1 There|strong="H3045" was|strong="H8034" a|strong="H0376" rich man|strong="H0376" named|strong="H8034" Boaz|strong="H1162" living|strong="H0376" in|strong="H0376" Bethlehem. Boaz|strong="H1162" was|strong="H8034" one|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0376" Naomi’s|strong="H5281" close relatives|strong="H4940" from|strong="H0376" Elimelech’s family|strong="H4940".
2 One|strong="H0834" day Ruth|strong="H7327", the|strong="H0559" Moabite|strong="H4125", said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0413" Naomi|strong="H5281", “I|strong="H0834" think|strong="H5869" I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" go|strong="H4994" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0559" fields|strong="H7704". Maybe I|strong="H0834" can|strong="H0834" find|strong="H4672" someone who|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" be|strong="H4994" kind to|strong="H0413" me|strong="H0413" and|strong="H5869" let|strong="H4994" me|strong="H0413" gather|strong="H3950" the|strong="H0559" grain|strong="H7641" they|strong="H0834" leave in|strong="H0413" their|strong="H0310" field|strong="H7704".”
3 So|strong="H0834" Ruth went|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0834" fields|strong="H7704". She|strong="H0834" followed|strong="H0310" the|strong="H0834" workers who|strong="H0834" were|strong="H0834" cutting the|strong="H0834" grain and|strong="H0935" gathered|strong="H3950" the|strong="H0834" grain that|strong="H0834" was|strong="H0834" left|strong="H0935". It|strong="H0310" happened|strong="H7136" that|strong="H0834" part of|strong="H7704" the|strong="H0834" field|strong="H7704" belonged to|strong="H0935" Boaz|strong="H1162", the|strong="H0834" man from|strong="H0935" Elimelech’s family|strong="H4940".
4 Later, Boaz|strong="H1162" came|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0559" field from|strong="H0935" Bethlehem|strong="H1035" and|strong="H0935" greeted|strong="H1288" his|strong="H3068" workers. He|strong="H3068" said|strong="H0559", “The|strong="H0559" LORD|strong="H3068" be|strong="H1288" with|strong="H5973" you|strong="H5973"!”
5 Then|strong="H0559" Boaz|strong="H1162" spoke|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" his|strong="H5921" servant|strong="H5288" who|strong="H4310" was|strong="H5288" in|strong="H5921" charge|strong="H5921" of|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0559" workers. He|strong="H5921" asked|strong="H0559", “Whose|strong="H4310" girl|strong="H5291" is|strong="H4310" that|strong="H0559"?”
6 The|strong="H0559" servant|strong="H5288" answered|strong="H0559", “She|strong="H1931" is|strong="H1931" the|strong="H0559" Moabite|strong="H4125" woman|strong="H5291" who|strong="H1931" came|strong="H7725" with|strong="H5973" Naomi|strong="H5281" from|strong="H7725" the|strong="H0559" country|strong="H7704" of|strong="H5921" Moab|strong="H4124".
7 She|strong="H0310" came|strong="H0935" early|strong="H1242" this|strong="H2088" morning|strong="H1242" and|strong="H0935" asked|strong="H0559" me|strong="H4994" if|strong="H0227" she|strong="H0310" could|strong="H2088" follow|strong="H0310" the|strong="H0559" workers and|strong="H0935" gather|strong="H0622" the|strong="H0559" grain that|strong="H2088" was|strong="H1004" left|strong="H0935" on|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0559" ground. She|strong="H0310" rested only|strong="H5704" a|strong="H0935" short time|strong="H6258" in|strong="H3427" that|strong="H2088" shelter|strong="H1004".”
8 Then|strong="H2088" Boaz|strong="H1162" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0413" Ruth|strong="H7327", “Listen|strong="H8085", child. Stay|strong="H1692" here|strong="H2088" in|strong="H0413" my|strong="H8085" field|strong="H7704" to|strong="H0413" gather|strong="H3950" grain for|strong="H0413" yourself|strong="H0413". There|strong="H2088" is|strong="H2088" no|strong="H3808" need for|strong="H0413" you|strong="H5973" to|strong="H0413" go|strong="H5674" to|strong="H0413" any|strong="H1571" other|strong="H0312" field|strong="H7704". Continue|strong="H5674" following|strong="H0312" behind my|strong="H8085" women|strong="H1323" workers.
9 Watch|strong="H5869" to|strong="H0413" see|strong="H5869" which|strong="H0834" fields|strong="H7704" they|strong="H0834" go|strong="H1980" into|strong="H0413" to|strong="H0413" cut the|strong="H0853" grain and|strong="H1980" follow|strong="H0310" them|strong="H0413". I|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" warned the|strong="H0853" young|strong="H5288" men|strong="H5288" not|strong="H3808" to|strong="H0413" bother|strong="H5060" you|strong="H0834". When|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" are|strong="H0834" thirsty|strong="H6770", go|strong="H1980" and|strong="H1980" drink|strong="H8354" from|strong="H1980" the|strong="H0853" same|strong="H0853" water|strong="H7579" jug my|strong="H0834" men|strong="H5288" drink|strong="H8354" from|strong="H1980".”
10 Then|strong="H5307" Ruth|strong="H5234" bowed|strong="H7812" very low|strong="H0776" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0559" ground|strong="H0776". She|strong="H6440" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0413" Boaz, “I|strong="H0595" am|strong="H0595" a|strong="H4672" foreigner|strong="H5237", so|strong="H6440" I|strong="H0595" am|strong="H0595" surprised you|strong="H6440" even|strong="H0776" noticed|strong="H5869" me|strong="H0413".”
11 Boaz|strong="H1162" answered|strong="H0559" her|strong="H3605", “I|strong="H0834" know|strong="H3045" about|strong="H0413" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" help|strong="H6030" you|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" given to|strong="H0413" your|strong="H3605" mother-in-law|strong="H2545" Naomi. I|strong="H0834" know|strong="H3045" you|strong="H0834" helped her|strong="H3605" even|strong="H3808" after|strong="H0310" your|strong="H3605" husband|strong="H0376" died|strong="H4194". And|strong="H0776" I|strong="H0834" know|strong="H3045" that|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" left|strong="H5800" your|strong="H3605" father|strong="H0001" and|strong="H0776" mother|strong="H0517" and|strong="H0776" your|strong="H3605" own|strong="H0376" country|strong="H0776" and|strong="H0776" came|strong="H0413" here to|strong="H0413" this|strong="H0834" country|strong="H0776". You|strong="H0834" did|strong="H6213" not|strong="H3808" know|strong="H3045" anyone|strong="H3605" from|strong="H0376" this|strong="H0834" country|strong="H0776", but|strong="H3808" you|strong="H0834" came|strong="H0413" here with|strong="H0854" Naomi.
12 The|strong="H0834" LORD|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" reward|strong="H7999" you|strong="H0834" for|strong="H8478" all the|strong="H0834" good things|strong="H5973" you|strong="H0834" have|strong="H1961" done|strong="H1961". The|strong="H0834" LORD|strong="H3068", the|strong="H0834" God|strong="H0430" of|strong="H0430" Israel|strong="H3478", will|strong="H3068" pay|strong="H7999" you|strong="H0834" in|strong="H0935" full|strong="H8003". You|strong="H0834" have|strong="H1961" come|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" him|strong="H0935" for|strong="H8478" safety, and|strong="H0935" he|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" protect you|strong="H0834".”
13 Then|strong="H1961" Ruth said|strong="H0559", “I|strong="H0595" hope I|strong="H0595" can|strong="H5869" continue|strong="H1961" to|strong="H0559" please|strong="H0595" you|strong="H3588", sir|strong="H0113". You|strong="H3588" are|strong="H5869" very kind. I|strong="H0595" am|strong="H0595" only|strong="H0259" a|strong="H1961" servant|strong="H8198" and|strong="H5869" not|strong="H3808" even|strong="H3588" one|strong="H0259" of|strong="H5869" your|strong="H5921" own|strong="H1961" servants|strong="H8198". But|strong="H3588" you|strong="H3588" have|strong="H1961" said|strong="H0559" kind words to|strong="H0559" me|strong="H5921" and|strong="H5869" comforted|strong="H5162" me|strong="H5921".”
14 At|strong="H3427" mealtime, Boaz|strong="H1162" told|strong="H0559" Ruth, “Come|strong="H5066" and|strong="H0398" eat|strong="H0398" some|strong="H4480" of|strong="H3427" our|strong="H4480" bread|strong="H3899". Here|strong="H1988", dip|strong="H2881" your|strong="H0398" bread|strong="H3899" in|strong="H3427" our|strong="H4480" vinegar|strong="H2558".”
15 Then|strong="H6965" Ruth got|strong="H6965" up|strong="H6965" and|strong="H6965" went|strong="H6965" back to|strong="H0559" work.
16 And|strong="H1571" make her|strong="H1571" work easier by|strong="H1571" dropping some|strong="H4480" full heads of|strong="H4480" grain for|strong="H3808" her|strong="H1571". Let|strong="H3808" her|strong="H1571" gather|strong="H3950" that|strong="H4480" grain. Don’t|strong="H3808" tell her|strong="H1571" to|strong="H4480" stop|strong="H3808".”
17 Ruth worked|strong="H5704" in|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" fields|strong="H7704" until|strong="H5704" evening|strong="H6153". Then|strong="H1961" she|strong="H0834" separated the|strong="H0853" grain from|strong="H5704" the|strong="H0853" chaff. There|strong="H1961" was|strong="H1961" about|strong="H1961" one-half bushel|strong="H0374" of|strong="H7704" barley|strong="H8184".
18 Ruth carried|strong="H5375" the|strong="H0853" grain into|strong="H0935" town|strong="H5892" to|strong="H0935" show|strong="H7200" her|strong="H5414" mother-in-law|strong="H2545" what|strong="H0834" she|strong="H0834" had|strong="H0834" gathered|strong="H3950". She|strong="H0834" also|strong="H0853" gave|strong="H5414" her|strong="H5414" the|strong="H0853" food that|strong="H0834" was|strong="H0834" left|strong="H3498" from|strong="H0935" lunch.
19 Her|strong="H5046" mother-in-law|strong="H2545" asked|strong="H0559" her|strong="H5046", “Where|strong="H0834" did|strong="H6213" you|strong="H0834" gather|strong="H3950" all|strong="H3117" this|strong="H0834" grain? Where|strong="H0834" did|strong="H6213" you|strong="H0834" work? Bless|strong="H1288" the|strong="H0853" man|strong="H0376" who|strong="H0834" noticed|strong="H5234" you|strong="H0834".”
20 Naomi|strong="H5281" told|strong="H0559" her|strong="H0559" daughter-in-law|strong="H3618", “The|strong="H0559" LORD|strong="H3068" bless|strong="H1288" him|strong="H0854"! He|strong="H0834" has|strong="H3068" continued|strong="H0559" showing his|strong="H3068" kindness|strong="H2617" to|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0559" living|strong="H2416" as|strong="H0834" well|strong="H0834" as|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0559" dead|strong="H4191".” Then|strong="H0559" Naomi|strong="H5281" told|strong="H0559" her|strong="H0559" daughter-in-law|strong="H3618", “Boaz is|strong="H0834" one|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0376" our|strong="H3068" relatives|strong="H1350". He|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" one|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0376" our|strong="H3068" protectors.”
21 Then|strong="H0853" Ruth|strong="H7327" said|strong="H0559", “Boaz also|strong="H1571" told|strong="H0559" me|strong="H0413" to|strong="H0413" come|strong="H3615" back|strong="H0413" and|strong="H5288" continue working. He|strong="H0834" said|strong="H0559" that|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0834" should|strong="H0518" work closely|strong="H1692" with|strong="H5973" his|strong="H3605" servants|strong="H5288" until|strong="H5704" the|strong="H3605" harvest|strong="H7105" is|strong="H0834" finished|strong="H3615".”
22 Then|strong="H3318" Naomi|strong="H5281" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0413" her|strong="H0413" daughter-in-law|strong="H3618" Ruth|strong="H7327", “It|strong="H3588" is|strong="H2896" good|strong="H2896" for|strong="H3588" you|strong="H3588" to|strong="H0413" continue working with|strong="H5973" his|strong="H3588" women|strong="H1323" servants. If|strong="H3588" you|strong="H3588" work in|strong="H0413" another|strong="H0312" field|strong="H7704", some man might|strong="H1323" hurt you|strong="H3588".”
23 So|strong="H3427" Ruth continued working closely|strong="H1692" with|strong="H0854" the|strong="H5704" women|strong="H5291" servants of|strong="H3427" Boaz|strong="H1162". She|strong="H5704" gathered|strong="H3950" grain|strong="H2406" until|strong="H5704" the|strong="H5704" barley|strong="H8184" harvest|strong="H7105" was|strong="H5291" finished|strong="H3615". She|strong="H5704" also worked|strong="H5704" there|strong="H3427" through the|strong="H5704" end|strong="H3615" of|strong="H3427" the|strong="H5704" wheat|strong="H2406" harvest|strong="H7105". Ruth continued living|strong="H3427" with|strong="H0854" her|strong="H5704" mother-in-law|strong="H2545" Naomi.