Study Desk

who took Moabite women as their wives, one named Orpah and the other named Ruth. And after they had lived in Moab about ten years,

Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

But Ruth replied: "Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.

So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole city was stirred because of them, and the women of the city exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?"

So Naomi returned from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Please let me go into the fields and glean heads of grain behind someone in whose sight I may find favor." "Go ahead, my daughter," Naomi replied.

So Ruth departed and went out into the field and gleaned after the harvesters. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.

Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Do not go and glean in another field, and do not go away from this place, but stay here close to my servant girls.

When Ruth got up to glean, Boaz ordered his young men, "Even if she gathers among the sheaves, do not insult her.

So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. And when she beat out what she had gleaned, it was about an ephah of barley.

Then Ruth the Moabitess said, "He also told me, 'Stay with my young men until they have finished gathering all my harvest.'"

And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, "My daughter, it is good for you to work with his young women, so that nothing will happen to you in another field."

So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean grain until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

"I will do everything you say," Ruth answered.

After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth went in secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

"Who are you?" he asked. "I am your servant Ruth," she replied. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer."

When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked her, "How did it go, my daughter?" Then Ruth told her all that Boaz had done for her.

Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi and also from Ruth the Moabitess, you must also acquire the widow of the deceased in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance."

Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife, to raise up the name of the deceased through his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his brothers or from the gate of his home. You are witnesses today."