Study Desk

While Naomi was in the country of Moab, she heard that the Lord had helped his people. He had given food to his people in Judah. So Naomi decided to leave the hill country of Moab and go back home. Her daughters-in-law also decided to go with her.

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!"

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

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.

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."

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."

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."

Boaz is our close relative. You worked with his women servants. Tonight he will be working at the threshing floor.

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.

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. Then lie down there with Boaz. He will tell you what you should do about marriage."

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.

About midnight, Boaz rolled over in his sleep and woke up. He was very surprised. There was a woman lying near his feet.

So when the close relative said to Boaz, "You buy the land," he took off his sandal and gave it to Boaz.

I also take Ruth to be my wife. Then the dead man's property will continue to belong to his family. And he will always be remembered by his family and the people in his hometown. You are all witnesses of what I am doing today."

The neighbors gave the boy his name. These women said, "Naomi has a son now!" They named him Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.

Every year Elkanah left his town of Ramah and went up to Shiloh. He worshiped the Lord All-Powerful at Shiloh and offered sacrifices to the Lord there. Shiloh was where Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, served as priests of the Lord .

Whenever Elkanah offered his sacrifices, he always gave one share of the food to his wife Peninnah and a share of the food to each of Peninnah's children.

She made a special promise to God and said, " Lord All-Powerful, you can see how sad I am. Remember me. Don't forget me. If you will give me a son, I will give him to you. He will be yours his whole life, and as a Nazirite, he will not drink wine or strong drink, and no one will ever cut his hair."

Early the next morning Elkanah's family got up. They worshiped the Lord and then went back home to Ramah. Elkanah had sexual relations with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered Hannah.

By that time the following year, Hannah had become pregnant and had a son. She named him Samuel. She said, "His name is Samuel because I asked the Lord for him."