Proactive Ruth meets kind Boaz – like a beautiful, shining star in the crooked days of Judges, when the law of the LORD was despised by people as they did what was right in their own eyes.

Summary of Ruth 2

After talking with Naomi, Ruth went out to the field to glean behind the harvesters. She happened to come to the portion of the field that belonged to Boaz. 

Noticing Ruth, Boaz showed kindness to her. Not only did Boaz allow her to glean after his harvesters, but he also invited her to have water and eat roasted grain with him and his workers. 

After spending all day gleaning, she went back to Naomi with an ephah of barley (about 50 lb). Naomi was pleasantly surprised with the amount of barley which Ruth gleaned. After finding out that Ruth worked in the field that belonged to Boaz, Naomi became ecstatic, telling Ruth that Boaz was one of her closest relatives, who could be a redeemer. 

Entrance of Boaz: A Man of Standing

The first verse of this chapter introduced Boaz. He was described as a relative of Naomi’s husband and the family of Elimelech (Ruth 2:1 and 3). Boaz was also a redeemer (Ruth 2:20). 

Note the description given to this man. The NIV (New International Version) describes him as “a man of standing.” The NASB (New American Standard Bible) version says a man of “great wealth.” The NLT (New Living Translation) version states “influential man.” The Hebrew word used to describe Boaz is chayil, which has all the meanings described before, plus strength. This description was not limited to men. The same word was used to describe Ruth’s character as “a woman of excellence (Ruth 3:11).” Also, the same word was used for an excellent wife described in Proverbs 31 (Proverbs 31:10). 

Ruth’s Work Ethics: A Woman of Standing

Let’s notice what Ruth did after she came to Bethlehem with Naomi. She went out to the field to glean and gather grains (Ruth 2:2). Her example of work ethics shows a great application of “dependence on God” in everything she did. 

She was proactive. Although Ruth was a Moabite in a foreign land of Israel, she was brave and proactive to support Naomi and herself. This was the day of Judges, which meant that working outside as a widow could be dangerous. Despite the implicit danger, she went out to the field. She did not just stay downcast, but walked out to the field to gather and glean grains.

At the same time, she was dependent. She knew that the success of her glean depended on the favor shown by the owner and the workers at the field at that time (“…after one in whose sight I may find favor” Ruth 2:20). She was brave and took calculated risks in this endeavor. 

She was a diligent worker. Based on the testimony of the servant in charge of the reapers, she came and remained in the field except for a short rest (Ruth 2:7). After Boaz allowed her to glean and have free access to the water jars, she gleaned diligently until evening (Ruth 2:17). 

Boaz’s Kindness

We can tell that Boaz’s servants and reapers did not repel Ruth the Moabite from gleaning. Although not explicitly stated in the text, they showed kindness to Ruth, allowing her to gather and glean sheaves although she was a foreign Moabite widow (traditionally, the relation between Israel and Moab was not exactly friendly). 

Where did they learn how to treat the weak, the foreigners, the poor, and the women in this manner? They probably learned it from how Boaz treated the weak, the foreigners, the poor and the women who came to his field. Boaz asked Ruth to stay with his maids (Ruth 2:8-9), knowing that venturing out to other fields may be dangerous as this was in the days of Judges. Boaz allowed her to drink from the water jars that servants drew (Ruth 2:9). Boaz served her with roasted grain (Ruth 2:14). Boaz’s action was probably a routine one, which his servants observed from him on a regular basis. 

If those workers did not permit Ruth to glean after the reapers, then the meeting between Boaz and Ruth would not have happened. Boaz’s kindness permeated to his workers. His workers showed kindness to Ruth. It was a virtual cycle. 

What was the foundation of Boaz’s kindness to the weak of the society? I believe it was his fear of the LORD as demonstrated in this statement, “the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge (Judges 2:12).” He knew that the weak of the society, and especially those who came to seek refuge, were the guests of the God of Israel. They were not just people. To Boaz, they were people who were made in the image of God. To Boaz, they were the special guests of the God of Israel. 

Remaining Puzzle Pieces

When Ruth came back to Naomi with an ephah of barley (50 lb), she must have been very pleasantly surprised – probably the first great news since the death of her husband and two sons. The more amazing news was to break out for Naomi as the two separate information merged into a complete one. 

• Ruth gleaned in the field of Boaz, but did not know Boaz’s relation with Naomi
• Naomi knew Boaz’s relation to her, but did not know where Ruth gleaned. 

When Ruth told Naomi that she gleaned at Boaz’s field, it must have been a bright moment of optimism for Noami. Naomi knew that Boaz was a close relative of her, but did now know what became of him as this was her first visit back to Bethlehem in the past 10 years. Based on the kindness that Boaz shown to Ruth as a man of God, Naomi must have thought that being redeemed could become a reality for her and Ruth.