There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.”And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
(Ruth 2:1-3, NKJV)
A new character enters our story. Boaz is described as a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, and he plays a key role in Ruth and Naomi’s story.
Not having any idea of what the future would bring for her, Ruth decided to “glean heads of grain” in nearby fields. It was an accepted practice for the poor to follow the reapers and gather up what was left behind.
When I read these verses, it seems clear to me that Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem to nothing. As I wrote in previous blogs, women in that time were dependent on relatives. Husbands, sons, nephews. That Ruth needed to glean the fields is a strong indication she and Naomi were destitute. Perhaps a friend gave them a corner of a room for shelter, but they had to get their own food.
And so Ruth went to the fields … and just “happened” on a field belonging to Boaz.
As Sherlock Holmes would say, “Something’s afoot.”
Stay tuned as the intrigue continues …
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