Ruth Gleans in the Barley Field

The words

1. Barley

   Ruth and Naomi reach Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest; Ruth asks to gather grain and comes to Boaz’s field.

   Did you know?

   The closing verse of Ruth 2 keeps her gleaning through both barley and wheat harvests, while she continues living with Naomi.

   Ruth 1:22 (opens a new tab) · Ruth 2:2–3 (opens a new tab) · Ruth 2:23 (opens a new tab)

2. Chilion

   Chilion and his brother Mahlon die in Moab, leaving Naomi without her sons as well as her husband.

   Ruth 1:2–5 (opens a new tab)

3. Damsel

   Young woman, in the NET Bible.

   Boaz asks the overseer whose damsel she is; the overseer identifies her as the Moabite woman who returned with Naomi.

   Ruth 2:5–6 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Ruth 2:5-7 (opens a new tab)

4. Elimelech

   During famine, Elimelech takes Naomi and their two sons from Bethlehem to Moab; he dies there, leaving Naomi with the sons.

   Ruth 1:1–3 (opens a new tab)

5. Ephah

   A dry measure: about three-fifths of a bushel (22 liters), in the ESV note.

   Ruth gleans until evening and beats out the grain; the narrator measures the resulting barley at about an ephah.

   Ruth 2:17 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Ruth 2:17 (opens a new tab) · ESV Bible: Ruth 2:17 (opens a new tab)

6. Ephrathite

   The opening identifies Elimelech, Naomi and their sons as Ephrathites of Bethlehem-judah before describing their stay in Moab during famine.

   Ruth 1:1–2 (opens a new tab)

7. Gleans

   Collects grain left by harvesters.

   Boaz tells the reapers to let Ruth glean among the sheaves and deliberately leave handfuls for her, without rebuking her.

   Did you know?

   Leviticus directs landowners to leave field corners and harvest gleanings for the poor and the stranger, alongside uncollected vineyard grapes.

   Ruth 2:15–16 (opens a new tab) · Webster’s 1828: glean (opens a new tab) · Leviticus 19:9–10 (opens a new tab)

8. Kinsman

   Boaz belongs to Elimelech’s family; after Ruth reports his name, Naomi identifies him as one of their near kinsmen.

   Ruth 2:1 (opens a new tab) · Ruth 2:19–20 (opens a new tab)

9. Mahlon

   Ruth 4 identifies Ruth as Mahlon’s wife; the opening chapter describes Mahlon and Chilion dying in Moab.

   Ruth 4:10 (opens a new tab) · Ruth 1:2–5 (opens a new tab)

10. Moabitess

    Called a Moabitess, Ruth asks Boaz why he takes notice of her when she is a stranger; he has heard of her care for Naomi.

    Ruth 2:2 (opens a new tab) · Ruth 2:10–11 (opens a new tab)

11. Naomi

    After her husband and sons die, Naomi hears that the LORD has given his people bread, and she sets out from Moab.

    Ruth 1:3–6 (opens a new tab)

12. Orpah

    Orpah kisses Naomi at their parting; Naomi then tells Ruth that her sister-in-law has gone back to her people.

    Ruth 1:14–15 (opens a new tab)

13. Parched Corn

    At mealtime, Boaz gives Ruth parched corn, called “roasted grain” in the NET Bible, while she sits beside the reapers.

    Did you know?

    Ruth later brings her mother-in-law the food she saved after the meal, alongside the barley gathered in the field.

    Ruth 2:14; Ruth 2:17–18 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Ruth 2:14 (opens a new tab)

14. Reaper

    Boaz tells Ruth to follow the harvesters and stay with his women workers; he orders the young men not to touch her.

    Ruth 2:8–9 (opens a new tab)

15. Ruth

    Ruth clings to Naomi and promises to go where she goes; in Bethlehem, she asks to gather grain behind the reapers.

    Ruth 1:14; Ruth 1:16 (opens a new tab) · Ruth 2:2–3; Ruth 2:7 (opens a new tab)