A Fortunate Meeting

Ruth 2 (CSB)

1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side. He was a prominent man of noble character from Elimelech’s family. His name was Boaz. 2 Ruth the Moabitess asked Naomi, “Will you let me go into the fields and gather fallen grain behind someone with whom I find favor?” Naomi answered her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So Ruth left and entered the field to gather grain behind the harvesters. She happened to be in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech’s family.

Naomi and Ruth traveled back from Moab to Bethlehem.

We also see again an indicator of how amazing it is the book is named Ruth - verse 1, “Now Naomi” - and the introduction of Naomi’s relative by way of her her husband, Boaz. Ruth is relegated to secondary roll as the bridge between Naomi and Boaz. Or course this does not mean Ruth is unimportant, not at all.

3 Hints to Ruth’s coming prominence - 1. She is a Moabite woman which underlies much of the tension for the rest of chapter 2. As a Moabite in an Israelite world she has little reason to expect acceptance with the townsfolk. - 2. She is Naomi’s daughter-in-law. - 3. She accompanied Naomi who returned from Moab.

We were told in chapter 1 that they arrived at the time of the barley harvest. A few weeks after the barley harvest the wheat harvest would begin. This is good because food would be relatively plentiful and it would all them to store up each of the crops for the dry season.

Jewish law allows the poor to glean the fields. In fact God commands the field owners not to strip parts of their land or to pick up the harvest dropped of forgotten but to leave them for the poor. Deut. 24 says that it for a blessing that you do this.

Each of the passages instructing the leaving of parts of the harvest indicates a level of effort required by the poor/widow to go and gather the leftovers.

Still, even though God requires it, we know that not everyone in Israel was exactly following what God asked of them. Some land owners were not as nice and refused to let people gather in their fields.

Ruth asks to go and gather and hopefully she will find favor with the land owner.

Keep in mind, Naomi acknowledged that God is in charge of their situation.

Verse 3 says Ruth “happened” to be in the part of the field belonging to Boaz. From the perspective of Ruth and Boaz the meeting was accidental but not from God’s perspective.

4 Later, when Boaz arrived from Bethlehem, he said to the harvesters, “The Lord be with you.” “The Lord bless you,” they replied. 5 Boaz asked his servant who was in charge of the harvesters, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 The servant answered, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the territory of Moab. 7 She asked, ‘Will you let me gather fallen grain among the bundles behind the harvesters?’ She came and has been on her feet since early morning, except that she rested a little in the shelter.”

Boaz came to check on the work being done. He appears to have been a good boss.

His greeting, “The LORD be with you.” demonstrates his faithfulness as a covenant leader showing loving kindness for those he supervises. He character is marked by grace.

Boaz inquires of the foreman about who the woman was gathering in the field.

Again, small town because apparently everyone heard about Naomi returning with this your Moabite woman.

Ruth impressed the foreman both with her knowledge of Jewish custom but also by her manners in asking if she could gather. She did not assume anything.

He was also impressed with her work ethic - he tells Boaz that Ruth has been there all day and has not taken a break - some read the last part of verse 7 as that she did take a brief time out - the best understanding is that verse 7 says Ruth has been at the field all day pausing only a little while to rest in the shelter but she has not gone home, she has persisted in her work.

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go and gather grain in another field, and don’t leave this one, but stay here close to my female servants. 9 See which field they are harvesting, and follow them. Haven’t I ordered the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.” 10 She fell facedown, bowed to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor with you, so that you notice me, although I am a foreigner?” 11 Boaz answered her, “Everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death has been fully reported to me: how you left your father and mother and your native land, and how you came to a people you didn’t previously know. 12 May the Lord reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” 13 “My lord,” she said, “I have found favor with you, for you have comforted and encouraged your servant, although I am not like one of your female servants.” 14 At mealtime Boaz told her, “Come over here and have some bread and dip it in the vinegar sauce.” So she sat beside the harvesters, and he offered her roasted grain. She ate and was satisfied and had some left over.

After hearing the report from his foreman Boaz goes and talks with Ruth. “Listen my daughter” may indicate the age difference between Boaz and Ruth - it could also be a figure of speech like “listen child”.

Boaz told Ruth not to gather from other fields but to remain with his female servants and gather where they are working - the female servants usually bound the sheaves after the men cut them. This process would have been a prime time to pick up loose pieces that fall while trying to bundle.

Boaz assures her she would be safe - his command not to touch here would also extend to not letting anyone else touch her.

Not only would Ruth be safe but she would be provided for by allowing her to drink the water already drawn for the servants to drink - this would not have been an option for a normal person gleaning in the field.

Ruth was shocked by his kindness and bowing face down would have been a sign of deep respect and honor. Ruth was curious as to why he was being so nice…

Boaz lets her know that he has heard about what she has done for Naomi.

When you serve God and do good for others then people take notice.

Boaz pronounces a blessing on Ruth not only for what she has done for Naomi but also for her acceptance of the God of Israel (under His wings).

It was at lunch time - not only did Boaz invite Ruth to eat but he also serves her.

15 When she got up to gather grain, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her even gather grain among the bundles, and don’t humiliate her. 16 Pull out some stalks from the bundles for her and leave them for her to gather. Don’t rebuke her.”

Boaz was a very nice and giving man.

He definitely had a special interest in Ruth based on his actions of allowing her to glean from among the bundles and by also instructing the men to “accidently” leave some stalks for her to gather.

He has already told them not to touch her but here he adds not to humiliate or rebuke her either.

It is interesting how he gave her free grain but without giving it to her - there is a biblical precedent for working that has been present since creation.

17 So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. She beat out what she had gathered, and it was about twenty-six quarts of barley. 18 She picked up the grain and went into the town, where her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She brought out what she had left over from her meal and gave it to her. 19 Her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you gather barley today, and where did you work? May the Lord bless the man who noticed you.” Ruth told her mother-in-law whom she had worked with and said, “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz.” 20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May the Lord bless him because he has not abandoned his kindness to the living or the dead.” Naomi continued, “The man is a close relative. He is one of our family redeemers.” 21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also told me, ‘Stay with my young men until they have finished all of my harvest.’ ” 22 So Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “My daughter, it is good for you to work with his female servants, so that nothing will happen to you in another field.” 23 Ruth stayed close to Boaz’s female servants and gathered grain until the barley and the wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

After separating the barely from the chaff Ruth had about 26 quarts of barley.

Each quart would have weighed about 2 pounds - she gathered about 50 pounds of barley. That would have been a huge haul for any one but it would have been unheard of by someone just picking up the leftovers.

The amount she gathered showed how caring Boaz was and that his employees listened very well to his instructions.

Naomi was amazed at the amount Ruth brought home so she inquired where she got it.

Naomi also offered a blessing for the man who allowed Ruth to gather in his field - when she says that “he has not abandoned” , Naomi was speaking of God not abandoning them.

Naomi knows who Boaz is and that he is what is called a “kinsman redeemer” .

Judges, Ruth Scene 4: The Results (2:17–23)

The Scriptures note five aspects of a gōʾēl’s redemptive role: (1) to ensure that the hereditary property of the clan never passes out of the clan (Lev 25:25–30); (2) to maintain the freedom of individuals within the clan by buying back those who have sold themselves into slavery because of poverty (Lev 25:47–55); (3) to track down and execute murderers of near relatives (Num 35:12, 19–27); (4) to receive restitution money on behalf of a deceased victim of a crime (Num 5:8); and (5) to ensure that justice is served in a lawsuit involving a relative (Job 19:25; Ps 119:154; Jer 50:34).

Ruth stayed and gathered until both harvests were done (barley and wheat). This would have taken 6-7 weeks or from late April to early June.

The very ending of the chapter indicates that Naomi and Ruth have settled down into a normal routine of life.