Boaz arrived from Bethlehem. "The Lord be with you," he greeted his harvesters.
"The Lord bless you," they replied.
His gaze swept the field, then stopped.
"Whose young woman is that?" he asked.
"She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi," a servant replied. "She asked to glean among the sheaves. She's been working from morning until now—with only a short rest."
Boaz approached Ruth. She bowed low, not knowing who he was.
"My daughter," he said gently, "listen to me. Don't go to another field. Stay here with my servant girls. I have instructed the men not to harm you. When you're thirsty, drink from what the men have drawn."
"Why have I found such favor in your eyes, that you notice me—a foreigner?" Ruth asked, her voice thick with emotion.
"I've heard all that you have done for your mother-in-law," Boaz replied. "May the Lord repay you for what you've done. May you be richly rewarded by the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."