Ruth's gleaning Ruth 2:1-22

Introduction

Naomi went to Moab with her husband and 2 sons and now she has returned to Bethlehem-Judah with a daughter in law named Ruth.

She had left as Naomi which means pleasant and returned wanting to be called Mara which means bitter.

She had to get used to the new norm, but they were in need of some food. It’s amazing how God brought them back to Bethlehem during the Barley Harvest.

In the first verse of Chapter 2 the Bible introduces a kinsman of Elimelech whose name is Boaz.

Kinsman means- A man of the same race or family; one related by blood.

Boaz is a mighty man of wealth

Ruth’s Gleaning vs. 2-7

Ruth wants to go to the field to glean vs 2

Glean - To gather the stalks and ears of grain which reapers leave behind them.

The custom of gleaning was a provision given by God for the poor of the land.

Lev 19:9-10 “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.”

Lev 23:22 “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.”

Deut 24:19 “When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.”

She went to glean in a field vs. 3

the Bible says she just happens to come to a field that is owned by Boaz

As you continue to read down through the story you’ll see that God led her right where she needed to.

Boaz comes from Bethlehem to check on his field vs. 4-5

He comes in and blesses the hired workers of the field and then turns his attention to the gleaners

As he is looking through the field he sees Ruth and asks whose damsel is this.

Damsel means young woman

The servant in charge of the gleaners tells Boaz about ruth vs. 6-7

She is the Moabitish lady who came back with Naomi from Moab.

She came in and ask if she could glean in the field after the reapers. She came this morning and has been going all day outside of a little time she spent resting int the house.

Boaz offers Ruth his field vs. 8-16

Boaz tells her not to go to another field, but to stay in the field she was in vs. 8

He told her to stay close to his maidens

Go to the fields they go to and reap with them

Boaz lets her know he told all the young men to keep their hands off of her vs. 9

He also tells her if she gets thirst not to draw her own water, but to drink the water the young men have already drawn.

Ruths reaction vs. 10

She fell on her face and bowed before him and asked a question.

Why have I found grace in your eyes?

Why have you taken notice of a stranger?

Boaz’s answer vs. 11-12

I heard what you did for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband.

I heard that you left your family and the land of your birth and came to a people who you didn’t know.

God is rewarding you for what you have done and you are under his wing

Ruth wanted to find favour in his eyes because: vs. 13

you comforted me

You treated me as one of your handmaidens though I am not one.

Boaz tells her when its time to eat come to the house and eat the bread and dip your bread in the vinegar. vs 14

After she had eaten her fill she went back to work gleaning in the field

As she gets up to glean Boaz tells the young men that there is no place she can’t glean. vs. 15-16

Let her glean among the sheaves and don’t say anything to her

Leave behind some handfuls of purpose for her

Boaz is telling them to leave her more than what they normally would as a gift for ruth from him

Ruths overflow vs. 17-23

Ruth finished gleaning in the field vs. 17

She beat out what she had gleaned meaning she separated the chaff from grain

The chaff was the worthless husk

The Bible says she took home an ephah of barley

An ephah was ten omers

In Ex 16:16 the bible tells us that one omer was adequate for the daily needs of one man.

Boaz gave Ruth 10 times her daily need showing his generosity towards her.

Our heavenly Boaz(Christ) paid the price to take the spoil for us. As we kneel down to glean in the field we can do as the Psalmest said “rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil” Ps 119:162 “I rejoice at thy word, As one that findeth great spoil.”

As she gets home Naomi sees what she had gleaned vs. 18-20

They both get their fill on what Ruth had gleaned and then Naomi asks her where she had gleaned today vs. 19

I’m sure Naomi was expecting to come back with some barley, but not 10 days worth.

She is thankful for the man who took knowledge of Ruth.

Ruth shows her where she gleaned and told her the field belonged to Boaz

As Ruth tells Naomi whose field she was in, Naomi about has a shouting fit.

Naomi who wanted her named changed to Mara because the Lord dealt bitterly with her see’s that although it doesn’t feel like it God is always good.

Naomi tells Ruth that Boaz is near kin and one of their next kinsmen

Ruth stays in Boaz field for the rest of the Barley Harvest vs. 21-23

She tells Naomi that Boaz wants her to stay close to his people until the harvest had ended vs. 21

Naomi tells her its good for her to stay in Boaz’s field vs. 22

Ruth stays until the Barley harvest is over. The barley harvest would’ve lasted from march until april and ruth would have stayed there working in the field and living with and taking care of her mother in law.

Conclusion

Often times we try to get ahead of God. When we do that sometimes we get ourselves in trouble. As Naomi came back to Bethlehem with Ruth God showed her that he shows up in his perfect time.

God always provides just what we need when we it and even more than we expect. What are you in need of today? Ask God to send it in His perfect time.