Ruth Meets Boaz
Boaz turns out to be a very special man with many outstanding character qualities.
Ruth 2:1-17 NLT
Ruth Meets Boaz
Ruth Works in Boaz’s Field
1 Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech.
2 One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it.”
Naomi replied, “All right, my daughter, go ahead.” 3 So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.
4 While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The Lord be with you!” he said.
“The Lord bless you!” the harvesters replied.
5 Then Boaz asked his foreman, “Who is that young woman over there? Who does she belong to?”
6 And the foreman replied, “She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. 7 She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest in the shelter.”
8 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. 9 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.”
10 Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”
11 “Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. 12 May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”
13 “I hope I continue to please you, sir,” she replied. “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers.”
14 At mealtime Boaz called to her, “Come over here, and help yourself to some food. You can dip your bread in the sour wine.” So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her some roasted grain to eat. She ate all she wanted and still had some left over.
15 When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. 16 And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don’t give her a hard time!”
17 So Ruth gathered barley there all day, and when she beat out the grain that evening, it filled an entire basket.
Examine the Scriptures
Ruth 2:1-17 NLT
Ruth Meets Boaz
Ruth Works in Boaz’s Field
1 Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech.
- Boaz was a wealthy and influential man.
Boaz was a relative of Naomi’s husband.
(Boaz was qualified to be a family redeemer for Naomi and Ruth. This will be discussed in more detail in the next lesson.)
Boaz had a reputation for being both wealthy and influential.
The name Boaz means “in him is strength”
The Hebrew words describing Boaz means “a man of valor”
Boaz exhibited many outstanding character qualities.
- Boaz is listed in the genealogies of Jesus in Matthew and Luke.
Luke 3:32 NLT
32 David was the son of Jesse.
Jesse was the son of Obed.
Obed was the son of Boaz.
Boaz was the son of Salmon.
Salmon was the son of Nahshon.
Matthew 1:5 NLT
5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).
Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).
Obed was the father of Jesse.
Since biblical genealogies sometimes skip generations, it’s possible that Rahab was Boaz’s grandmother or great-grandmother.
2 One day Ruth the Moabite
“the Moabite” a foreigner (more about this later)
said to Naomi, “Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it.”
- Ruth took the initiative to support herself and her mother-in-law.
- Apparently, Ruth knew the Mosaic Law.
Leviticus 19:9-10 NLT
9 “When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. 10 It is the same with your grape crop—do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 23:22 NLT
22 “When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. Leave it for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.”
Deuteronomy 24:19-22 NLT
19 “When you are harvesting your crops and forget to bring in a bundle of grain from your field, don’t go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all you do. 20 When you beat the olives from your olive trees, don’t go over the boughs twice. Leave the remaining olives for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. 21 When you gather the grapes in your vineyard, don’t glean the vines after they are picked. Leave the remaining grapes for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. 22 Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt. That is why I am giving you this command.
This was a way that God used to provide food for the poor.
Ruth was aware of her options.
Two widows living by themselves.
Naomi replied, “All right, my daughter, go ahead.”
Naomi supported Ruth’s initiative.
3 So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters.
And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.
“as it happened”
- The events in this story are not mere chance.
Two factors:
God’s providence was at work in Ruth’s life.
Ruth took the initiative to “get a job”.
- God works through ordinary choices to provide for those who trust Him.
Boaz, a relative of her father-in-law, is clearly God working in this occurrence.
The phrase “a relative” repeated here for the second time.
4 While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The Lord be with you!” he said.
“The Lord bless you!” the harvesters replied.
Note Boaz’s relationship with his harvesters.
A blessing indicating that faith in God was active in the life of Boaz and the lives of his harvesters.
- Faith in God was active in the life of Boaz and the lives of his harvesters.
5 Then Boaz asked his foreman, “Who is that young woman over there? Who does she belong to?”
Boaz noticed Ruth.
6 And the foreman replied, “She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi.
The foreman was informed.
7 She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters.
- Ruth had asked for permission to work the fields.
She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest in the shelter.”
- Ruth was a diligent worker.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 NLT
10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”
8 Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter.
Boaz: 45-52 years old.
- At this point in the story, Boaz treated Ruth as he would treat a daughter.
Ruth 3:10 NLT
10 “The Lord bless you, my daughter!” Boaz exclaimed. “You are showing even more family loyalty now than you did before, for you have not gone after a younger man, whether rich or poor.
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. 9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them.
Boaz was kind to Ruth from the time he first met her.
Boaz invited Ruth to continue working in his fields.
This could mean 4 months of work harvesting both the barley and wheat crops.
I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly.
Boaz protected Ruth from being mistreated by the young men.
And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.”
The special treatment continued.
Ruth would not have to draw her own water. (Which was often the case.)
10 Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly.
A common gesture of humility.
“What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”
- Ruth was surprised by the favor or acceptance she was receiving from this important man since she was a foreigner and a stranger.
Deuteronomy 23:3-6 NLT
3 “No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants for ten generations may be admitted to the assembly of the Lord. 4 These nations did not welcome you with food and water when you came out of Egypt. Instead, they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in distant Aram-naharaim to curse you. 5 But the Lord your God refused to listen to Balaam. He turned the intended curse into a blessing because the Lord your God loves you. 6 As long as you live, you must never promote the welfare and prosperity of the Ammonites or Moabites.
She asked, “What have I done to deserve such kindness?”
Ruth was a recipient of grace and she was grateful.
- Ruth asked, “What have I done to deserve such kindness?”
11 “Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers.
Boaz had heard about Ruth.
News travels fast in small towns.
- Initially, the special treatment from Boaz to Ruth was because of everything she had done for her mother-in-law Naomi.
12 May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”
Somehow Boaz recognized that Ruth had come to the place in her life where she was truly trusting in God for all of her needs.
Boaz prayed that God would reward Ruth as repayment for the kindness she had displayed toward her mother-in-law.
Psalm 17:8 NLT David
8 Guard me as you would guard your own eyes.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:7 NLT David
7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God!
All humanity finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 57:1 David
1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
until the danger passes by.
Psalm 61:4 NLT David
4 Let me live forever in your sanctuary,
safe beneath the shelter of your wings!
Psalm 91:4 NLT (anonymous)
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Matthew 23:37 NLT
Jesus Grieves over Jerusalem
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.
Soon Boaz would be used by God to answer his own prayer.
13 “I hope I continue to please you, sir,” she replied. “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers.”
- Ruth continued to respond in humility.
She mentioned her gratitude for his kind words.
14 At mealtime Boaz called to her, “Come over here, and help yourself to some food. You can dip your bread in the sour wine.” So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her some roasted grain to eat. She ate all she wanted and still had some left over.
- Boaz continued his kindness to Ruth.
He invited her to eat the food provided for himself and his harvesters.
This was very generous.
Generally, gleaners, like Ruth, had to fend for themselves.
It was very unusual for someone like Ruth to get some of the food that was intended for the harvesters.
15 When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. 16 And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don’t give her a hard time!”
- Boaz went far beyond what was required by the Mosaic Law.
He instructed his workers to deliberately drop handfuls of barley stalks for Ruth to gather.
17 So Ruth gathered barley there all day, and when she beat out the grain that evening, it filled an entire basket.
- Ruth worked all day and into the evening.
An entire basket was a lot of barley.
Commentators believe this would amount to about half a bushed, likely weighing about 30 to 40 pounds, and would be food for many days.
18 She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the roasted grain that was left over from her meal.
- Ruth made sure Naomi’s needs were being met.
