Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ruth's profound question, "Why have I found favor...seeing I am a stranger?" isn't just about her foreign status, but a brilliant wordplay that echoes through the original Hebrew. Boaz's kindness feels so unexpected and significant because, to him, she's a "stranger" whom he is now choosing to "take knowledge of," an act that felt impossible for a foreigner to expect.
Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Boaz, a prominent landowner, greets his reapers with a blessing, and they reciprocate warmly, revealing a community where God is honored. He then notices Ruth, a Moabite foreigner gleaning in his fields, and instructs his workers to treat her kindly and even leave extra grain for her. Ruth, overwhelmed by this unexpected protection and generosity, prostrates herself before Boaz, expressing her bewildered gratitude for his notice, a foreigner who has no standing among the Israelites.
Ruth's reaction to Boaz's kindness is striking. It's more than just a 'thank you.' What does her posture reveal about her heart?
Ruth's Deep Bow
Ruth falls on her face, bowing to the ground. This isn't just politeness; it's the deepest form of respect and humility in the ancient Near East, often reserved for royalty or even God.
Ruth is a Moabite woman in a foreign land, dependent on gleaning. Why is Boaz's 'taking notice' so astonishing to her?
The Weight of Being 'Foreign'
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Ruth's identity as a 'stranger' (or 'foreigner') is central to her plea. In this context, it carried significant social and religious implications:
Boaz's compassionate actions towards Ruth are a powerful illustration. What deeper spiritual truth does this human interaction point towards?
A Glimpse of Divine Grace
Boaz's remarkable kindness to Ruth serves as a beautiful foreshadowing of the even greater grace shown by Jesus Christ to sinners.
Understand the original words
chen · Hebrew Noun
A term of protection, kinship, or benevolent care; it refers to the unmerited kindness or grace shown by a superior to an inferior, often involving provision and protection.
nokriyah · Hebrew Noun
One who belongs to another nation or people; in Israelite law, while foreigners were to be treated with justice, they remained outside the direct covenant blessings until they proselytized or, as in Ruth's case, demonstrated profound faith.
Ruth's profound humility and surprise at Boaz's kindness highlight the precariousness of her status as a foreign Moabite woman in post-exilic Judah. Her question underscores the deep-seated exclusionary laws and social barriers she faced, making Boaz's inclusion of her an act of remarkable grace.
c. 1100 BC
Israel's Judges Period Ends
The period of the Judges, characterized by cyclical apostasy and deliverance, concludes. This ushers in the era of the monarchy, a time of greater political stability but also potential for kings to stray from God's ways.
c. 1000 BC
United Monarchy Flourishes
The reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon mark a high point for Israel, with a centralized government and established kingdom. This period sets the stage for the eventual division of the kingdom and subsequent exiles.
c. 931 BC
Kingdom Divides
Following Solomon's death, the unified kingdom splits into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. This division leads to increased political instability and divergent spiritual paths for the two kingdoms.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Israel
The powerful Neo-Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many Israelites and scattering them. This event serves as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
The Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II begins deporting Judeans, including members of the royal family and educated elite, to Babylon. This marks the start of the Babylonian exile.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, the center of Israelite worship. The majority of the remaining population is exiled to Babylon, devastating the nation.
c. 440 BC— this verse
Post-Exilic Return and Rebuilding
After the Persian Empire allows Jews to return from exile, figures like Ezra and Nehemiah lead efforts to rebuild Jerusalem and re-establish religious and social order. Ruth's story, set in the time of the Judges, is likely compiled or finalized around this time, offering a message of hope and continuity.
This passage shows Abraham falling on his face in profound reverence and humility when encountering the divine, mirroring Ruth's deep respect and awe towards Boaz's unexpected kindness.
Matthew 15:21-28The story of the Syrophoenician woman, a foreigner who humbly pleads for her daughter's healing, echoes Ruth's sense of being an outsider and her persistent, humble appeal for favor.
Ephesians 2:11-13Paul describes Gentiles as 'foreigners and strangers' to the covenants of promise, highlighting the profound grace in Christ that bridges the gap between insiders and outsiders, much like Boaz's inclusion of Ruth.
1 Samuel 1:11Hannah's vow to the Lord reveals a deep sense of humility and a plea for divine notice in her barrenness, resonating with Ruth's wonder at being seen and cared for despite her difficult circumstances.
henryRuth 2:4-16: "And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee."
2:4-16 The pious and kind language between Boaz and his reapers shows that there were godly persons in Israel. Such language as this is seldom heard in our field; too often, on the contrary, what is immoral and corrupt. A stranger would form a very different opinion of our land, from that which Ruth would form of Israel from the converse and conduct…
clarkeRuth 2:10: "Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?"
Then she fell on her face - Prostrated herself, as was the custom in the East when inferiors approached those of superior rank. The Targum adds to the conversation between Ruth and Boaz: "How, says she, have I obtained grace in thy sight, that thou shouldest acknowledge me who am a stranger and one of…
Ruth's profound question, "Why have I found favor...seeing I am a stranger?" isn't just about her foreign status, but a brilliant wordplay that echoes through the original Hebrew. Boaz's kindness feels so unexpected and significant because, to him, she's a "stranger" whom he is now choosing to "take knowledge of," an act that felt impossible for a foreigner to expect.
Boaz, a prominent landowner, greets his reapers with a blessing, and they reciprocate warmly, revealing a community where God is honored. He then notices Ruth, a Moabite foreigner gleaning in his fields, and instructs his workers to treat her kindly and even leave extra grain for her. Ruth, overwhelmed by this unexpected protection and generosity, prostrates herself before Boaz, expressing her bewildered gratitude for his notice, a foreigner who has no standing among the Israelites.
Boaz, a prominent landowner, greets his reapers with a blessing, and they reciprocate warmly, revealing a community where God is honored. He then notices Ruth, a Moabite foreigner gleaning in his fields, and instructs his workers to treat her kindly and even leave extra grain for her. Ruth, overwhelmed by this unexpected protection and generosity, prostrates herself before Boaz, expressing her bewildered gratitude for his notice, a foreigner who has no standing among the Israelites.
"Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”" — Ruth's profound question, "Why have I found favor...seeing I am a stranger?" isn't just about her foreign status, but a brilliant wordplay that echoes through the original Hebrew. Boaz's kindness fee…
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Last reviewed October 2026