Study Desk

Go back, my daughters; go your way; for I'm too old to have a husband. Even if I were to say, ‘I still have hope'; even if I had a husband tonight and bore sons;

would you wait for them until they grew up? Would you refuse to marry, just for them? No, my daughters. On your behalf I feel very bitter that the hand of Adonai has gone out against me."

But Rut said, "Don't press me to leave you and stop following you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God.

She said, ‘Please, let me glean and gather what falls from the sheaves behind the reapers.' So she went and has kept at it from morning until now, except for a little rest in the shelter."

Bo‘az answered her, "I've heard the whole story, everything you've done for your mother-in-law since your husband died, including how you left your father and mother and the land you were born in to come to a people about whom you knew nothing beforehand.

May Adonai reward you for what you've done; may you be rewarded in full by Adonai the God of Isra'el, under whose wings you have come for refuge."

In fact, pull some ears of grain out from the sheaves on purpose. Leave them for her to glean, and don't rebuke her."

Na‘omi said to Rut her daughter-in-law, "It's good, my daughter, for you to keep going out with his girls; so that you won't encounter hostility in some other field."

Na‘omi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, I should be seeking security for you; so that things will go well with you.

And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you everything you say, for all the city leaders among my people know that you are a woman of good character.

When she came to her mother-in-law, she asked, "Who are you? My daughter?" She told her everything the man had done for her.

Na‘omi said, "My daughter, just stay where you are, until you learn how the matter comes out; for the man won't rest unless he resolves the matter today."

Then he said to the redeeming kinsman, "The parcel of land which used to belong to our relative Elimelekh is being offered for sale by Na‘omi, who has returned from the plain of Mo'av.

Then Bo‘az said, "The same day you buy the field from Na‘omi, you must also buy Rut the woman from Mo'av, the wife of the deceased [son], in order to raise up in the name of the deceased an heir for his property."

The redeemer said, "Then I can't redeem it for myself, because I might put my own inheritance at risk. You, take my right of redemption on yourself; because I can't redeem it."

So the redeemer said to Bo‘az, "Buy it for yourself," and took off his shoe.

Also I am acquiring as my wife Rut the woman from Mo'av, the wife of Machlon, in order to raise up in the name of the deceased an heir for his property; so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his kinsmen and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses today."

May he restore your life and provide for your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him."

Then she took a vow; she said, " Adonai -Tzva'ot, if you will notice how humiliated your servant is, if you will remember me and not forget your servant but will give your servant a male child, then I will give him to Adonai for as long as he lives; and no razor will ever come on his head."

She prayed for a long time before Adonai ; and as she did so, ‘Eli was watching her mouth.