SERIES H --- THE JUDGES --- LESSON 25

RUTH SERVES

THE GLEANER

From Ruth 2

Let me go into a barley field and glean behind the reapers who are working for some kind man, Ruth said to Naomi one day. You may go, Naomi replied. Ruth went to glean and it happened that the field she chose belonged to Boaz, a wealthy relative of Elimelech, Naomi’s husband. While Ruth was gleaning, Boaz came out from Bethlehem to visit his field. Adonai be with you! Boaz said, greeting his reapers. Adonai bless you! the reapers replied as they greeted Boaz. Then Boaz spoke to the man in charge of the reapers. Who is that girl? She is the Moabite girl who came back with Naomi, the man replied. She asked me whether she could gather the grain which the reapers missed. She has been working here since early morning except for a short rest in the shade of the booth. Boaz went over to talk to Ruth. Listen to me, young lady, he said. Be sure to stay in this field and work close behind the women who are reaping. I have told the young men not to bother you. When you are thirsty, take some water which my workers have brought. Ruth bowed down before Boaz as she spoke to him. Why are you so kind to me? She asked. You must realize that I am just a foreigner. I have been told how much you have done for Naomi since your husband died, Boaz answered. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your homeland to come here to a strange land and strange people. May Adonai YHVH of Israel, under whose wings you have come to find refuge, reward you for what you have done. You are so kind to me, Ruth said to Boaz. Your words and the kindness you show, though I am not even one of your servants, bring me great comfort. When it was time for the noon meal, Boaz invited Ruth to eat with him and his workers. Come, he said. Take some bread and dip it into the wine. Ruth sat down with Boaz and his reapers and he gave her all the roasted grain she could eat; she even had some left over. When Ruth went back to work, Boaz gave orders to his young men. Let her pick up the barley as far as the sheaves, he said. Don’t stop her. Occasionally pull a few stalks of barley out of the bundles and leave them for her. All day Ruth worked in the field. When she beat the grains from the stalks that evening, she had about a bushel, Naomi was surprised when Ruth came home with that much grain as well as with the roasted grain left over from lunch. Where did you get all of this? Naomi asked. Where did you work today? Thank YHVH for whoever has been so kind to you! Naomi was even more surprised when Ruth told her about the kind man and all that he had done that day. His name is Boaz, Ruth said. Thanks be to Adonai for him! said Naomi. Adonai is kind to us as He was to our men who died. Boaz is one of our closest relatives. He told me to stay close to his reapers until they have finished harvesting, said Ruth. That is good advice, said Naomi. You should stay with them for you might not be treated so well in another field. Ruth kept working with the reapers in the field of Boaz until the end of the barley harvest. Later she worked through the wheat harvest also, continuing to live with her mother-in-law Naomi during this time.

COMMENTARY

THE STORY OF RUTH

Ruth worked faithfully to help her mother-in-law, Naomi. Her good reputation drew the attention of a godly Israelite named Boaz. Their meeting was the beginning of a great biblical love story. As widows in ancient Israel, Naomi and Ruth could expect a very difficult life. Most women of that time were not trained in any kind of craft and knew only the skills necessary to run a household, they had no way to earn money. Unless they had male relatives willing to help, they lived the rest of their lives in poverty. Because of this, the Law classed widows with those dependent on public charity. At the harvest, farmers let the poor reap in their grain fields, collecting any stray stalks the workers missed. Called gleaning, this custom was all that kept many of the poor from starving. Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem in early spring, just in time for barley harvest. By chance Ruth went to glean in the field of a wealthy relative, Boaz. When he learned of Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi, he was far more generous than custom demanded. Boaz allowed her to glean next to his harvesters, told them to deliberately leave grain for her, and allowed her to share their food and water. Learning of this, Naomi knew that Boaz would also honour the customs regarding the marriage of a widow. The Law ruled that if a man died and left his wife without male children, his nearest relative should marry her. She would have sons to inherit the first husband’s property and to care for her in her old age. This relative was called a protector or redeemer. He was often a widow’s only hope of escaping the hardships of living alone.