Ruth 2:1–13

Ruth and Boaz Meet

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

²Ruth the Moabitess asked Naomi, “Will you let me go into the fields and gather fallen grain ^gbehind someone who allows me to?”

Naomi answered her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” ³So Ruth left and entered the field to gather grain behind the harvesters. She happened ^hto be in the portion of land 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.” ⁱ

“The Lord bless you,” ^jthey 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 land of Moab. ⁷She asked, ‘Will you let me gather fallen grain among the bundles behind the harvesters?’ She came and has remained from early morning until now, except that she rested a little in the shelter.” ^k

⁸Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. ^lDon’t go and gather grain in another field, and don’t leave this one, but stay here close to my female servants. ⁹See which field they are harvesting, and follow them. Haven’t I ordered the young men not to touch you? ^mWhen you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.”

¹⁰She bowed with her face to the ground ⁿand said to him, “Why are you so kind to notice me, although I am a foreigner?”

¹¹Boaz 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 the land of your birth, and how you came to a people you didn’t previously know. ¹²May the Lord reward you for what you have done, ^oand may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” ^p

¹³“My lord,” she said, “you have been so kind to me, for you have comforted and encouraged ^qyour slave, although I am not like one of your female servants.”