^2:8So Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully,²⁷ my dear!²⁸ Do not leave to gather grain in another field. You need not²⁹ go beyond the limits of this field. You may go along beside³⁰ my female workers.³¹^2:9Take note of³² the field where the men³³ are harvesting and follow behind with the female workers.³⁴ I will tell the men³⁵ to leave you alone.³⁶ When you are thirsty, you may go to³⁷ the water jars³⁸ and drink some of the water³⁹ the servants draw.”⁴⁰

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Footnotes

27 Heb “Have you not heard?” The idiomatic, negated rhetorical question is equivalent to an affirmation (see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [], , and §150.e).
28 Heb “my daughter.” This form of address is a mild form of endearment, perhaps merely rhetorical. It might suggest that Boaz is older than Ruth, but not necessarily significantly so. A few English versions omit it entirely (e.g., , ).
29 The switch from the negative particle אַל (’al, see the preceding statement, “do not leave”) to לֹא (lo’) may make this statement more emphatic. It may indicate that the statement is a policy applicable for the rest of the harvest (see v. 21).
30 Heb “and thus you may stay close with.” The imperfect has a permissive nuance here.
31 The female workers would come along behind those who cut the grain and bundle it up. Staying close to the female workers allowed Ruth to collect more grain than would normally be the case (see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 61, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [], ).
32 Heb “let your eyes be upon” (, similar).
33 Heb “they.” The verb is masculine plural, indicating that the male workers are the subject here.
34 Heb “and go after them.” The pronominal suffix (“them”) is feminine plural, indicating that the female workers are referred to here.
35 Male servants are in view here, as the masculine plural form of the noun indicates (cf. , , “the young men”).
36 Heb “Have I not commanded the servants not to touch [i.e., “harm”] you?” The idiomatic, negated rhetorical question is equivalent to an affirmation (see v. 8). The perfect is either instantaneous, indicating completion of the action concurrent with the statement (see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [], , , who translates, “I am herewith ordering”) or emphatic/rhetorical, indicating the action is as good as done.
37 The juxtaposition of two perfects, each with vav consecutive, here indicates a conditional sentence (see §112.kk).
38 Heb “vessels (so , , ), receptacles”; “water jugs.”
39 Heb “drink [some] of that which” ( similar); in the context “water” is implied.
40 The imperfect here either indicates characteristic or typical activity, or anterior future, referring to a future action (drawing water) which logically precedes another future action (drinking).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

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. 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.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my daughter, go no longer to glean in another field. Moreover, do not leave from this one, but stay close with my young women. Keep your eyes on the field that they reap and go after them. Have I not ordered the servants not to bother you? And if you get thirsty, you shall go to the containers and drink from where the servants have drawn.”

KJV 1900King James Version

Then 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: Let 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.

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