Ruth 2: 1 – 23
Whoa! Who Is That?
1 There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. 2 So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4 Now 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 Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.” 8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.” 10 So she fell on her face, bowed down 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?” 11 And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported 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 birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. 12 The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” 13 Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.” 14 Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back. 15 And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, 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 Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So she brought out and gave to her what she had kept back after she had been satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you.” So 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 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” And Naomi said to her, “This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.” 21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also said to me, ‘You shall stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’ ” 22 And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that people do not meet you in any other field.” 23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.
Today ladies I want to give you a little information on how men tick. During marriage counseling sessions I like to ask the couple if they are willing to give up all their rights. You should see their faces. In truth no one wants to give up their rights but when you say, ‘I do’, in effect, you are really doing this. For the gift you are giving the one that you want to spend the rest of your life with, is ‘YOU’.
Women and men are totally different. Besides being physically different men and women are additionally different in basically everything else. In the book of Genesis chapter 2 our Lord has said that everything was ‘good’ or ‘very good’. The first time we see something else is in verse 18, when our Holy God said that it was not good that man should be alone. He would create a ‘help mate’ for him. So, what is a help mate? If you asks the guys they will quickly respond that God created ‘you’ to be ‘their’ helpers. I told you guys are different.
When you look up the words help mate you come to find out that it means ‘complete opposite’ or ‘complete’. As little children boys do not think much of the opposite sex. Then something happens and they realize that they are not complete, they hunger for a woman in their lives.
In addition, when men and women come together they recognize how opposite they are. For example, a man cannot figure out why a woman has nothing to wear when her closest is full of clothes and a woman cannot figure out when a guy is camped out in front of an open refrigerator and proclaims that there is nothing to eat. You see what I’m saying?
Today, we are going to see how our Great God does not use ‘coincidences’. He Is in control of everything. He Is The Supreme Orchestral Director of human events. We will see that it all has a purposeful outcome. Yahweh Elohe Yisrael – The Lord God of Israel has set about conditions, times, events, and human attraction to add to the variety of ancestors for His Anointed One.
1 There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz.
We are provided with information about Boaz, the man who will feature prominently in the story. He was ‘an important man of wealth’, and was of the family of Elimelech. Family was an important concept in Israelite eyes, and a man was seen as having a responsibility towards other members of his wider family. Now if you have been with us so as we covered chapter 1 last week then far you really have to question why Elimelech had taken his family to Moab in the first place. It was expected of family that where he could, he would redeem any family property that had had to be sold. Having a rich relative should have spared all this moving from happening. So, how would you give answer to this problem?
The only thing that I can think of is that we all make mistakes in our choices. I also think due to pride we do not reach out for assistance? Instead of humbly asking for help we pack up and move away.
I grew up with a very bad household. My father because of pride would not accept handouts from other people. He had such a bad attitude that he went through over 100 jobs in one year. When he did not like what a boss asked of him, he told the boss where he could go. By the way, it wasn’t ‘go to Heaven’. Because he was so prideful he would not accept food or handouts for his family. He would reject anyone’s offer to give his family food or money. In his obstinate defiance he had us go days on end without food then be humble enough to accept a handout. When my mom would secretly accept some food for us, her reward was to get beat up by him after he found out.
2 So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”
Israel, thanks to God’s Law, had its own social welfare system designed to ensure that no one living in the land would starve. When the fields were reaped any wisps of barley or wheat that fell to the ground were to be left there for the poor to gather, as was grain that was at the edges of the different sections of the fields. This gathering by the poor was called ‘gleaning’.
Thus as a widow without a provider Ruth was within her rights to glean in the fields. Gleaners were not, however, always looked on as desirable, especially ‘foreign’ ones, and it was therefore her intention to seek out the field of someone who would prove favorable. As verse 7 indicates, she sought permission before she gleaned, although legally such permission could not be withheld. Naomi, recognizing their need for food gave her permission and in kindly fashion bade her, ‘go’.
3 Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
She therefore began to follow the reapers as they cut and gathered the barley, picking up any gleanings that were left. Unknown to her she ‘chanced’ to have selected a part of the ‘field’ which belonged to Boaz, who was kinsman to her deceased father-in-law and her deceased husband. It was not, of course, a fenced field, ownership of parts of a large area of ground being indicated by landmarks.
4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “The LORD be with you!” And they answered him, “The LORD bless you!”
Our Holy Spirit immediately points out Boaz as a godly man. In looking around he spotted this beautiful woman in the field.
5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?”
In the Philly vernacular, ‘Whoa! Who Is That?’
6 So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.”
Now remember that she was gleaning in another field and by chance started gleaning in Boaz’s farm. So, in this short time the head servant found out all about her. We will read shortly how the head servant responds that the woman also rested in the house. My, my how helpful and kind can a guy get when he interacts with a beautiful woman. Can you see from these clues how she turned heads?
The farm Forman explained that Ruth had in fact asked permission to glean, following the reapers as they gathered the sheaves. And he pointed out how hard she had worked at her task, working from dawn to this moment, apart from taking shelter for a short while in a lean-to which was apparently provided in order to offer a brief shelter from the hot sun while people ate such food as they had. She would no doubt have chosen a time when it was not otherwise being used, but it had not failed to be noticed by the overseer.
8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.”
Our Wonderful Holy Spirit gives us another clue regarding some facts that are behind the scenes. You might think that this is a big deal but I do and I will tell you why. By Boaz’s reference to calling Ruth ‘daughter’ it reveals the fact that there is a significant age difference between Ruth and Boaz. It is obvious that Ruth is a young woman most likely in her late teens or early twenty’s. Therefore, I suggest that Boaz is older around Naomi’s age. We will find out that Boaz is a near relative to her dead husband, so he was probably a cousin. So, why is this so important? From social studies regarding families it appears that men are better fathers and husband’s when they are older. How so? Well, when men are younger they are busy with their careers and other interests. I think you will agree with me ladies that the men’s interests are drawn away with these things. When a man is older he stops and recognizes the importance of love, companionship, intimacy, and spending time with children. In most cases the man who is able to do this are grandfathers.
I suggest you look at the Gospels and take another look at Mary and Joseph. We have mentioned that the lives of Ruth and Boaz are in the royal line of our Messiah, The Lord Jesus Christ. I suggest that the same situation occurred with Mary and Joseph. The Scriptures reveal that she was a young virgin. Joseph’s age was never given. You will note that Joseph died off early leaving Mary to tend for all their kids so it had to be an something our Holy Master did not feel like revealing to us. Yet, I do think since in many cases biblical situations are there for a purpose, I throw out this possible reason as to why Joseph died. [After our Lord Jesus was born Mary and Joseph had other sons and daughters].
I think if Boaz knew he had a chance with her, he would have proposed right on the spot. Look again at how he wants to pour out his interest in her. “8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.”
In the next chapters we will see how he is surprised and shocked when Ruth lets him know that she wants him to marry her.
10 So she fell on her face, bowed down 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 was filled with gratitude, and humbled herself, bowing deeply before him. Humbly she asked him why such an important man was condescending to take such notice of her. He must be aware that she was a foreigner something the The Holy Spirit continually emphasizes. Why then was she proving so favorable in his sight? Her words did not indicate suspicion, but merely an estimation of her own worth as compared with him.
Now look and see how Boaz is smitten by Ruth. Remember just a few verses before he asked who the beautiful woman was? Look at this response from him.
11 And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported 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 birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. 12 The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”
He was aware that his relative Naomi had returned from a foreign land without her husband and sons She was accompanied by another woman but the message about how beautiful this woman was not relayed. Not Boaz has put two and two together. We see shortly how Boaz uses this same withholding of information when he bargains with a closer relative in regards to the ‘redemption’ of Naomi’s land. He mentions about how the guy has to also take the dead man’s wife with the redemption of the land. We will see that he did not mention, ‘And by the way you have to take his gorgeous widow also.’ It must have been an oversight.
13 Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.”
Do you think somehow she smiled at him and then said those words to him? You have heard the statement, ‘love at first sight’. I think this is what is going on here. I think he is ready to give her anything.
14 Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back.
In a way he is saying, “It’s a little to premature to ask you out to dinner so if you would like you can help yourself to dinner I have arranged for my workers. We have extra food so it would be no problem in you grabbing a bite to eat.’ Oh really, somehow I do see any of the other ‘Gleaners’ invited to this meal?
15 And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, 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.
Now stop and think about this point. ‘Gleaners’ never gleaned with the shearers. They stayed away and picked up what was missed. In addition, can you picture the scene where Boaz’s workers on purpose started leaving a whole bunch of the grain for her to pick up. Do you think somehow Ruth knew this guy was infatuated with her? An ephah was a vessel large enough to hold a small woman so I think she gathered enough. Can you imagine how much flour that would make?
18 Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So she brought out and gave to her what she had kept back after she had been satisfied.
Ruth ‘doggie’ bagged some of the food which was given her to eat and took it home to Naomi along with all the grain. Both would arouse Naomi’s curiosity.
19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.”
Bingo! Yatsee! And the winner is! Can you picture the fireworks going off in the background?
20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” And Naomi said to her, “This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.”
I think we a missing the picture of two elated women possibly dancing around the room together. We can now see how Ruth knew the guy was crazy for her in this reply.
21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also said to me, ‘You shall stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’ ”
We had previously been given the information that Ruth was instructed to work closely with the guys reaping the grain. She now reveals the fact that Boaz also wanted her around until the harvest was over. He might have also offered to Ruth, ‘And would you like me to send over my driver to pick you up to bring you to my work place?’
Naomi picks up on the deep things that have transpired and to keep it simple and wait upon the Lord to more fully develop His plan she tells Ruth that it’s all good.
22 And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that people do not meet you in any other field.” 23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.
A godly wise woman by the name of Ashley once spoke to me about ‘walking’ with the Lord. When furthered definition was pursued, she responded that it was an action of daily commitment and trust of giving your life in God’s hands. I liked that answer.
I see here just as Ashley commented of the excitement, joy, and fun that our Holy El Shaddai – Almighty God can do in a person or persons lives that take God up on Who He says He really Is.
Naomi and Ruth had been through the school of hard knocks and returned in their love and commitment to Yahweh Elohe Yisrael – The Lord God of Israel. Now Adoni Yahweh, Father God, was going to blow their minds in unique and wonderful blessings.
Do you know God? Do you know His Characteristics? Do you really know Him? Remember, you cannot ever out love God.
