Ruth 2:1–7

RUTH AND BOAZ MEET

2Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side. He was a prominent man of noble character^q from Elimelech’s family. His name was Boaz.

²Ruth the Moabitess asked Naomi, “Will you let me go into the fields and gather fallen grain^r behind someone with whom I find favor?”

Naomi answered her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” ³So Ruth left and entered the field to gather grain behind the harvesters. She happened^a to be in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech’s family.

⁴Later, when Boaz arrived from Bethlehem, he said to the harvesters, “The Lord be with you.”^b

“The Lord bless you,”^c they replied.

⁵Boaz asked his servant who was in charge of the harvesters, “Whose young woman is this?”

⁶The servant answered, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the territory of Moab. ⁷She 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.”^D