Ruth meets Boaz
April 26, 2022
Commentary
Boaz is described as a kinsman of Elimelech’s (Naomi’s husband who died) although the exact relationship is not told. Ruth and Naomi were very poor and so it was fortunate that they arrived at their new home in the beginning of harvest. There were not many ways of earning a living open to widows but the Old Testament law provided that the poor be allowed to pick up grain left behind the reapers (Deut. 24:19). Ruth offered to go in search of food along with the poor gleaners (vv. 1-2). Naomi told her to “Go ahead,” so right away, Ruth went out to pick up grain in a field owned by Boaz (v. 3).
Boaz evidently lived in Bethlehem and came out to his farm after the laborers had started their work. He was immediately attracted to Ruth and asked some questions about her (vv. 4-5). When he found out who she was (vv. 6-7) he went to Ruth and told her to not pick up grain in anyone else’s field but to stay here and follow behind the reapers (vv. 8-9). He also said, “I have warned the men not to bother you, and whenever you are thirsty, you can drink from the water jars they have filled.” Ruth questioned why he was so good to her (v. 10). He stated that he was impressed by all she had done for Naomi and the sacrifice she had made in leaving her parents and native land and in deciding to follow the God of Israel (vv. 11-12). She then asked him for favor in his sight (v. 13).
Application
It is apparent that Boaz didn’t just allow gleaners to come into his fields because the law stated that he had to. He took a personal interest in those who were in need and wanted to help them. I need to think of someone with good character qualities like Ruth that our family can encourage and help.
Ruth 2:1– 13 (NET)
1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side of the family named Boaz. He was a wealthy, prominent man from the clan of Elimelech. 2 One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields so I can gather grain behind whoever permits me to do so.” Naomi replied, “You may go, my daughter.” 3 So Ruth went and gathered grain in the fields behind the harvesters. Now she just happened to end up in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.
4 Now at that very moment, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “May the Lord be with you!” They replied, “May the Lord bless you!” 5 Boaz asked his servant in charge of the harvesters, “To whom does this young woman belong?” 6 The servant in charge of the harvesters replied, “She’s the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the region of Moab. 7 She asked, ‘May I follow the harvesters and gather grain among the bundles?’ Since she arrived she has been working hard from this morning until now —except for sitting in the resting hut a short time.”
8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my dear! Do not leave to gather grain in another field. You need not go beyond the limits of this field. You may go along beside my female workers. 9 Take note of the field where the men are harvesting and follow behind with the female workers. I will tell the men to leave you alone. When you are thirsty, you may go to the water jars and drink some of the water the servants draw.”
10 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?” 11 Boaz replied to her, “I have been given a full report of all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband—how you left your father and your mother, as well as your homeland, and came to live among people you did not know previously. 12 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.” 13 She said, “You really are being kind to me, sir, for you have reassured and encouraged me, your servant, even though I will never be like one of your servants.”
Illustration: The best man reads the wrong verse
A young couple, very much in love, were getting married in church. However, Sue the wife was very nervous about the big occasion and so the vicar chose one verse that he felt would be a great encouragement to them. The verse was 1 John 4:18 which says: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear”. Rather unwisely, the vicar asked the best man to read it out and to say that the vicar had felt that this would be a very encouraging verse for Sue and that he would be preaching on it later in the service. However, the best man was not a regular churchgoer. And so, he did not know the difference between John’s Gospel and the first letter of John. So, he introduced his reading by saying that the vicar felt this was a good verse for Sue. But he read John 4:18, which says “You have five husbands and the one that you now have is not your husband.” (Source Unknown).