Ruth 2:8-9
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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Boaz’s instruction for Ruth to "abide here fast by my maidens" is more than just practical advice for gleaning; it's a protective measure. By keeping her close to the women, he ensures her safety and shields her from potential mistreatment or scandal from the male reapers, showing a thoughtful concern for her well-being.
Boaz, having just learned from his foreman about Ruth’s presence and her Moabite origin, approaches her directly. He addresses her with fatherly concern, telling her not to glean in any other field but to stay close to his young women. This instruction is meant to offer her protection and ensure she gleans from the most advantageous spot, close to the workers who gather the cut grain.
Boaz doesn't just offer a suggestion; he gives a command. What does this reveal about his character and his intentions for Ruth?
Boaz uses the term 'my daughter,' a sign of affection and perhaps age, but also a marker of authority. He instructs Ruth not to glean in other fields, nor to wander away from his. This isn't just about finding more grain; it's about ensuring her safety and well-being.
Security Through Proximity
Boaz directs Ruth to stay close to his young women. This is a practical measure. Gleaning alone, especially as a foreigner, could be dangerous. By keeping her near his female workers, he shields her from potential harassment from his male reapers or others, as highlighted by his subsequent order that his young men not touch her. This shows a deep concern for her reputation and physical safety.
The law allowed Ruth to glean, but Boaz goes further. What distinguishes his actions from mere compliance?
While the Mosaic Law made provisions for the poor and foreigners to glean (Leviticus 19:9-10), Boaz's actions go beyond the minimum requirements. He doesn't just permit Ruth to glean; he actively steers her toward a specific, safe location and ensures she is protected.
The Heart of Generosity
Boaz's concern is not just legalistic adherence but genuine benevolence. He notices Ruth, inquires about her, and then extends a protective, personalized provision. This foreshadows the extraordinary kindness of Christ, who actively seeks out and cares for those who are marginalized and vulnerable, offering more than just basic acceptance.
Boaz’s protective and fatherly guidance to Ruth, a foreign widow, highlights the ancient Israelite laws designed to care for the vulnerable, like gleaning rights, and reflects a society where piety and kindness were valued amidst hardship.
~1100 BC
Period of the Judges
The book of Ruth is set during the turbulent era of the Judges, a time of cyclical disobedience, oppression, and deliverance in Israel, characterized by a lack of centralized leadership and moral decline.
Unknown, during Judges period
Elimelech and Naomi Emigrate
Due to famine in Bethlehem, the Israelite man Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion, leave their homeland for Moab.
Unknown, during Judges period
Mahlon and Chilion Marry Moabite Women
Elimelech's sons marry Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Later, both sons and Elimelech die, leaving Naomi widowed and with two Moabite daughters-in-law.
Unknown, during Judges period
Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem
Naomi decides to return to her ancestral home in Bethlehem. Orpah stays in Moab, but Ruth pledges loyalty to Naomi and her God, accompanying her back to Israel.
Boaz tells Ruth to 'cleave' (a translation of the same Hebrew word used here) to his young women, echoing the deep, committed bond described in the creation account, suggesting a desire for Ruth to find security and belonging.
Deuteronomy 24:19This passage details the commandment to leave gleanings for the poor and the sojourner, highlighting Boaz's act of kindness as a direct and generous fulfillment of God's law.
Proverbs 3:5-6Boaz’s protective and preferential treatment of Ruth, guiding her path and ensuring her safety, mirrors the trust and guidance promised to those who acknowledge God in all their ways.
Matthew 13:16-17Jesus speaks of the blessedness of seeing and hearing His teachings, similar to how Boaz’s words and actions bless Ruth, offering her favor and protection she wouldn't otherwise have found.
1 Corinthians 1:27Boaz, a man of influence and means, chooses to protect and elevate a vulnerable foreigner, demonstrating God’s pattern of using the seemingly weak and humble to confound the strong and wise.
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 2:8: "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:"
Abide here fast by my maidens - These were probably employed in making bands, and laying on them enough to form a sheaf, which the binders would tie and form into shocks or thraves. When the maidens had gathered up the scattered handfuls thrown down by the reapers, Ruth picked up any straggling heads or ears which they had left.
Boaz’s instruction for Ruth to "abide here fast by my maidens" is more than just practical advice for gleaning; it's a protective measure. By keeping her close to the women, he ensures her safety and shields her from potential mistreatment or scandal from the male reapers, showing a thoughtful concern for her well-being.
Boaz, having just learned from his foreman about Ruth’s presence and her Moabite origin, approaches her directly. He addresses her with fatherly concern, telling her not to glean in any other field but to stay close to his young women. This instruction is meant to offer her protection and ensure she gleans from the most advantageous spot, close to the workers who gather the cut grain.
Boaz, having just learned from his foreman about Ruth’s presence and her Moabite origin, approaches her directly. He addresses her with fatherly concern, telling her not to glean in any other field but to stay close to his young women. This instruction is meant to offer her protection and ensure she gleans from the most advantageous spot, close to the workers who gather the cut grain.
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Unknown, during Judges period— this verse
Ruth Gleans in Boaz's Field
Arriving in Bethlehem during the barley harvest, Ruth seeks sustenance by gleaning in the fields, by chance landing in the field of Boaz, a relative of her deceased father-in-law.
Unknown, during Judges period
Boaz's Kindness and Protection
Boaz, a wealthy and righteous landowner, notices Ruth, learns of her situation from his servant, and instructs her to glean only in his fields, providing her with protection and favor.
"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 youn…" — Boaz’s instruction for Ruth to "abide here fast by my maidens" is more than just practical advice for gleaning; it's a protective measure. By keeping her close to the women, he ensures her safety and…
