Ruth, Chapter 2

1. And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.    2. And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said to her, Go, my daughter.    3. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and she chanced to come upon a part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.    4. And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless you.    5. Then said Boaz to his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?    6. And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabite damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:    7. And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, except that she stayed a little in the house.    8. Then said Boaz to Ruth, Do you not hear, my daughter? Do not go to glean in another field, neither go from here, but remain here close by my maidens:    9. Let your eyes be on the field that they reap, and go after them: have I not directed the young men that they shall not touch you? and when you are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.    10. Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found grace in your eyes, that you should take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?    11. And Boaz answered and said to her, It has fully been told to me, all that you have done for your mother in law since the death of your husband: and how you have left your father and your mother, and the land of your nativity, and are come to a people which you did not know before now.    12. The LORD recompense your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to trust.    13. Then she said, Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; because you have comforted me, and because you have spoken kindly to your handmaid, though I be not like unto one of your handmaidens.    14. And Boaz said to her, At mealtime come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he handed her parched grain, and she did eat, and was satisfied, and left.    15. And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her:    16. And let fall also some of the handfuls on purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and do not rebuke her.    17. So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.    18. And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her what she had kept after she was satisfied.    19. And her mother in law said to her, Where have you gleaned today? and where did you work? Blessed be he that took knowledge of you. And she told her mother in law with whom she had worked, and said, The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.    20. And Naomi said to her daughter in law, Blessed be he by the LORD, who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said to her, The man is near of kin to us, one of our next kinsmen.    21. And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said to me also, You shall keep close by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.    22. And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, that they do not meet you in any other field.    23. So she kept close by the maidens of Boaz to glean until the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.