Ruth 1:22-2:23
“So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.” (Ruth 1:22)
Barley is one of the first crops to ripen so Naomi and Ruth probably returned in early to mid summer. Under the Jewish system, farmers were not to pick up anything that was dropped or missed and they were not to take the time to completely reap the corners of the fields. Leviticus 23:22 commands, “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.” It was the ideal time to return, providing the opportunity to gather adequate food for the following winter.
“And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
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. 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.” (Ruth 2:1-3)
Although Naomi still owned the land and house that Elimelech had inherited, no one was farming it so it would not produce a crop. The only food they would have was what they could get by gleaning the fields, picking up what the harvesters left behind. Being young and strong, Ruth offered to go out and glean wherever she could. As it happened she went into a field belonging to a relative of Elimelech’s, and began to glean in the part of the field where they had finished.
“And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
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: 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.” (Ruth 2:4-7)
In most small communities everyone knows everyone for miles around. When Boaz came out to check on his workers and help a little, he didn’t recognize Ruth and questioned who she was. Explaining that she was Naomi’s Moabite daughter in law, the foreman told how polite she’d been and how hard and long she’d been working, spending little time at her house.
“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: 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.” (Ruth 2:8-9)
Approaching Ruth, Boaz informed her that he had given orders she was not to be bothered by the guys and that she was welcome to drink from the water he provided for them. He also told her he would rather she moved from field to field with his crew so there wouldn’t be any problems getting permission to glean or of the guys trying to take advantage of her. Boaz seems to have been quite a bit older, referring to her as daughter.
“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?
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. 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.” (Ruth 2:10-12)
Surprised that he would welcome a foreigner in such a manner, Ruth asked why he was doing that. Boaz explained that he appreciated what she was doing for Naomi, in leaving her home to accompany her. He was just providing a little token of the blessing that she was earning from God.
“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.
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. 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: And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.” (Ruth 2:13-16)
In farm country it is still common for the farmer to provide lunch for his workers. Seeing her appreciation for his help, Boaz invited Ruth to share in their meal, going out of his way to be sure she got enough. He also instructed his employees to deliberately drop some extra grain occasionally to be sure Ruth would get enough without making it apparent he was trying to help her.
“So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. 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.” (Ruth 2:17-18)
Ruth worked just as long as the men in the field, collecting and threshing out a little less than a bushel of grain. It was far more than would normally be expected thanks to Boaz’ instructions and generosity.
“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.
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.” (Ruth 2:19-20)
Naomi was surprised that Ruth had been able to gather so much and that she hadn’t been run out of the fields, and wanted to know who had been so kind. Learning that it was Boaz who had been so helpful, Naomi was especially thankful that God didn’t forget his people. It was quite a change from her attitude in Ruth 1:13, “…for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.”
“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.
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.
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 2:21-23)
Naomi acknowledged that it would avoid problems if Ruth worked only in Boaz’ fields, so Ruth worked in his fields throughout both the barley and wheat harvests, living with Naomi. They would have enough grain to last the entire year.
“So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.” (Ruth 1:22)
Barley is one of the first crops to ripen so Naomi and Ruth probably returned in early to mid summer. Under the Jewish system, farmers were not to pick up anything that was dropped or missed and they were not to take the time to completely reap the corners of the fields. Leviticus 23:22 commands, “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.” It was the ideal time to return, providing the opportunity to gather adequate food for the following winter.
“And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
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. 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.” (Ruth 2:1-3)
Although Naomi still owned the land and house that Elimelech had inherited, no one was farming it so it would not produce a crop. The only food they would have was what they could get by gleaning the fields, picking up what the harvesters left behind. Being young and strong, Ruth offered to go out and glean wherever she could. As it happened she went into a field belonging to a relative of Elimelech’s, and began to glean in the part of the field where they had finished.
“And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
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: 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.” (Ruth 2:4-7)
In most small communities everyone knows everyone for miles around. When Boaz came out to check on his workers and help a little, he didn’t recognize Ruth and questioned who she was. Explaining that she was Naomi’s Moabite daughter in law, the foreman told how polite she’d been and how hard and long she’d been working, spending little time at her house.
“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: 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.” (Ruth 2:8-9)
Approaching Ruth, Boaz informed her that he had given orders she was not to be bothered by the guys and that she was welcome to drink from the water he provided for them. He also told her he would rather she moved from field to field with his crew so there wouldn’t be any problems getting permission to glean or of the guys trying to take advantage of her. Boaz seems to have been quite a bit older, referring to her as daughter.
“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?
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. 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.” (Ruth 2:10-12)
Surprised that he would welcome a foreigner in such a manner, Ruth asked why he was doing that. Boaz explained that he appreciated what she was doing for Naomi, in leaving her home to accompany her. He was just providing a little token of the blessing that she was earning from God.
“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.
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. 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: And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.” (Ruth 2:13-16)
In farm country it is still common for the farmer to provide lunch for his workers. Seeing her appreciation for his help, Boaz invited Ruth to share in their meal, going out of his way to be sure she got enough. He also instructed his employees to deliberately drop some extra grain occasionally to be sure Ruth would get enough without making it apparent he was trying to help her.
“So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. 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.” (Ruth 2:17-18)
Ruth worked just as long as the men in the field, collecting and threshing out a little less than a bushel of grain. It was far more than would normally be expected thanks to Boaz’ instructions and generosity.
“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.
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.” (Ruth 2:19-20)
Naomi was surprised that Ruth had been able to gather so much and that she hadn’t been run out of the fields, and wanted to know who had been so kind. Learning that it was Boaz who had been so helpful, Naomi was especially thankful that God didn’t forget his people. It was quite a change from her attitude in Ruth 1:13, “…for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.”
“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.
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.
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 2:21-23)
Naomi acknowledged that it would avoid problems if Ruth worked only in Boaz’ fields, so Ruth worked in his fields throughout both the barley and wheat harvests, living with Naomi. They would have enough grain to last the entire year.
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