Study Desk

who married Moabite women. The name of one was Orpah. The name of the other was Ruth. After living there about ten years,

Then they cried again in loud voices. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law. But Ruth held on to her.

But Ruth said, "Do not beg me to leave you or turn away from following you. I will go where you go. I will live where you live. Your people will be my people. And your God will be my God.

When Naomi saw that Ruth would do nothing but go with her, she said no more to her.

So Naomi returned. And her daughter-in-law Ruth, the Moabite woman, returned with her from the land of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley gathering time.

Ruth, the Moabite woman, said to Naomi, "Let me go to the field to gather grain behind someone who might show favor to me." Naomi said to her, "Go, my daughter."

So Ruth went and gathered in the field behind those who picked the grain. And she happened to come to the part of the field that belonged to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Be careful to listen, my daughter. Do not go to gather grain in another field. Do not leave this one. But stay here with my women who gather grain.

Then Ruth said, "Sir, I have found favor in your eyes. For you have brought comfort and have been kind in speaking to your woman servant. And I am not like any of your other women servants."

When it was time to eat, Boaz said to Ruth, "Come here. Eat of the bread and put sour wine on it." So she sat beside the people who gathered the grain. And Boaz brought her grain made ready over a fire. She ate and was filled and had some left.

So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gathered. It was enough barley to fill a basket.

She picked it up and went into the city to show her mother-in-law what she had gathered. Ruth gave Naomi what she had left after she was filled.

Her mother-in-law said to her, "Where did you gather grain today? Where did you work? May good come to the man who showed you favor." So Ruth told her mother-in-law, "The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz."

Ruth, the Moabite woman, said, "He told me, ‘You should stay close to my servants until they have finished gathering all my grain.'"

Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, "It is good that you go out with his women servants, my daughter. Then no danger will come upon you in another field."

Ruth said to her, "I will do all that you say."

So Ruth went down to the grain-floor and did all her mother-in-law had told her to do.

When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and his heart was happy, he went to lie down beside the grain. Then Ruth came in secret. She took the covers off his feet and lay down.

He said, "Who are you?" She answered, "I am Ruth, your woman servant. Spread your covering over me. For you are of our family."

So Ruth lay at his feet until morning. She got up before the people could see each other. For Boaz said, "Do not let it be known that the woman came to the grain-floor."