On their return from Moab, the two women had to eke out an existence without husbands to work their land. A law in Israel’s constitution, God’s covenant with His people, made provision for people in their situation.
“ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.”
Leviticus 19:9-10 NIV
Naomi taught Ruth this law and sent her out to gleam for grain during the harvest. Ruth decided to do as Naomi had taught her since they had no harvest of their own.
“And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.” Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.””
Ruth 2:2 NIV
The story now begins to move from circumstance to a divine plan. Was the Lord orchestrating something before the Elimelek family went Moab? Even the weather and its consequences are under His control.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.”
Isaiah 55:8 NIV
So, where did Ruth glean?
“Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz…
So she (Ruth) went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.”
Ruth 2:1, 3 NIV
When Boaz learned of the gleaning and that Ruth,his relative’s daughter-in-law, he ordered his servants to be extra kind to her…
“So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.” …As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.”
Ruth 2:8-9, 15-16 NIV
So, Ruth took home much more grain than a normal day’s gleaning would yield. When Naomi learned that Ruth had gleaned in Boaz’ fields, she pricked up her ears, connected the dots, and wisely fell in with God’s plan.
““The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.””
Ruth 2:20 NIV
“Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.” So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.”
Ruth 2:22-23 NIV
To be continued…