happened to come to a part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. [1]
4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.
5 Then said Boaz to 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 from 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 to Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from here, but abide here close by my maidens:
9 Let thy eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art 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 grace in thy eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
11 And Boaz answered and said to her, It hath fully been shown to 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 hast come to a people which thou knewest not before.
12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou hast come to trust.
13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, 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. [2] [3]
14 And Boaz said to her, At mealtime come thou here, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached for her roasted grain, and she ate, and was satisfied, and left.
15 And when she had risen to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: [4]
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 evening, and 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 out, and gave to her what she had reserved after she was satisfied.
19 And her mother in law said to her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where hast thou laboured? blessed be he that took 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 to her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not withheld his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said to her, The man is near of kin to us, one of our next kinsmen. [5]
21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said to me also, Thou shalt keep close by 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 shouldest go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. [6]
23 So she kept close by the maidens of Boaz to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
CHAP. 3.
1 Then Naomi her mother in law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and go down to the floor: but make not thyself known to the man, until he shall have finished eating and drinking.
4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. [7]
5 And she said to her, All that thou sayest to me I will do.
6 And she went down to the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid herself down.
8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. [8]
9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thy handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman. [9]
10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shown more kindness in the latter end than at
- ↑ hap...: Heb. hap happened
- ↑ Let me...: or, I find
- ↑ friendly: Heb. to the heart
- ↑ reproach...: Heb. shame her not
- ↑ one of...: or, one that hath right to redeem
- ↑ meet...: or, fall upon thee
- ↑ uncover: or, lift up the clothes that are on
- ↑ turned: or, took hold on
- ↑ a near...: or, one that hath right to redeem
