aid to Naomi, "Let {40} me now go to the field, and glean among the
ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor."

And she said to her, "Go, my daughter."

And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and
she chanced to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who
was of the family of Elimelech.

And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said to the reapers, "The
Lord be with you."

And they answered him, "The Lord bless thee."

Then said Boaz to his servant that was set over the reapers, "What
young woman is this?"

And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, "It
is the Moabitish maiden that came back with Naomi out of the country
of Moab: and she said, 'Let me glean, I pray you, and gather after the
reapers among the sheaves': so she came, and hath continued even from
the morning until now, save that she tarried a little in the house."

Then said Boaz to Ruth, "Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to
glean in another field, neither pass from hence, but abide here fast
by my maidens. Let thine eyes be on the field that they reap, and go
thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not
touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go to the vessels, and drink of
that which the young men have drawn."

Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said
to him, "Why have I found favor in thy sight that thou shouldest take
knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?"

{41}

And Boaz answered and said to her, "It hath fully been showed me, all
that thou hast done to 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 to a people which thou knewest not
heretofore. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given
thee of the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come
to take refuge."

Then she said, "Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord; because thou
hast comforted me, and because thou hast spoken kindly unto thine
handmaid, though I am a stranger."

And at mealtime Boaz said unto her, "Come hither, and eat of the
bread, and dip thy morsel in the cup."

And she sat beside the reapers: and they passed her parched grain, and
she ate and was satisfied.

And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men,
saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not.
And also pull