“Ruth Meets Boaz”

 “And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.” (Ruth 2:1)

This is a story of a family that has suffered great loss. Naomi’s husband and sons have died. This leaves her and her two daughter’s in law widows. While one daughter in law returns to her mother. Ruth, the second daughter in law, clings to Naomi and travels to Bethlehem in Judah.

Ruth goes into the fields of Boaz, a rich and influental man, he was also related to Naomi. Ruth is not there to work for Boaz. Ruth spends her first day at work picking the loose pieces of grain left in the field.

“And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.” (Ruth 2:4)

Boaz kept his faith in God. God brings Boaz and Ruth together in the field. In the conversation, Ruth wants to know why Boaz has taken notice of her?

“And 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.” (Ruth 2:11)

Boaz knew quite a bit about Ruth’s history and now he is seeing Ruth’s dedication to her mother in law.

Boaz gives protection to Ruth. He tells the men to not bother her. He also tells Ruth to stay close to the maidens and go with them to glean the fields. At meal time Boaz invites her to eat with the reapers. Certainly not an intimate lunch for two, but it was a friendly meeting.

Ruth returns home to Naomi. The next day Ruth returns to the fields belonging to Boaz.

“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 2:15-16)

Boaz has treated Ruth, who is not Hebrew, very well indeed. Although she still must work in the fields, Boaz has made it easier.

Naomi is impressed with Ruth’s efforts. The two women have a conversation concerning 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.” (Ruth 2:20-23)

Boaz is obviously interested in Ruth, and Ruth is interested in Boaz. Could this be love?

Stay Tuned…