Ruth 2

King James Version

Full text for Ruth Chapter 2

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.

2And 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.

3And 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.

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

6And 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:

7And 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.

8Then 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.

10Then 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?

11And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed 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.

12The 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.

13Then she said, Let me find favour 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.

14And 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.

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

16And 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.

18And 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.

19And 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 shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day [is] Boaz.

20And 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.

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

22And 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.

23So 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Ruth, seeking to provide for herself and Naomi, requests permission to glean in the fields. She providentially arrives at the field of Boaz, a wealthy kinsman of Naomi's late husband. Boaz, having heard of Ruth's devotion to Naomi, shows her exceptional kindness, offering protection, food, and abundant gleanings. Naomi, upon learning of Boaz's generosity, recognizes him as a near kinsman and praises the Lord for his continued kindness to their family.

Medium Summary

Ruth, desiring to provide for herself and Naomi, requests to glean in the fields, hoping to find favor. She fortuitously arrives at a field belonging to Boaz, a prosperous relative of Naomi's deceased husband, Elimelech. Boaz, observing Ruth, inquires about her identity and learns of her steadfast loyalty to Naomi, having left her homeland to come to Israel. Moved by her devotion, Boaz extends remarkable favor to Ruth, instructing his reapers to protect her, allowing her to glean freely, and even providing her with food and drink. He specifically commands his young men to leave extra grain for her to gather. Ruth returns to Naomi with a significant amount of barley, and upon learning of Boaz's generosity, Naomi blesses him, recognizing him as a near kinsman with a duty to their family. Naomi then advises Ruth to continue gleaning in Boaz's fields throughout the entire harvest season.

Long Summary

The chapter opens by introducing Boaz, a wealthy and influential kinsman of Naomi's late husband, Elimelech, residing in Bethlehem. Ruth, seeking to provide for herself and her mother-in-law, requests Naomi's permission to glean in the fields, trusting that she will find grace in someone's sight. Her path providentially leads her to a portion of the field belonging to Boaz. When Boaz arrives from Bethlehem, he greets his reapers and then inquires about the identity of the foreign woman he observes. His servant informs him that she is Ruth, the Moabitess who returned with Naomi from Moab, and notes her diligence in gleaning since morning. Boaz then approaches Ruth, instructing her to remain in his field and glean alongside his maidens, assuring her protection from his young men and offering her access to their water supply. Overwhelmed by his unexpected kindness, Ruth prostrates herself, questioning why he would show favor to a stranger. Boaz explains that he has been fully informed of her unwavering loyalty to Naomi since her husband's death, and how she left her own family and land to come to a people she did not know. He invokes the Lord to recompense her work and grant her a full reward under the wings of the God of Israel. During mealtime, Boaz invites Ruth to eat with him and even provides her with parched corn, ensuring she is satisfied. Furthermore, he instructs his young men to allow her to glean even among the sheaves and to intentionally drop handfuls of grain for her, forbidding them from rebuking her. Ruth diligently gleans until evening, gathering about an ephah of barley, which she brings back to Naomi. Naomi, seeing the abundance, inquires about where Ruth gleaned, blessing the one who took knowledge of her. Upon learning it was Boaz, Naomi exclaims a blessing upon him, acknowledging his continued kindness to both the living and the dead, and revealing that Boaz is one of their "next kinsmen," indicating a special family obligation. Ruth then informs Naomi of Boaz's instruction to stay with his young men until the harvest concludes. Naomi affirms this counsel, advising Ruth to continue gleaning with Boaz's maidens to ensure her safety. Consequently, Ruth remains with Boaz's maidens, gleaning through both the barley and wheat harvests, and continues to dwell with Naomi.

Core Concepts

  • GleaningThe practice of gathering leftover grain in a field after the reapers, a provision for the poor and strangers outlined in Mosaic law. Ruth engages in this practice to provide for herself and Naomi.
  • Kinsman-Redeemer (Goel)Boaz is identified as a "near kinsman" or "next kinsman" (KJV), hinting at his role as a *goel* who has a family obligation to care for the widowed and childless, and to redeem family property.
  • Divine ProvidenceRuth's "hap" or chance encounter with Boaz's field is presented as a divinely guided event, leading her to the specific kinsman who would show her favor.
  • Kindness and Favor (Chesed)Boaz's actions towards Ruth exemplify extraordinary kindness, going beyond the legal requirements of gleaning by offering protection, food, and intentionally leaving extra grain for her.
  • Loyalty and TrustBoaz commends Ruth for her steadfast loyalty to Naomi and for leaving her homeland to trust under the "wings" of the God of Israel, highlighting her faith and devotion.
  • Protection of the VulnerableBoaz actively ensures Ruth's safety and well-being as a foreign woman and a gleaner, instructing his young men not to touch or reproach her, and providing her with water and food.