1. WHO WAS BOAZ?

Boaz was “a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech” (Ruth 2:1).
Thus, he was suited to do the duty of a kinsman to Ruth, on behalf of her
late husband.

Boaz was the son of Rahab (Matthew 1:5), presumably the same Rahab who
protected the Israelite spies in Jericho and was thus spared destruction
(Joshua 2:1-7; 6:17, 23-25). Although Boaz was an older man (Ruth 3:10),
this would place the story of Ruth very early in the period of the Judges.
As the son of a Canaanite woman, Boaz may have been predisposed to show
kindness toward gentiles.

2. WHAT DID RUTH ASK TO DO?

“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’” (Ruth 2:2).

In the Law of Moses, God made very careful provision for the needy,
especially strangers and widows, by prohibiting landowners from reaping the
entirety of their crops, so that the needy could have some (Leviticus
19:9-10; 23:22; Deuteronomy 24:19-22). Ruth simply requested Naomi’s
permission to do so.

3. HOW DID BOAZ GREET THE REAPERS AND HOW DID THEY REPLY?

“Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, ‘The Lord be
with you!’ And they answered him, ‘The Lord bless you!’” (Ruth 2:4). This
was, apparently, a standard greeting (Psalm 129:5, 8). However, it
demonstrates the proper attitude of a master toward his servants (Ephesians
6:9; Colossians 4:1).

4. WHAT DID BOAZ INQUIRE OF THE FOREMAN AND WHAT ANSWER DID HE RECEIVE?

“Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, ‘Whose
young woman is this?’ 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. 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 while in the house’” (Ruth 2:5-7).

Ruth had already earned a good reputation (Proverbs 22:1) for having
accompanied Naomi into Judah. Here, she builds on that reputation by
politely asking permission to do what the Law of Moses plainly allowed her
to do (Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22; Deuteronomy 24:19-22).

5. HOW DID BOAZ ADDRESS RUTH AND WHAT DID HE TELL HER?

He addressed her as “my daughter” (Ruth 2:8), thereby indicating a
significant age discrepancy between the two, yet simultaneously implying
affection that a Gentile was unlikely to receive from Israelites.

He instructed her not to glean elsewhere, but to remain with his people on
his land (Ruth 2:8), saying that he had already ordered his men to leave her
alone (Ruth 2:9). Also, she was to help herself to the water that his
servants had drawn (Ruth 2:9). He was taking her under his very thorough
protection, yet with respect for her dignity by allowing her to work for
herself and her mother-in-law, rather than simply receive alms.

6. HOW DID RUTH RESPOND?

In humble gratitude, she prostrated herself before Boaz, asking him why he
favored her, a foreigner (Ruth 2:10). Of course, she was probably unaware
of his Gentile heritage (Matthew 1:5; Joshua 2:1-7; 6:17, 23-25).

7. WHAT WAS BOAZ’S ANSWER AND HOW DID HE BLESS HER?

He confirmed that her reputation preceded her (Ruth 2:11). Indeed, “A good
name is to be chosen rather than great riches” (Proverbs 22:1).

Then, he blessed her for seeking protection from “the Lord God of Israel”
(Ruth 2:12). Notice that afterward she no longer identified herself as a
“foreigner”, but as his “maidservant” (Ruth 2:13). This was a turning point
for Ruth.

8. WHAT TRANSPIRED AT MEALTIME?

Boaz personally invited Ruth to him and his workers for lunch, passing
enough food to her so that she was full and had leftovers to spare (Ruth
2:14). Boaz honored Ruth (Luke 14:7-11) and continued to provide for her.

9. WHAT DID BOAZ INSTRUCT HIS WORKERS CONCERNING RUTH?

He ordered them to allow her to glean “even among the sheaves” and to “let
some grain fall purposely for her” and not to rebuke her at all (Ruth
2:15-16), all of which would supply her and Naomi with abundance, yet with
dignity for having worked. Boaz was mindful of Ruth’s feelings as well as
her material requirements. He made this provision for her without her
knowing it, just as our God supplies for us beyond our knowledge (Ephesians
3:20-21).

10. UNTIL WHEN DID SHE GLEAN? WHAT DID SHE DO WITH WHAT SHE HAD GLEANED?

“She gleaned in the field until evening” (Ruth 2:17), having begun in the
morning (Ruth 2:7). She labored all day outdoors. When she was done
gleaning, she “beat out what she had gleaned”, so she wasn’t even finished
yet.

11. WHAT DID RUTH BRING TO NAOMI?

Besides the “ephah of barley” she had gleaned (Ruth 2:17-18), she also gave
her mother-in-law the prepared food she kept back after eating lunch (Ruth
2:14, 18).

12. WHAT DID NAOMI WANT TO KNOW AND WHO DID SHE BLESS?

She asked Ruth where she had worked and blessed the one who had taken notice
of her (Ruth 2:19). The amount Ruth brought must have been am impressive
sum to warrant this type of reaction.

13. WHO DID NAOMI BLESS WHEN RUTH ANSWERED HER AND WHAT FACT DID SHE INFORM
HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OF?

In a sense, she blessed both Jehovah and Jehovah’s man Boaz (Ruth 2:20).
She told Ruth that Boaz was a relative, which made him a potential redeemer.

14. WHAT DID NAOMI THINK OF BOAZ’S INSTRUCTIONS TO RUTH?

She regarded it as “good” that Ruth remain among Boaz’s people, not only
because of the prosperity he provided, but also because thereby she would
avoid encounters elsewhere by those less favorably inclined toward a
foreigner among them (Ruth 2:22).

15. DID RUTH COMPLY?

Yes, she did, until both barley and wheat harvest were complete (Ruth 2:23),
a period of a couple months.

Go to Chapter 3

Return to the OT book of Ruth