2. When Ruth was come with her mother-in-law to Bethlehem, Booz, who was
near of kin to Elimelech, entertained her; and when Naomi was so called
by her fellow citizens, according to her true name, she said, "You might
more truly call me Mara." Now Naomi signifies in the Hebrew tongue
happiness, and Mara, sorrow. It was now reaping time; and Ruth, by the
leave of her mother-in-law, went out to glean, that they might get a
stock of corn for their food. Now it happened that she came into Booz's
field; and after some time Booz came thither, and when he saw the
damsel, he inquired of his servant that was set over the reapers
concerning the girl. The servant had a little before inquired about all
her circumstances, and told them to his master, who kindly embraced her,
both on account of her affection to her mother-in-law, and her
remembrance of that son of hers to whom she had been married, and wished
that she might experience a prosperous condition; so he desired her not
to glean, but to reap what she was able, and gave her leave to carry it
home. He also gave it in charge to that servant who was over the
reapers, not to hinder her when she took it away, and bade him give her
her dinner, and make her drink when he did the like to the reapers. Now
what corn Ruth received of him she kept for her mother-in-law, and came
to her in the evening, and brought the ears of corn with her; and Naomi
had kept for her a part of such food as her neighbors had plentifully
bestowed upon her. Ruth also told her mother-in-law what Booz had said
to her; and when the other had informed her that he was near of kin to
them, and perhaps was so pious a man as to make some provision for them,
she went out again on the days following, to gather the gleanings with
Booz's maidservants.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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