Ruth 2:23
in Ruth 2So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean grain until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.
KJV
So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
⋯
This verse in Ruth 2
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAnd of wheat harvest - That is, she was to continue gleaning in the farm of Boaz to the end of the barley harvest; and then, when the wheat harvest began, to continue to its conclusion in the same way. In the interim, as well as each night, she lodged with her mother-in-law. 1. Ruth seems to have been a woman of a very amiable mind: she was modest, and she was industrious, and most probably a comely woman; and all these things served to attract the attention of Boaz, and to engage his affection.
This site's exposition
Then Ruth the Moabitess said
on Ruth 2:21-23
Ruth reports Boaz as saying "Stay with my young men", where verse 8 has him name his servant girls, and Naomi steers her back toward the young women. The closing clause, "until the barley and wheat harvests were finished", spans the wave sheaf to the Feast of Weeks in Leviticus 23:10-16, about seven weeks. Chapter 3 opens with Naomi as the one who moves.
This site's exposition
until the barley and wheat harvests were finished
Adam Clarke sets the season out as barley first and then wheat, which in Israel ran about seven weeks. Through all of it Ruth lodged with Naomi. The text records no further word between her and Boaz until chapter 3.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. 3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean,....
But she constantly came to her mother at night in due time, as became a virtuous woman, that was for working days, and not for merry nights. And when the harvest was ended (as bishop Patrick expounds it) she did not gad abroad, but kept her aged mother company at home.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתִּדְבַּ֞ק | vatidbak | and she stayed | H1692 → | 54 times |
| בְּנַעֲר֥וֹת | benaarot | with [the] female servants of | H5291 → | 63 times |
| בֹּ֙עַז֙ | boaz | Boaz | H1162 → | 24 times |
| לְלַקֵּ֔ט | lelaket | to glean | H3950 → | 37 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| כְּל֥וֹת | kelot | was complete | H3615 → | 208 times |
| קְצִֽיר־ | ketzir- | [the] harvest of | H7105 → | 54 times |
| הַשְּׂעֹרִ֖ים | haseorim | the barley<s> | H8184 → | 34 times |
| וּקְצִ֣יר | uketzir | and [the] harvest of | H7105 → | 54 times |
| הַֽחִטִּ֑ים | hachitim | the wheat<s> | H2406 → | |
| וַתֵּ֖שֶׁב | vateshev | and she dwelt | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| חֲמוֹתָֽהּ׃ | chamotah | mother-in-law her | H2545 → | 11 times |
וַתִּדְבַּ֞קand she stayed
vatidbakH1692 →54 times
בְּנַעֲר֥וֹתwith [the] female servants of
benaarotH5291 →63 times
בֹּ֙עַז֙Boaz
boazH1162 →24 times
לְלַקֵּ֔טto glean
lelaketH3950 →37 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
כְּל֥וֹתwas complete
kelotH3615 →208 times
קְצִֽיר־[the] harvest of
ketzir-H7105 →54 times
הַשְּׂעֹרִ֖יםthe barley<s>
haseorimH8184 →34 times
וּקְצִ֣ירand [the] harvest of
uketzirH7105 →54 times
הַֽחִטִּ֑יםthe wheat<s>
hachitimH2406 →
וַתֵּ֖שֶׁבand she dwelt
vateshevH3427 →1079 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
חֲמוֹתָֽהּ׃mother-in-law her
chamotahH2545 →11 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 13:20He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 15:33–34
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
- Proverbs 15:31
He who listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.
- Proverbs 9:6
Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”
- 2 Corinthians 6:14–18
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
- Psalms 119:63
I am a friend to all who fear You, and to those who keep Your precepts.
- 1 Corinthians 15:33–34
Through
Proverbs 13:1A wise son heeds his father’s discipline, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:5
A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction is prudent.
- Proverbs 9:7–8
He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself.
- Proverbs 15:20
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.
- Proverbs 15:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ruth
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.