1And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s , a mighty man of wealth , of the family of Elimelech ; and his name was Boaz . 2And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi , Let me now go to the field , and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace . And she said unto her, Go , my daughter . 3And she went , and came , and gleaned in the field after the reapers : and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz , who was of the kindred of Elimelech . 4And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem , and said unto the reapers , The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. 5Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers , Whose damsel is this? 6And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said , It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab : 7And she said , I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves : so she came , and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house .
Boaz's Protection and Provision
8Then 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 : 9Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap , and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst , go unto the vessels , and drink of that which the young men have drawn . 10Then 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 ? 11And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband : and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother , and the land of thy nativity , and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore . 12The 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 . 13Then she said , Let me find favour in thy sight , my lord ; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid , though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens . 14And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither , and eat of the bread , and dip thy morsel in the vinegar . And she sat beside the reapers : and he reached her parched corn , and she did eat , and was sufficed , and left . 15And when she was risen up to glean , Boaz commanded his young men , saying , Let her glean even among the sheaves , and reproach her not: 16And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them , that she may glean them , and rebuke her not.
Ruth's Return to Naomi
17So she gleaned in the field until even , and beat out that she had gleaned : and it was about an ephah of barley . 18And 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 that she had reserved after she was sufficed . 19And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day ? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought , and said , The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz . 20And Naomi said unto her daughter in law , Blessed be he of the LORD , who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead . And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen . 21And Ruth the Moabitess said , He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men , until they have ended all my harvest . 22And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law , It is good , my daughter , that thou go out with his maidens , that they meet thee not in any other field . 23So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest ; and dwelt with her mother in law .