Ruth 2–3

And Naomi had a ^akinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was ^bBoaz. ²And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and ^eglean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. ³And 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. ⁴And behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, ^dThe Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee. ⁵Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? ⁶And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel ^ethat came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: ⁷And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers amongst the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

⁸Then 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: ⁹let 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. ¹⁰Then she ^ffell 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? ¹¹And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, ^gall 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. ^12hThe Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, ⁱunder whose wings thou art come to trust. ¹³Then she said, ^kLet me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, ^lthough I be not like unto one of thy handmaidens. ¹⁴And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in ^mthe vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and ⁿwas sufficed, and left. ¹⁵And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: ¹⁶and let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. ¹⁷So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ^oephah of barley. ¹⁸And 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 ^pthat she had reserved after she was sufficed. ¹⁹And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did ^qtake knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. ²⁰And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, ^rBlessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness ^sto the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. ²¹And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by ^tmy young men, until they have ended all my harvest. ²²And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with ^this maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. ²³So 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.

III.Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek ^arest for thee, that it may be well with thee? ²And now is not Boaz of our ^bkindred, ^cwith whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor. ³Wash thyself therefore, and ^danoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. ⁴And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. ⁵And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do. ⁶And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her. ⁷And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and ^ehis heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and ^fshe came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. ⁸And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and behold, a woman lay at his feet. ⁹And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: ^gspread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman. ¹⁰And he said, ^hBlessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than ⁱat the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. ¹¹And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art ^ka virtuous woman. ¹²And now it is true that I am thy ^lnear kinsman: howbeit ^mthere is a kinsman nearer than I. ¹³Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will ⁿperform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, ^oas the Lord liveth: lie down until the morning. ¹⁴And she ^play at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor. ¹⁵Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and he went into the city. ¹⁶And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her. ¹⁷And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law. ¹⁸Then said she, ^qSit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

IV.