We’re informed that Naomi had a kinsman related to her husband Elimelek, Ruth 1:1-3, by the name of Boaz, Ruth 3:2, whose name means quickness Ruth 2:1. He is described as a man of great wealth, although this can also mean a ‘man of valour,’ Judges 11:1 / 1 Kings 7:21 / 1 Kings 11:28 / Nehemiah 11:14, and from the clan of Elimelek, Ruth 2:1.
It seems Ruth is anxious to find work in the fields since it was harvest time and no doubt they needed food. Notice her request to Naomi, ‘let me go to the fields so I can gather grain,’ Ruth 2:2. Again, we see the dedication and respect of Ruth to her mother-in-law seeking her permission first.
Ruth wants to pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes she finds favour, Ruth 2:2. According to Mosaic law, the poor were entitled to gather grain that fell from the hands of the reapers and also the corners of the fields were left so that the poor might glean the grain. This was the time for the barley harvest not corn as the AV implies, Leviticus 19:9-10 / Leviticus 23:22 / Deuteronomy 24:19-21. And so Naomi gives permission to Ruth to go, Ruth 2:2.
Ruth wasn’t determined to go to any particular field it just so happened she went to the field of Boaz but what appears to be an accident can be seen as the providence of God, Ruth 2:3. Boaz comes to inspect the work that is being done and obviously noted the presence of a stranger in his field. Boaz greets the workers and says, ‘May the LORD be with you!’ And they answered him, ‘May the LORD bless you!’ Ruth 2:4.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘These ancient forms of salutation were distinguished by politeness, heartiness, and religious feeling, Genesis 43:29 / 2 Kings 4:29 / Psalms 129:7-8. The Arabic formula now is ’God be with you’: in Egypt, the first speaker cries ’Peace be on you,’ and the reply comes, ’On you be peace, and the mercy of God and His blessings,’ or simply ’On you be peace.’
The greetings between Boaz and the gleaners is interesting and unusual and isn’t the typical kind of greetings between us as Christians today. Suppose we greeted each other today as they did, what would happen?
Boaz immediately notices Ruth and asks his servant about her, Ruth 2:5. Boaz wants to know who does this young woman belong? Ruth 2:5. Ruth’s appearance and dress were no doubt different from that of the girls he usually saw gleaning behind his reapers. Perhaps being a Moabite her dress may have been different from that of the Jewish women.
The reply was almost derogatory and at the same time complementary, ‘it is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab,’ Ruth 2:6. She had asked permission to gather in the field of Boaz, Ruth 2:7. When the overseer gave her permission, she worked diligently throughout the day except for a short period of rest which would be expected of any of the workers, Ruth 2:7. The KJV says ‘she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.’
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following about this.
‘The last words of this verse are now corrupt: the original statement was ‘she has not rested at all,’ or ‘she has not been home at all’. Ruth 3:7, shows that there was no building in the field to rest in.’
Notice Boaz calls her ‘my dear’, Ruth 2:8. Other translations have the words, ‘my daughter’, which indicates that Boaz was much older than Ruth, Ruth 3:10-11. Hearing and then observing the diligence of Ruth as she gleaned in his field and no doubt her physical appearance, she is asked by Boaz not to go to another field to glean but to remain in his own field where she could join the women who were directly behind the reapers, Ruth 2:8-9. The poor were allowed to gather.
It seems that other women would follow the reapers and bind the sheaves left by the reapers as they cut the barley. In saying this there is a suggestion that he would provide for her needs. In fact, Boaz gives instructions to his workers to keep Ruth from harm from other men, Ruth 2:9. Furthermore, she is instructed to drink the water provided for the workers in Boaz’s field, Ruth 2:9.
‘Ruth knelt before him with her forehead to the ground and said to him, ‘Why are you so kind and so attentive to me, even though I am a foreigner?’ Ruth 2:10
Ruth was so moved by his words of kindness that in an act of humility she bowed down before him, Genesis 33:3, and asked, ‘Why are you so kind and so attentive to me, even though I am a foreigner?’ Ruth 2:10. Under ordinary circumstances being a foreigner, she wouldn’t have been given such a privilege as Boaz offered her. Her very question showed a spirit of humility and modesty.
Boaz by inquiring about Ruth no doubt learned of her faithfulness to her mother-in-law, Ruth 2:11. Leaving the land of one’s nativity was considered a real sacrifice, Ruth 1:1-18. Her willingness to take on a different culture, Jewish ways, indicated a complete rejection of the ways of the people of Moab and their worship of idols, Ruth 2:11 / Ruth 1:15.
Boaz blesses Ruth and says, ‘May the LORD reward your efforts! May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the LORD God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection! Ruth 2:12. Boaz explained that he had inquired from others concerning her devotion to her mother-in-law, Ruth 2:11, and the commitment she made to the God of Israel, Ruth 2:12.
We must also remember that Boaz was a descendant from the marriage of Salmon and Rahab, Matthew 1:5 / Luke 3:32. He had grown up listening to stories of his Gentile ancestor, Rahab, who had been shown mercy by Israel when they came into the land of Palestine. The faith of Rahab had been passed on to Boaz, Hebrews 11:31 / James 2:25.
This had to be impressive not only to Boaz but to all those who lived in Bethlehem. Also, Boaz knew he alone could not adequately repay Ruth for her faithfulness, he prayed that Ruth might be abundantly rewarded by the Lord ‘from whom under His wings you have sought protection,’ Ruth 2:12 / Deuteronomy 32:11 / Psalms 36:8 / Psalms 57:2 / Psalms 91:4 / Luke 13:34. Ruth has found a place of refuge under the God of Israel, as a hen gathers her young under her wings to protect them from harm, so God protects those who come to him for safety, Matthew 23:37.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following, concerning Ruth 2:12.
‘The similarity of expression here to Genesis 15:1, and in Ruth 2:11, to Genesis 12:1, makes it probable that Boaz had the case of Abraham in his mind.’
Her words, ‘for you have reassured me’, Ruth 2:13, indicate she had been deeply stirred by the remarks of Boaz. She felt unworthy of his great kindness even though she was not a Jewish woman, Ruth 2:13. No doubt probably because of her poverty, her Gentile nationality, and her heathen background she felt unworthy of his kindness. His kindness to Jewish women is understandable, but his kindness to her was nothing but pure grace.
Boaz’s generosity extended even further by inviting her to eat with his workers at mealtime, he made it a point to see that she had plenty to eat, Ruth 2:14. So, she sat beside the reapers at mealtime. He had parched grain, Leviticus 2:1-14, passed to her but she kept back some of it obviously so she could take it home to her mother-in-law, Ruth 2:18.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘To dip the morsel, or sop, whether it were bread or meat, in the dish containing the vinegar, Matthew 26:23 / Mark 14:20 / Exodus 25:29 / Numbers 7:13, was, and still is, the common custom in the East.’
As she is ready to resume her work in the field Boaz gives instructions to the young men, reapers, ‘let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her,’ Ruth 2:15. Usually, the gleaners took only the grain that had not been found in the sheaves. However, Boaz made a special provision for Ruth, they were to let some of the grain from the bundles fall so that she might glean, Ruth 2:16. One translation renders this ‘pull out some for her,’ Ruth 2:16.
They were providing for her in a special way that would not have been done for the other reapers yet without her knowing it was being purposefully done for her, they weren’t to rebuke her for gleaning. Under Moses’ Law, she had a right to take all that was accidentally left behind, Leviticus 19:9-10. The point seems to be that the reapers saw to it that an abundance of grain was left for her.
The grain being small was beaten out by means of a stick to separate the grain from the chaff, Judges 6:11 / Isaiah 28:27. That evening when she had finished beating out the grain it amounted to ‘about an ephah of barley,’ Ruth 2:17 / Exodus 16:16. This amounted to approximately three pecks, dry measure.
When Ruth arrived back home in Bethlehem, Naomi no doubt was very surprised to see the amount of barley Ruth had brought home, Ruth 2:18. Ruth also gave Naomi the parched grain she had left over after eating with Boaz’s servants, Ruth 2:18. Everything she brought to Naomi was enough to support her and Naomi for about five days, Ruth 2:18 / Exodus 16:16. Again, we see the deep dedication she had for her mother-in-law.
Naomi seeing the large amount of grain that Ruth had brought home immediately asked, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!’ Ruth 2:19. Ruth informs her that it was in the field of Boaz, Ruth 2:19.
Boaz was both a wealthy landowner and a close relative of Naomi. As such he could be expected to buy for the family its rightful land and also look after the helpless members of the family as was the case with Ruth and Naomi, Leviticus 25:25.
Naomi breaks forth on a statement of praise for Boaz and no wonder because by caring for the widow of Mahlon, Boaz was providing for the dead as well as showing kindness to the living, Ruth 2:20. Moses’ Law saw to it that the surviving widows should be provided for by their near kin. Even though Ruth wasn’t of the tribe of Judah nor a Jew, yet the act of Boaz was fulfilling the requirement of the law to provide for a widow, Deuteronomy 25:5-7.
Boaz was a kinsman, that is, a close relative, Ruth 2:20, but he wasn’t the nearest relative who would have the responsibility of redeeming a kinsmen’s land that had been sold, Ruth 3:12 / Leviticus 25:25, or the duty to avenge the death of a kinsmen, Numbers 35:19, or to marry the wife of a deceased brother, Deuteronomy 25:5-10. Boaz was the next in line to carry out such duties if no other close relative came forward. In reference to Ruth, however, there was a kinsman in this case who stood before Boaz, Ruth 3:12.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘If an Israelite was compelled by poverty to dispose of his property, such a kinsman could compel the purchaser to sell it back, Leviticus 25:25 / Leviticus 25:47-48, the object of the law being to preserve each family in possession of its land.’
Ruth continues to tell Naomi about Boaz and tells that that he invited her to stay with his workers until they finish harvesting all his grain, Ruth 2:21 / Ruth 2:8. Naomi sees this as a good omen, Ruth 1:20, it’s obvious that Boaz has shown unusual kindness to Ruth.
Therefore, Naomi’s advice to Ruth is to continue to work in his field with the other women who work for him because if she goes to another field, she may get harmed, Ruth 2:22 / Ruth 2:9. She isn’t to be hesitant to accept his generosity, she encourages her to continue not only until the end of the harvest but also the wheat harvest, Ruth 2:23. Notice that ruth lived with Naomi, Ruth 2:23.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Boaz immediately recognized the potential danger that threatened an isolated young woman without any protection in such an environment as the harvest fields provided, and he at once moved to provide that protection’.
1. He instructed her to glean in his field and in no other field.
2. He commanded the young men among his labourers not to touch her.
3. He told her to remain near his own maidens and to do her gleaning, following them.
4. He at once gave her the right to quench her thirst at the common drinking place.
5. And he offered a special prayer for her that Jehovah would grant her a rich reward for what she had done to Naomi.
6. He then invited her to eat with the other harvest workers.
7. He took pains to give her a special portion of food, so large that she was able to take part of it to Naomi.
8. Boaz then instructed the young men harvesting his barley to aid Ruth by purposely leaving handfuls of grain.
9. And he instructed them not to hinder or embarrass her in any manner whatever.
10. Finally, they were instructed neither to rebuke nor reproach her.