Ruth 2:1-23
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.a
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 hapb 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 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.
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 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.
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 reproachc 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 shewed 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 meetd 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 2:7. Let me glean. She modestly asked this as a favour, which the law itself had allowed the poor.
Ruth 2:10. She fell on her face, honouring Boaz as a prince and venerable father.
Ruth 2:14. Dip thy morsel in the vinegar. The Israelites used a vinegar made of wine, to cool the body, and counteract the effects of hard labour and excessive heat. It was mostly mixed with a proportion of oil to give it an agreeable flavour.
Ruth 2:17. An ephah contained ten omers, or about twenty quarts.
Ruth 2:23. To the end of barley harvest, and of wheat harvest; in all about ten weeks, from the first week after Easter till a month after Whitsuntide.
REFLECTIONS.
We now trace farther steps of providence in accomplishing its designs of shedding a lustre on the house of David, and grace to the humankind in the redemption of the world. The sincere and extraordinary piety of Ruth was discovered by secluding herself from all giddy women of her own age, and the vain amusements of life. She affected no decorations of her person with a view to please, because she wanted to please the Lord alone. She sought no companion but her mother, and desired to gain no knowledge in comparison of the knowledge of God. These are all inestimable qualifications when proceeding from a heart deeply impressed with divine things.
Ruth's piety discovered itself by the love of devotion. She kept the object of her faith constantly in view: it was the promise of the Lord to his people, and under his wings she had come to trust. She therefore attended his worship that she might learn the law, and become acquainted with the grace and comfort afforded by his word. Fine example in youth, and worthy of imitation.
Her piety was further distinguished by industry and filial affection. She went not about the streets to beg, or to claim kindred with the rich; but decently went forth into the field to maintain herself, and her aged mother, by the labour of her own hands. As idleness is mostly a companion of vice; so industry, and grateful returns to parents, are the happiest fruits of filial piety.
God by his grace having made this stranger meet and worthy of his favour, next directed her way into the field of Boaz, a near kinsman of Elimelech. Towards noon the venerable patriarch entered the field, saluted the reapers, and noticed the stranger, who still wore, it is presumed from her poverty, the Moabian dress. He acquainted himself with her name from his steward; by whom he was further continued in the good account he had previously heard of her morals and piety. He addressed her in language of encouragement, and invited her to eat with his maids. A good name, in the estimation of good men, is of great value; and soon or late this is the inestimable reward of a faith productive of every virtue. From this moment the tide of adversity began to turn, and a rising hope would induce Ruth gradually to forget her country and her tears. It would seem, from the courtesy of Boaz, though the thought of marriage entered not his head, that he was peculiarly struck with the first sight of a person with whom he was designated to form so important a link in the chain of providence. He found a sentiment formed in his heart more than he could express: it was the earnest of that unutterable goodness which that moment began one part of the foundation for the rising glory of his house. All young people should fear God, and be found in the way of piety; and then they are ready for the reception of all those treasures of providence and grace, which heaven may have kept in store for the comfort and happiness of future years.
Ruth returned with more than three pecks of barley, and related to her mother the happy adventures of the day. Naomi, better acquainted with the laws and customs of Israel than the daughter, augured more from the kindness of Boaz than Ruth had been able to conceive. She apprized her of the duties of a near kinsman in raising up issue to a deceased brother or cousin, who had died without an heir; and that the right of redeeming Elimelech's property belonged to Boaz. From that moment she encouraged Ruth to accept of the good man's invitation to glean in his field, the whole of both the harvests. Happy are those children who have a wise and aged parent to direct them in the affairs of life, and especially to give counsel in the eventful crisis of marriage. Wisdom in that case is often more to be esteemed than honour and fortune. It is a treasure which cannot be valued; for God has promised to guide his people in all the dubious steps of life. If the good man will keep a command of his passions, let reason operate, and seek the Lord by fervent prayer, he will guide him in judgment, and liberally bless him with wisdom from above.