Ruth 2

Ruth Gleans in the Field of Boaz

1Now Naomi had a relative of her husband, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3So 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 clan of Elimelech.

4And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The LORD be with you.” And they answered him, “The LORD bless you.” 5Then Boaz said to his servant who was set over the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6And the servant who was set over the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came and has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.”

Boaz Shows Kindness to Ruth

8Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now listen, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but stay close to my young women. 9Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” 10Then 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?”

11But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people whom you did not know before. 12May the LORD repay you for what you have done, and may your reward be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.” 13Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not even like one of your servants.”

Ruth Eats with the Reapers

14And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate and was satisfied and had some left over. 15When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.”

17So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied.

Naomi Learns About Boaz

19Her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the LORD, whose steadfast love has not forsaken the living or the dead.” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.”

21And Ruth the Moabite said, “He also said to me, ‘Stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’” 22And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be harmed.” 23So she stayed close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley harvest and wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law.