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¹ Then Naomis husband had a kinsman, one of great power of the familie of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.² And Ruth ye Moabitesse said vnto Naomi, I pray thee, Let mee goe to the fielde, and gather eares of corne after him, in whose sight I finde fauour. And she said vnto her, Goe my daughter.³ And she went, and came and gleaned in the fielde after the reapers, and it came to passe, that she met with the portion of the fielde of Boaz, who was of the familie of Elimelech.

⁴ And behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and saide vnto the reapers, The Lord be with you: and they answered him, The Lord blesse thee.⁵ Then saide Boaz vnto his seruant that was appointed ouer the reapers, Whose maide is this?⁶ And the seruant that was appointed ouer the reapers, answered, and said, It is the Moabitish maide, that came with Naomi out of the countrey of Moab:⁷ And shee saide vnto vs, I pray you, let mee gleane and gather after the reapers among the sheaues: so shee came, and hath continued from that time in the morning vnto now, saue that she taried a litle in the house.⁸ Then said Boaz vnto Ruth, Hearest thou, my daughter? goe to none other fielde to gather, neither goe from hence: but abide here by my maydens.⁹ Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reape, and goe thou after the maidens. Haue I not charged the seruants, that they touche thee not? Moreouer whe thou art a thirst, go vnto ye vessels, and drinke of that which ye seruants haue drawen.¹⁰ Then shee fell on her face, and bowed her selfe to the ground, and said vnto him, How haue I found fauour in thine eyes, that thou shouldest know me, seeing I am a stranger?¹¹ And Boaz answered, & said vnto her, All is told and shewed me that thou hast done vnto thy mother in lawe, since the death of thine husband, and how thou hast left thy father & thy mother, and ye land where thou wast borne, & art come vnto a people which thou knewest not in time past.¹² The Lord recompense thy worke, and a ful reward be giuen thee of the Lord God of Israel, vnder whose wings thou art come to trust.¹³ Then she saide, Let me finde fauour in thy sight, my lord: for thou hast comforted mee, and spoken comfortably vnto thy mayde, though I be not like to one of thy maydes.¹⁴ And Boaz said vnto her, At the meale time come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dippe thy morsell in the vineger. And she sate beside the reapers, and hee reached her parched corne: and shee did eate, and was sufficed, and left thereof.¹⁵ And when she arose to gleane, Boaz commanded his seruants, saying, Let her gather among the sheaues, and doe not rebuke her.¹⁶ Also let fall some of the sheaues for her, and let it lie, yt she may gather it vp, & rebuke her not.

¹⁷ So she gleaned in the fielde vntill euening, and she thresshed that shee had gathered, and it was about an Ephah of barly.¹⁸ And she tooke it vp, & went into the citie, & her mother in law saw what she had gathered: Also she tooke foorth, and gaue to her that which she had reserued, when she was sufficed.¹⁹ Then her mother in lawe saide vnto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he, that knewe thee. And she shewed her mother in lawe, with whome she had wrought, and saide, The mans name, with whom I wrought to day, is Boaz.²⁰ And Naomi said vnto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lorde: for he ceaseth not to doe good to the liuing and to the dead. Againe Naomi saide vnto her, The man is neere vnto vs, and of our affinitie.²¹ And Ruth the Moabitesse said, He said also certainely vnto mee, Thou shalt be with my seruants, vntill they haue ended all mine haruest.²² And Naomi answered vnto Ruth her daughter in lawe, It is best, my daughter, that thou goe out with his maides, that they meete thee not in an other fielde.²³ Then she kept her by the maides of Boaz, to gather vnto the end of barly haruest, and of wheate haruest, and dwelt with her mother in lawe.