March 22 Daily Devotional

Ruth 2–4

It was harvest time when Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem. Since the grain was cut by hand, some of the ripe ears would fall to the ground, and the poor people were permitted to gather these. Naomi and Ruth had to have something to make a living, so Ruth went to the fields to glean ears. God led her to the field of Boaz, a wealthy relative of Naomi. When he saw Ruth and heard of her love to Naomi, he was kind to her and said, “My daughter, go not to glean in another field, neither go’ from hence, but abide fast by my maidens: let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them … And when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink.” Ruth replied, “Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldst take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?” Boaz said, “It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust … At meal time come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar.” And she sat beside the reapers; and Boaz reached her parched corn, and she ate and was sufficed. And when she had risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: and let fall also some of the handfuls on purpose for her, and leave them that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.” In the evening Ruth could take an ephah (about 1½ bushel) of barley to her mother in law. When Naomi heard that Ruth had been gleaning in Boaz’ field she said, “Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead … The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.” So Ruth gleaned in the field of Boaz.

At the end of the harvest the winnowing of the grain took place. This was a festival occasion. Naomi suggested to Ruth at this time to go and remind Boaz of the relationship and of a tract of land owned by Elimelech. At his death this would fall to his nearest relative and he had to take care of the widow of the deceased. Ruth reminded Boaz of the tract which—so it seems—was somewhat indebted. Boaz replied, It is true that I am a near kinsman; yet there is one nearer than I. After this man declined to take the land, Boaz continued his kindness. He took over the parcel of land, paid the debt and agreed to take care of the widow. He became the devoted husband of Ruth. The Lord gave Boaz and Ruth a son whose name was called Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse, who was the father of king David, of whom Jesus descended.