Ruth 2: In Him is Strength

Jesus culture is the unity of authentic Tanakh centric Judaism and the G-d culture that birthed it.

An examination of Ruth 2

P’shat Translation Hebrew:

Now Naomi (Fullness) had a relative who was of her husband’s family, a mighty (gibbor) man of valour (chayil) and wealth, of the family of Elimelech (My G-d is king), whose name was Boaz (In Him is strength).

P’shat Translation Aramaic (Chaldee):

Now Naomi (Fullness) had a relative who was of her husband’s family, a man mighty (gibbor) in the Instruction (Torah), of the family of Elimelech (My G-d is king), whose name was Boaz (In Him is strength).

Remez Translation Combining the Hebrew and Aramaic texts:

Now Fullness had a relative who was of her husband’s family, a man mighty in the Torah, a man of valour and wealth, of the family of My G-d is king, whose name was In Him is strength. 

Commentary:

The Aramaic/Chaldee text further illuminates the person of Boaz, showing him to be unique, a man of strength and valour like the warriors of David and a man of the Torah like the prophets of Israel. This full interpretation of the Word of G-d reveals a Sod (mystery) concerning the Messiah. Boaz is a type, a foreshadowing of the Messiah Yeshua, Who is Himself prophesied to be both a prophet and a warrior, a suffering Torah teacher and an avenging warrior king.

Boaz was the grandson of Nahshon (Subdues snakes {a snake charmer}, from the Hebrew root nahash), who was a leader of the tribe of Judah (Praise) while Israel was in the wilderness, and a son of Salmon, who is most likely the younger son of Rahab, the prostitute of Jericho: one of only five women including Ruth who are mentioned in the genealogy of Messiah Yeshua.

The meaning is further clarified by this, in that the Messiah will lead Israel (Naomi) out of her desert wandering and give her the opportunity to come into the land (Olam Habba/World to come). Messiah will subdue the snake Satan and make covering for the elimination of sin. In addition, Messiah (Boaz) will offer redemption to the nations (Ruth) who seek out His grace (chayn). Ruth 2:2

At this point Boaz is known only as a relative, the Hebrew go’el (redeemer) is not yet used with the Hebrew moda (relative, kinsman).

Israel has a relative Who is part of her Husband, G-d, He is mighty and righteous, the living Torah, and in Him is strength; His name is Yeshua (Jesus).

The phrase, “mighty man of valour” pre-empts the words used to describe David’s warriors, “the mighty men of valour” (2 Samuel 23:8). This is an indication of strength, bravery and moral honour. We use the same Hebrew word, “chayil” to honour our women every Erev Shabbat in the prayer, “Asheyt chayil”.

“A woman of valour, who can find? Her price is high above rubies, the heart and centre of her Husband’s being safely trusts in her.” –Mishlei 31:10-31

P’shat Translation:

2 And Ruth (friend) the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find grace (chayn).” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

Remez Translation:

And Friend the daughter of Incest said to Fullness, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find grace (chayn).” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

Commentary:

Ruth’s offer to glean on behalf of her mother-in-law was an act of great humility that sought to shield Naomi from shame. Gleaning the remnants of the field was the work of the poor. Rather than expect her mother-in-law to provide for her, Ruth was willing to do whatever she must to provide for her mother-in-law. Naomi clearly considers Ruth to be part of Israel, calling her daughter. Notice that although Naomi had a wealthy relative in Boaz, she did not make herself a burden to him, nor did she instruct Ruth to seek out his fields. This is yet another indication of Naomi’s righteous faithfulness and honourable character.

Ruth was seeking grace from a prominent man in Israel who would validate her acceptance into the community of Israel. While Naomi was an honoured and accepted woman in Israel, the official acceptance of Ruth by a male leader of the community would seal her position as a Jewish proselyte. This is not a representation of patriarchal manipulation, rather it is part of the tapestry of order that G-d has woven into Israel’s culture and consciousness.

Many Christians mistakenly think of Jesus culture as being outside of earthly culture, a type of universal culture (a grave error), in fact Jesus, the fully Jewish man and fully G-d Messiah unites all that is right with the Jewish culture to all that birthed it from before the creation of the world. Therefore Jesus culture is the unity of authentic Tanakh centric Judaism and the G-d culture that birthed it.

When I see the reality present in Scripture, the reality of returning (tishuvah) as presented in the Gospel of Messiah. I come to understand that I was born a convert but I am reborn as myself: the self that Messiah purchased for me in His blood before the foundation of the world.

Ruth was seeking grace from a redeemer in Israel and bread from the house of bread. The Redeemer is the Messiah Yeshua and the bread is Messiah’s life, a life that sustains the Jew and the proselyte alike.

P’shat Translation:

3 So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 

Remez Translation:

So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to In Him is strength, who was of the family of My G-d is king. 

Commentary:

As followers of Messiah Yeshua we are never in luck or by chance or the recipients of good fortune: these are all idolatrous concepts set in delusion. On the contrary, we are provided for. When the text says that Ruth happened upon the field of Boaz it means that G-d’s providence was in play. There is no such thing as chance. G-d is in control.

It is G-d (My G-d is King) Who leads us to the place of salvation (the field of Boaz) and the Messiah (Boaz) our go’el (redeemer) Who finds us there. Our repentant humble gleaning He will not despise.

P’shat Translation:

4 Now, Boaz came from Bethlehem (the house of bread) and said to the reapers, “May HaShem (YHVH) be with you.” And they said to him, “May HaShem bless you.”

Remez Translation:

Now, In Him is strength came from the house of bread and said to the reapers, “May the Merciful One be with you.” And they said to him, “May the Merciful One bless you.” 

Commentary:

In fact, one could paraphrase, “The Merciful one is with you” His name is Yeshua. And we reply, “We see that the Merciful One (HaShem) is with You Yeshua.”

The reapers are the servants of HaShem and the field is the sacred mountain of Jerusalem. Those from the nations (Ruth) who seek to glean there will be greeted by Peace Himself and by His servants.


There was no need for a wealthy man of high standing, who had other business interests to attend to, to come out to his fields during harvest. Boaz had a head servant who he trusted to oversee the harvest and need not have tired himself with attending the site of the reaping. This tells us a great deal more about the character of the man Boaz.

When I worked in our family’s brush making business as a young man I was always moved by the nature of my grandfather (The owner). He had every opportunity to sit in his office all day long, and in fact, he did paper work and made calls from his office late into the night. However, daily, from as early as 6am he could be seen out among the employees working the machines alongside men and women of lower standing than himself. My grandfather never discriminated between native New Zealanders and foreigners, He employed both, in fact the family business—aside from my blood relatives, uncles etc.—was a melting pot of cultures: Chinese, Indian, Maori, Fijian, European and more. Grandad didn’t consider himself to be above the responsibility of working with and caring for his employees. This type of nobility is seldom seen today, I only hope that I might someday emulate the character of Boaz.

Our Messiah Yeshua has always existed in the form of G-d, and yet He allowed Himself to become the servant of humanity.

“ Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 butg]" > emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” –Philippians 2:6-8

P’shat Translation:

5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 The servant in charge of the reapers replied, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab. 7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ Thus she came and has remained from the morning until now; she has been sitting in the house for a little while.”

Remez Translation:

Then In Him is strength said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 The servant in charge of the reapers replied, “She is the young woman of Incest who returned with Fullness from the land of Incest. 7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ Thus she came and has remained from the morning until now; she has been sitting in the house for a little while.”

Commentary:

Boaz, a righteous man, strong in the Torah, allowed the poor to glean freely in his fields.

“Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am HaShem (YHVH) your Elohim (G-d).” –Vayikra/Leviticus 19:9-10

Boaz was a relative of Ruth and already knew of her return, and yet he had held off until now in helping her. It’s clear from the following verses, that he had heard that Ruth had gone out on behalf of her mother-in-law, which means he has intentionally come looking for her. Perhaps Boaz was also attracted to Ruth’s beauty (Isn’t it true to say that the Messiah is attracted to the beauty of His bride the Ecclesia of believers)? In any case his additional concern for her was out of the ordinary in the case of the general poor, after all, she was a poor woman among others and Boaz had already met the obligation of the Torah regarding her.

The servants are also shown to be righteous, in that they allowed a Moabite enemy to glean among the Israelite poor.

Ruth has worked all day from early in the morning until mid-afternoon in hot conditions. This is why she is resting in the house. The Hebrew text literally says, “in the house little” which can also be read as, “in the little house”. If this is the intended meaning then Ruth is resting in a shelter rather than a residence.

However, if Ruth is resting in a residence, it may have been the home of the chief servant. This shows Ruth’s strong work ethic, a characteristic of the woman of noble character who is written about by Solomon in the Proverb (Mishlei/Proverbs 31:10-31).

P’shat Translation:

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids. 

Remez Translation:

Then In Him is strength said to Friend, “Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids.


Commentary:

Listen carefully. Selah (pause, contemplate, understand).

By calling Ruth, “daughter” Boaz affirms her status as a proselyte in Israel, by calling her, “My daughter” he shows that he considers her a member of his tribe. Yeshua does the same for us.

The phrase, “Don’t go to any other field” is a metaphor that asks Ruth not to leave Israel to dwell in another country. It also asks her not to leave the tribe of Boaz, the tribe of Judah.

Furthermore, because Ruth represents the nations and Boaz the Messiah, we are offered the opportunity to join Messiah Yeshua the Lion of Judah and become part of the commonwealth of Israel.

“Remember that you were at that time separate from Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without G-d in the world. 13 But now in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Messiah.” –Ephesians 2:12-13  

P’shat Translation:

9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have commanded the servants not to strike you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw.”

Remez Translation:

Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have commanded the servants not to strike you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw.

Commentary:

We are to keep our eyes on the Messiah and His Kingdom (the field of Boaz) and receive our sustenance from one another as servants of HaShem. Israel (ethnic) G-d’s servant, through Messiah, is drawing water for the nations.

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of G-d and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” –Mattitiyahu/Matthew 6:33

Boaz instructs the young men not to touch or strike Ruth. This command may seem strange. Some have suggested it is a warning against rape, however that is not the intended meaning. I read the instruction to refer to the possibility that at times the poor gleaners will overstep their rightful gleaning area and essentially steal from the harvesters. Boaz is making Ruth a member of the family who is welcome to glean where non-members are not entitled. Therefore, “Don’t strike her or rebuke her as if she were a stranger.”

P’shat Translation:

10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found favour in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”11 Boaz replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. 12 May HaShem (YHVH) reward your work, and your wages be full from HaShem, the G-d of Israel, under whose wings you have come to place your trust.” 

Remez Translation:

Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found favour in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”11 In Him is strength replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. 12 May the Merciful One reward your work, and your wages be full from the Merciful One, the Judge of those who overcome in G-d, under whose wings you have come to place your trust.” 

Commentary:

This is an intimate and powerful conversation that begins with a question of contrition on Ruth’s part and ends with the affirmation of her status as a Jewish proselyte. Boaz cites Ruth’s actions as proof of her faith in the G-d of Israel. The rabbis understand verse 12 to be an acknowledgement of Ruth’s conversion.

Boaz identifies HaShem as the goal of Ruth’s faith and the source of her protection. “Under Whose wings” is an indication of the motherly, feminine aspect of G-d’s character. See Tehilim/Psalms 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 63:7

“How precious is Your chesed (lovingkindness), O G-d! And the children of humanity take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. –Tehilim/Psalm 36:7

“How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings” –Mattitiyahu/Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34

P’shat Translation:

13 Then she said, “I have found grace (chayn) in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted (nacham) me and indeed have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.”

Remez Translation:

Then she said, “I have found favour in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted (nacham) me and indeed have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.”

Commentary:

Ruth knew she was a Moabite, a hated enemy of Israel, and although she had seen something of the righteousness of Israel in Naomi, she was still in awe of the response of Boaz to her desperate situation.

In humility Ruth went looking for grace and in chesed (loving kindness) grace found her. Ruth acknowledges Boaz as her comforter (nacham), a name used to describe the Messiah and the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit).

We have done the Gospel a great disservice by presenting Yeshua (Jesus) as some sort of tribe-less universal Messiah figure. Perhaps we meant well, however, the universal message that has resulted has also allowed followers of Christ to live as haters of Israel (ethnic). The very idea is anti-Christ, the Church should be ashamed. No one who hates Israel (ethnic) can claim to have met the living Messiah Yeshua, Who is a Jew, of the tribe of Judah and from the town of Bethlehem. Ruth shows us that only those who place there trust in the G-d of Israel and His redeemer can be saved.

P’shat Translation:

14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here, that you may eat of the bread and dip your piece of bread in the sour wine and oil.” So she sat beside the reapers; and he served her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied and had some left.

Remez Translation:

At mealtime In Him is strength said to her, “Come here, that you may eat of the bread and dip your piece of bread in the sour wine and oil.” So she sat beside the reapers; and he served her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied and had some left.

Commentary:

Boaz offers to feed Ruth from the abundance of his field, inviting her to dine with his servants, but not as a servant, on the contrary, he has called her, “My daughter”. It is Boaz himself who feeds her the roasted grain.

Messiah offers us bread and wine along with oil. He calls us, “My son, My daughter” and invites us to his table. It is Messiah Himself and not an intermediary that feeds us.

While many translations say, “vinegar” most Hebrew scholars agree that the term refers to a mixture of sour wine and oil. By reading the text this way we are afforded a wonderful allegory of the bread of Messiah’s body (unleavened) and the wine of His blood, mixed with the oil of His Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit).

We know the bread is unleavened because it was made from new grain that hasn’t been stored with yeast.

It is important to note that Ruth had food left over in addition to the grain she had gleaned. In Messiah our cup runs over, it’s Yeshua Who provides for our rest.

P’shat Translation:

15 When she rose to glean, Boaz commanded his servants, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not insult her. 16 Also you shall purposely pull out for her some grain from the bundles and leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

Remez Translation:

When she rose to glean, In Him is strength commanded his servants, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not insult her. 16 Also you shall purposely pull out for her some grain from the bundles and leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

Commentary:

This instruction of Boaz goes far beyond the requirement of the Torah, which only instructs Israel to leave gleaning room at the edges of the field. Boaz is being generous in a truly charitable way. Jewish charity, tzedakah (charitable action) and chesed (merciful, loving action), requires the giver to act respectfully toward the receiver.

G-dly charity results in not only providing for the recipients needs but also respecting their social standing and avoiding embarrassing them. For example, a man may be without work and unable to pay his bills: an act of Jewish charity would be to give the man a job and pay him a month in advance. This way he is seen to be a productive member of the community and maintains a level of social respect and a positive self-esteem.

Boaz does just that. He doesn’t make a big deal out of giving Ruth a huge pile of grain and sending her home—which would bring glory to himself and humiliate Ruth. To the contrary, He makes sure that she will reap a good harvest of grain by having his servants intentionally leave her more than just those sheaves that would fall naturally. By doing this Boaz allows Ruth to save face and be provided for at the same time. This is a man who honours women.

P’shat Translation:

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah (40 Litres) of barley. 18 She took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also took it out and gave Naomi what she had left after she was satisfied. 19 Her mother-in-law then said to her, “Where did you glean today and where did you work? May he who took notice of you be blessed.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.”


Remez Translation:

So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah (40 Litres) of barley. 18 She took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also took it out and gave Fullness what she had left after she was satisfied. 19 Her mother-in-law then said to her, “Where did you glean today and where did you work? May he who took notice of you be blessed.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is In Him is strength.” 

Commentary:

Due to the charitable actions of Boaz and his servants Ruth gleaned what amounts to three days weight in grain.

When people experience poverty and are then given great wealth the usual response is to hoard away the wealth. This is understandable. However, rather than hoard her grain, Ruth shares it willingly with Naomi.

Naomi clearly had no idea that Ruth had been gleaning in the fields of Boaz. Up until this point Boaz is known to the reader only as a relative (moda) of Naomi.

P’shat Translation:

20 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed of HaShem who has not withdrawn his kindness (chesed) to the living and to the dead.” Again Naomi said to her, “The man is close to us, he is one of our redeeming (go’el) relatives.” 21 Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “Furthermore, he said to me, ‘You should stay close to my servants until they have finished all my harvest.’”22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maids, so that others do not fall upon you in another field.”23 So she stayed close by the maids of Boaz in order to glean until the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Remez Translation:

Fullness said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed of the Merciful One who has not withdrawn his kindness (chesed) from the living or the dead.” Again Fullness said to her, “The man is close to us, he is one of our redeeming (go’el) relatives.” 21 Then Friend the daughter of Incest said, “Furthermore, he said to me, ‘You should stay close to my servants until they have finished all my harvest.’”22 Fullness said to Friend her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maids, so that others do not fall upon you in another field.”23 So she stayed close by the maids of In Him is strength in order to glean until the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Commentary:

The statement, “He has not withdrawn his kindness to the living or the dead” may indicate that Boaz had supported Naomi’s husband and sons in the past, or that he had somehow sent help to Ruth in Moab for their burials.

Boaz is now seen in his fullness. He was known as a relative, a fellow Jew, he is now known as a redeeming (go’el) relative (moda), a saviour.

The Hebrew text says, “The man is close to us”. I can’t help but be drawn to these words which remind me of a powerful section of the Torah:

“The word (D’var) is very close to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” –D’varim/Deuteronomy 30:14

The Redeemer Yeshua is close to all and ready to reconcile the repentant to the Father. He is a relative of the Jews (ethnic), The Redeemer of Israel (Naomi) and the nations (Ruth).

Israel (Naomi) was sent into exile for the purpose of reconciling the nations (Ruth) to G-d.

Ruth is now continuing to glean, however, though she was once a poor sojourner among the maidservants she is now one of Boaz’s maidservants, part of his household. Her gleaning continues throughout the counting of the omer until the end of both the barley and the wheat harvests. The following events take place during a period of time known as Shavuot, the feast of weeks.

When we glean in the fields of Messiah—harvesting the grain of His word—alongside other believers, we are often privileged to find grain we may have missed if not for their help. We are gleaning the words of G-d from the mouths of our brothers and sisters. After all, “The Word is very close to us; He’s in our mouths and hearts so that we (plural) might obey Him.”

Semi Allegorical translation:

Now Fullness had a relative of her husband, a man mighty in the Torah, and a wealthy man of valour of the family of My G-d is king, whose name was In Him is strength. 2 And Friend the daughter of Incest said to Fullness, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favour.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”3 So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to In Him is strength, who was of the family of My G-d is king. 4 Now, In Him is strength came from the house of bread and said to the reapers, “May the Merciful One be with you.” And they said to him, “May the Merciful One bless you.” 5 Then In Him is strength said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 The servant in charge of the reapers replied, “She is the young woman of Incest who returned with Fullness from the land of Incest. 7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ Thus she came and has remained from the morning until now; she has been sitting in the house for a little while.” 8 Then In Him is strength said to Friend, “Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids. 9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have commanded the servants not to strike you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw.” 10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found favour in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”11 In Him is strength replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. 12 May the Merciful One reward your work, and your wages be full from the Merciful One , the Judge of those who overcome in G-d, under whose wings you have come to place your trust.” 13 Then she said, “let me find favour in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted (nacham) me and indeed have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.” 14 At mealtime In Him is strength said to her, “Come here, that you may eat of the bread and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers; and he served her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied and had some left.15 When she rose to glean, In Him is strength commanded his servants, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not insult her. 16 Also you shall purposely pull out for her some grain from the bundles and leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.” 17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah (40 Litres) of barley. 18 She took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also took it out and gave Fullness what she had left after she was satisfied. 19 Her mother-in-law then said to her, “Where did you glean today and where did you work? May he who took notice of you be blessed.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is In Him is strength.” 20 Fullness said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed of the Merciful One who has not withdrawn his kindness (chesed) from the living or the dead.” Again Fullness said to her, “The man is close to us, he is one of our redeeming (go’el) relatives.” 21 Then Friend the daughter of Incest said, “Furthermore, he said to me, ‘You should stay close to my servants until they have finished all my harvest.’”22 Fullness said to Friend her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maids, so that others do not fall upon you in another field.”23 So she stayed close by the maids of In Him is strength in order to glean until the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

© 2015 Yaakov Brown