Ruth pt 2
In either case she seems to be aware that the right to glean was frequently denied to the destitute; she was dependent upon the mercy (hēn) of the men in the field. This word provides the key to interpreting the next scene
From the first time Boaz opens his mouth until the last words he utters (4:9–10), his tone exudes compassion, grace, and generosity. In the man who speaks to this Moabite field worker biblical ḥesed becomes flesh and dwells among humankind
it arises out of the genuine sense of responsibility that Boaz feels for Ruth. Despite the fact that she is a Moabite, and he knows it, like a loving father he will offer this foreigner his protection and his resources
The reports that he has heard have emphasized two details about her in particular: her extraordinary kindness to her mother-in-law and her extraordinary courage in accompanying her back. Her kindness is referred to simply as (lit.) “all that you have done for your mother-in-law” (kol ʾăšer ʿāśît ʾet-hămôtĕkā). Later these actions will be characterized as ḥesed
The narrator hereby shows how Boaz took an ordinary occasion and transformed it into a glorious demonstration of compassion, generosity, and acceptance—in short, the biblical understanding of ḥesed
When Naomi learns that Ruth has met up with Boaz, the sun rises again in her life. Yahweh has been gracious to her deceased husband and her sons by sending a potential “redeemer-kinsman” into their lives. Here the use of the plural (Boaz is “our near relative,” he is “our kinsman-redeemer)” suggests the wheels are turning in her mind, a conclusion that is confirmed in the next chapter
Specifically, in Naomi’s eyes Ruth’s coming upon the field of Boaz was a demonstration of God’s grace and favor. In 1:8–9 she had prayed that Yahweh would match Ruth’s ḥesed to her family by granting her rest in the house of her own husband