüller , A. and N. Morgenland, iv. p. 68, and my Bibl. Archäologie, ii. p. 16). “ And he reached her parched corn. ” The subject is Boaz, who, judging from the expression “come hither,” either joined in the meal, or at any rate was present at it. קלי are roasted grains of wheat (see at Leviticus 2:14, and my Bibl. Arch. ii. p. 14), which are still eaten by the reapers upon the harvest field, and also handed to strangers.

(Note: Thus Robinson (Pal. ii. p. 394) gives the following description of a harvest scene in the neighbourhood of Kubeibeh: “In one field nearly two hundred reapers and gleaners were at work, the latter being nearly as numerous as the former. A few were taking their refreshment, and offered us some of their 'parched corn.' In the season of harvest, the grains of wheat not yet fully dry and hard, are roasted in a pan or on an iron plate, and constitute a very palatable article of food; this is eaten along with bread, or instead of it.”)

Boaz gave her an abundant supply of it, so that she was not only satisfied, but left some, and was able to take it home to her mother (Ruth 2:18.)


Verse 15-16

When she rose up to glean again after eating, Boaz commanded his people, saying, “ She may also glean between the shaves (which was not generally allowed), and ye shall not shame her (do her any injury, Judges 18:7); and ye shall also draw out of the bundles for her, and let them lie (the ears drawn out), that she may glean them, and shall not scold her, ” sc., for picking up the ears that have been drawn out. These directions of Boaz went far beyond the bounds of generosity and compassion for the poor; and show that he felt a peculiar interest in Ruth, with whose circumstances he was well acquainted, and who had won his heart by her humility, her faithful attachment to her mother-in-law, and her love to the God of Israel, - a face important to notice in connection with the further course of the history.


Verses 17-23

Thus Ruth gleaned till the evening in the field; and when she knocked out the ears, she had about an ephah (about 20-25 lbs.) of barley.

Ruth 2:18

This she brought to her mother-in-law in the city, and “ drew out (sc., from her pocket, as the Chaldee has correctly supplied) what she had left from her sufficiency, ” i.e., of the parched corn which Boaz had reached her (Ruth 2:14).

Ruth 2:19-20

The mother inquired, “ where hast thou gleaned to-day, and where wroughtest thou? ” and praised the benefactor, who, as she conjecture from the quantity of barley collected and the food brought home, had taken notice of Ruth: “ blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee! ” When she heard the name of the man, Boaz, she saw that this relative of her husband had been chosen by God to be a benefactor of herself and Ruth, and exclaimed, “ Blessed be he of the Lord, that he has not left off (withdrawn) his favour towards the living and the dead! ” On חסדּו עזב see Genesis 24:27. This verb is construed with a double accusative here; for את cannot be a preposition, as in that case מאת would be used like מעם in Gen. l.c . “ The living, ” etc., forms a second object: as regards (with regard to) the living and the dead, in which Naomi thought of herself and Ruth, and of her husband and sons, to whom God still showed himself gracious, even after their death, through His care for their widows. In order to enlighten Ruth still further upon the matter, she added, “ The man (Boaz) is our relative, and one of our redeemers. ” He “ stands near to us, ” sc., by relationship. גּאלנוּ , a defective form for גּאלינוּ , which is found in several MSS and editions. On the significance of the goël , or redeemer, see at Leviticus 25:26, Leviticus 25:48-49, and the introduction to Ruth 3.

Ruth 2:21

Ruth proceeded to inform her of his kindness: כּי גּם , “ also (know) that he said to me, Keep with my people, till the harvest is all ended. ” The masculine הנּערים , for which we should rather expect the feminine נערות in accordance with Ruth 2:8, Ruth 2:22, Ruth 2:23, is quite in place as the more comprehensive gender, as a designation of the reapers generally, both male and female; and the expression לי אשׁר in this connection in the sense of my is more exact than the possessive pronoun: the people who belong to my house, as distinguished from the people of other masters.

Ruth 2:22

Naomi declared herself fully satisfied with this, because Ruth would be thereby secured from insults, which she might receive when gleaning in strange fields. “ That they meet thee not, lit . “that they do not fall upon thee.” בּ פּגע signifies to fall upon a person, to smite and ill-treat him.

Ruth 2:23

After this Ruth kept with the maidens of Boaz during the whole of the barley and wheat harvests gleaning ears of corn, and lived with her mother-in-law, sc., when she returned in the evening from the field. In this last remark there is a tacit allusion to the fact that a change took place for Ruth when the harvest was over.