Ruth 2-3

Easy-to-Read Version

Ruth Meets Boaz

2 There was a rich man named Boaz living in Bethlehem. Boaz was one of Naomi’s close relatives^[a] from Elimelech’s family.

² One day Ruth, the Moabite, said to Naomi, “I think I will go to the fields. Maybe I can find someone who will be kind to me and let me gather the grain they leave in their field.”

Naomi said, “Fine, daughter, go ahead.”

³ So Ruth went to the fields. She followed the workers who were cutting the grain and gathered the grain that was left.^[b] It happened that part of the field belonged to Boaz, the man from Elimelech’s family.

⁴ Later, Boaz came to the field from Bethlehem and greeted his workers. He said, “The Lord be with you!”

And the workers answered, “And may the Lord bless you!”

⁵ Then Boaz spoke to his servant who was in charge of the workers. He asked, “Whose girl is that?”

⁶ The servant answered, “She is the Moabite woman who came with Naomi from the country of Moab. ⁷ She came early this morning and asked me if she could follow the workers and gather the grain that was left on the ground. She rested only a short time in that shelter.”^[c]

⁸ Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, child. Stay here in my field to gather grain for yourself. There is no need for you to go to any other field. Continue following behind my women workers. ⁹ Watch to see which fields they go into to cut the grain and follow them. I have warned the young men not to bother you. When you are thirsty, go and drink from the same water jug my men drink from.”

¹⁰ Then Ruth bowed very low to the ground. She said to Boaz, “I am a foreigner, so I am surprised you even noticed me.”

¹¹ Boaz answered her, “I know about all the help you have given to your mother-in-law Naomi. I know you helped her even after your husband died. And I know that you left your father and mother and your own country and came here to this country. You did not know anyone from this country, but you came here with Naomi. ¹² The Lord will reward you for all the good things you have done. The Lord, the God of Israel, will pay you in full. You have come to him for safety,^[d] and he will protect you.”

¹³ Then Ruth said, “I hope I can continue to please you, sir. You are very kind. I am only a servant and not even one of your own servants. But you have said kind words to me and comforted me.”

¹⁴ At mealtime, Boaz told Ruth, “Come and eat some of our bread. Here, dip your bread in our vinegar.”

So Ruth sat down with the workers. Boaz gave her some roasted grain. Ruth ate until she was full, and there was some food left. ¹⁵ Then Ruth got up and went back to work.

Then Boaz told his servants, “Let Ruth gather even around the piles of grain. Don’t stop her. ¹⁶ And make her work easier by dropping some full heads of grain for her. Let her gather that grain. Don’t tell her to stop.”

Naomi Hears About Boaz

¹⁷ Ruth worked in the fields until evening. Then she separated the grain from the chaff. There was about one-half bushel^[e] of barley. ¹⁸ Ruth carried the grain into town to show her mother-in-law what she had gathered. She also gave her the food that was left from lunch.

¹⁹ Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you gather all this grain? Where did you work? Bless the man who noticed you.”

Then Ruth told her who she had worked with. She said, “The man I worked with today is a man named Boaz.”

²⁰ Naomi told her daughter-in-law, “The Lord bless him! He has continued showing his kindness to the living as well as the dead.” Then Naomi told her daughter-in-law, “Boaz is one of our relatives. He is one of our protectors.^[f]”

²¹ Then Ruth said, “Boaz also told me to come back and continue working. He said that I should work closely with his servants until the harvest is finished.”

²² Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “It is good for you to continue working with his women servants. If you work in another field, some man might hurt you.” ²³ So Ruth continued working closely with the women servants of Boaz. She gathered grain until the barley harvest was finished. She also worked there through the end of the wheat harvest. Ruth continued living with her mother-in-law Naomi.

The Threshing Floor

3 Then Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, maybe I should find a husband and a good home for you. That would be good for you. ² Boaz is our close relative.^[g] You worked with his women servants. Tonight he will be working at the threshing floor. ³ Go wash yourself and get dressed. Put on a nice dress, and go down to the threshing floor. But don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating his dinner. ⁴ After he eats, he will lie down to rest. Watch him so that you will know where he lies down. Go there and lift the cover off his feet.^[h] Then lie down there with Boaz. He will tell you what you should do about marriage.”

⁵ Then Ruth answered, “I will do what you say.”

⁶ So Ruth went down to the threshing floor and did everything that her mother-in-law told her to do. ⁷ After eating and drinking, Boaz was very satisfied. He went to lie down near the pile of grain. Then Ruth went to him very quietly and lifted the cover from his feet and lay down by his feet.

⁸ About midnight, Boaz rolled over in his sleep and woke up. He was very surprised. There was a woman lying near his feet. ⁹ Boaz said, “Who are you?”

She said, “I am Ruth, your servant girl. Spread your cover over me.^[i] You are my protector.”

¹⁰ Then Boaz said, “May the Lord bless you, young woman. You have been very kind to me. Your kindness to me is greater than the kindness you showed to Naomi in the beginning. You could have looked for a young man to marry, rich or poor. But you did not. ¹¹ Now, young woman, don’t be afraid. I will do what you ask. All the people in our town know that you are a very good woman. ¹² And it is true that I am a close relative. But there is a man who is a closer relative to you than I am. ¹³ Stay here tonight. In the morning we will see if he will help^[j] you. If he decides to help you, that is fine. If he refuses to help, I promise, as surely as the Lord lives, I will marry you and buy back Elimelech’s land for you.^[k] So lie here until morning.”

¹⁴ So Ruth lay near Boaz’s feet until morning. She got up while it was still dark, before it was light enough for people to recognize each other.

Boaz said to her, “We will keep it a secret that you came here to me last night.” ¹⁵ Then he said, “Bring me your coat. Now, hold it open.”

So Ruth held her coat open, and Boaz measured out about a bushel of barley^[l] as a gift to Naomi, her mother-in-law. Boaz then wrapped it in Ruth’s coat, and put it on her back. Then he went to the city.

¹⁶ Ruth went to the home of her mother-in-law, Naomi. Naomi went to the door and asked, “Who’s there?”

Ruth went in telling Naomi everything that Boaz did for her. ¹⁷ She said, “Boaz gave me this barley as a gift for you. He said that I must not go home without bringing a gift for you.”

¹⁸ Naomi said, “Daughter, be patient until we hear what happens. Boaz will not rest until he has finished doing what he should do. We will know what will happen before the day is ended.”