Among the relatives of Naomi’s husband Elimelech, there was a man named Boaz, who was a wealthy man.

Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Let me go into the field, and pick up the ears of wheat behind whoever I find favor in.”. Naomi said, Daughter, just go.

So Ruth went to the field and picked up the ears of wheat behind the harvesters. She happened to be in the field of Boaz, a member of the Elimelech tribe.

Boaz was coming from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, May the Lord be with you. They answered, ‘May the Lord bless you.’.

Boaz asked the servant who was in charge of the harvest, “Whose daughter is that?”.

The servant who was in charge of the harvest answered, “It was the Moabite woman who followed Naomi back from the land of Moab.”.

She said, “Please allow me to follow the harvesters and pick up the leftover wheat ears from the bundling.” She has been here from morning until now, except for sitting in the house for a while.

Boaz said to Ruth, “Daughter, listen to me and do not go into anyone else’s field to pick wheat, nor do you leave here. Stay with my maids always.”.

My servants are harvesting in that field, so follow them. I have instructed my servants not to bully you. If you are thirsty, you can go to the vessel and drink the water brought by your servant.

Ruth fell to the ground and knelt down, saying to him, “As a foreigner, how can I receive your favor and show such mercy to me?”?

Boaz replied, “Since your husband’s death, everyone has told me everything you have done to your mother-in-law, and that you have left your parents and your land to a people you do not know before.”.

May the Lord reward you according to your deeds. Take refuge under the wings of the Lord God of Israel, and may you be filled with his reward.

Ruth said, My lord, may I find grace in your sight. Although I am not as good as one of your maids, you still comfort my heart with kind words.

When it was time to eat, Boaz said to Ruth, “Come here and eat the bread, dip it in vinegar.”. Ruth sat down next to the harvesters, and they handed her the roasted tassels. She has eaten enough, and there is still leftover.

She got up and picked up the ears of wheat. Boaz commanded his servants, saying, Even if she picked up the ears of wheat in a bundle, let her be, and do not humiliate her.

And take some out of the bundle and leave it underground for her to pick up, do not scold or scare her.

So Ruth picked up wheat ears in the field until evening and threshed them, which was about one ephah of barley.

She took what she had picked up into the city and showed it to her mother-in-law, and also gave the leftover food to her mother-in-law.

My mother-in-law asked her, “Where are you picking up wheat ears today and where are you working?”? May those who care for you be blessed. Ruth told her mother-in-law that I was working with a man named Boaz today.

Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, May that person be blessed by the Lord, for he constantly shows kindness to the living and the dead. Naomi said, “That is a member of our own tribe, a close relative.”.

Ruth the Moabitess said to me, ‘Follow my servants closely and gather the ears of wheat until they finish harvesting my harvest.’.

Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “Daughter, it is better for you to go out with his maids and not let anyone find you in someone else’s field.”.

So Ruth and Boaz’s maids continued to gather ears of wheat together until they had finished harvesting barley and wheat. Ruth still lives with her mother-in-law.