The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Boaz’s blessing isn't just about Ruth's kindness to Naomi; it highlights her profound act of faith by choosing to trust "under the wings" of Israel's God, implying she had already become a proselyte to Judaism. This phrase, evoking the protective image of a hen with her chicks or the glory of God over the Ark, marks her deliberate seeking of refuge and belonging in God's covenant people.
The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Boaz, seeing Ruth diligently gleaning and having heard of her loyalty to Naomi, offers her protection and blessings. He instructs his workers to leave extra grain for her and to treat her kindly, recognizing her selfless devotion. This word of blessing comes as Ruth is working in a field belonging to Boaz, a relative of her deceased husband, and shows God's favor beginning to shine on her difficult situation.
Boaz doesn't just acknowledge Ruth's hard work; he pronounces a divine blessing. What does this reveal about the spiritual atmosphere of the time, and how does it impact Ruth's situation?
Boaz and his reapers exchange greetings rooted in faith: "The LORD be with you." This isn't just polite small talk; it reflects a community where God's presence was invoked and acknowledged in daily life, even in the fields. Boaz’s blessing on Ruth – "The LORD repay you for what you have done" – is more than just a kind word. It’s a prayer that God Himself would honor her actions, acknowledging that true blessing comes from Him. This highlights that even in difficult circumstances, encounters with people of faith can open doors to divine favor and protection.
Ruth has sought shelter, but not just from Boaz. She has come 'under the wings' of the God of Israel. What does this powerful metaphor reveal about her spiritual journey and God's protective nature?
The imagery of God's 'wings' is deeply comforting. It evokes a mother bird protectively covering her young, shielding them from danger and the elements. Boaz uses this metaphor to describe Ruth's act of seeking refuge. It signifies her complete trust and commitment to the God of Israel, aligning herself with His people and His promises. This isn't just about physical safety; it's about spiritual belonging and the profound assurance that comes from placing one's life under God's sovereign care. Her past as a foreigner is acknowledged, but her present trust in Israel's God is what brings her under divine protection.
Understand the original words
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Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God in the Old Testament, revealing His faithfulness, holiness, and redemptive relationship with His people.
kanaph · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor for God's protective care, shelter, and intimate presence, often associated with the cherubim over the mercy seat in the tabernacle.
chasah · Hebrew Verb
Seeking safety or protection in God, demonstrating trust in His sovereignty rather than human strength.
Boaz's blessing acknowledges Ruth's courageous decision to leave her homeland and embrace the God of Israel, recognizing her new spiritual family under God's protective 'wings' – a profound act of faith in a time of great personal loss and displacement.
~1200 BC
Israel enters Canaan
The tribes of Israel conquer and settle in the Promised Land, establishing a new society under the Mosaic covenant. This period sets the stage for the events described in the Book of Ruth.
c. 1150 BC - c. 1050 BC
Period of the Judges
A tumultuous era in Israel's history marked by cycles of sin, oppression, and deliverance. The Book of Ruth is set within this period, highlighting a time of moral and social decline.
c. 1100 BC
Elimelech and family leave Bethlehem
Due to a famine in Judah, Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons migrate to the foreign land of Moab. This decision sets in motion the tragic events that lead Ruth to Israel.
c. 1090 BC
Deaths of Elimelech and sons
Naomi is widowed and loses both her sons, Mahlon and Chilion, who had married Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. Naomi is left with her two foreign daughters-in-law in Moab.
c. 1085 BC— this verse
Naomi and Ruth return to Bethlehem
Naomi, hearing the famine has ended, decides to return to Bethlehem. Ruth resolutely accompanies her, famously declaring, 'Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.'
c. 1085 BC
Ruth gleans in Boaz's field
Ruth seeks food for herself and Naomi by gleaning in the fields. She happens upon the field of Boaz, a relative of Naomi's late husband Elimelech, who shows her unexpected kindness.
This psalm speaks of God covering us with his feathers and being our faithfulness like a shield and buckler, echoing the imagery of refuge under God's wings that Boaz uses for Ruth.
Matthew 23:37Jesus uses the same imagery of a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings, highlighting God's desire to protect and care for His people who seek refuge in Him.
Deuteronomy 32:11This passage describes God carrying Israel like an eagle carries its young, spreading its wings to lift them, similar to the protective 'under whose wings you have come to take refuge' metaphor.
Psalm 36:7This verse speaks of people taking refuge in the shadow of God's wings, mirroring Ruth's act of seeking shelter and security under the God of Israel, as acknowledged by Boaz.
Genesis 15:1In this passage, God tells Abram, 'I am your shield, your very great reward,' which parallels Boaz's blessing to Ruth, invoking God as both protector and the source of full reward.
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 2:12: "The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust."
The Lord recompense thy work - The dutiful respect which thou hast paid to thy husband, and thy tender and affectionate attachment to thy aged mother-in-law. And a full reward be given thee - This is spoken with great modesty and piety: The kindness I show thee is little in comparison of thy desert; God alone can give thee a full reward for thy kindness…
Boaz’s blessing isn't just about Ruth's kindness to Naomi; it highlights her profound act of faith by choosing to trust "under the wings" of Israel's God, implying she had already become a proselyte to Judaism. This phrase, evoking the protective image of a hen with her chicks or the glory of God over the Ark, marks her deliberate seeking of refuge and belonging in God's covenant people.
Boaz, seeing Ruth diligently gleaning and having heard of her loyalty to Naomi, offers her protection and blessings. He instructs his workers to leave extra grain for her and to treat her kindly, recognizing her selfless devotion. This word of blessing comes as Ruth is working in a field belonging to Boaz, a relative of her deceased husband, and shows God's favor beginning to shine on her difficult situation.
Boaz, seeing Ruth diligently gleaning and having heard of her loyalty to Naomi, offers her protection and blessings. He instructs his workers to leave extra grain for her and to treat her kindly, recognizing her selfless devotion. This word of blessing comes as Ruth is working in a field belonging to Boaz, a relative of her deceased husband, and shows God's favor beginning to shine on her difficult situation.
"The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”" — Boaz’s blessing isn't just about Ruth's kindness to Naomi; it highlights her profound act of faith by choosing to trust "under the wings" of Israel's God, implying she had already become a proselyte…
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Last reviewed October 2026