But Naomi's heart failed her. She had gone out with husband and sons,
and she had returned desolate; and in her grief she said, "Do not call
me 'Naomi'" (that meant pleasant), "but call me 'Mara'" (which means
bitter), "for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me!"
Poor Naomi! She forgot her sweet daughter Ruth; she forgot the God of
Israel whom they both trusted. For a little while her grief swept over
her.
There lived in Bethlehem a rich man, whose name was Boaz, and he was a
relation of Naomi's husband, Elimelech.
When they found that the barley harvest had just begun, Ruth said to
her mother-in-law, "Let me go into the fields to glean corn!"
And when she reached the fields she happened on a field belonging to
Boaz; but Ruth did not know that he was her relative.
When Boaz saw Ruth among the women who had come out to glean, he asked
his servant who was set over the reapers whose damsel she was? And the
servant told him that she had come from Moab with Naomi, and he had let
her glean among the reapers.
So Boaz spoke kindly to Ruth, and bade her keep near his maidens; and
if she were thirsty she was welcome to take some of the water which his
young men had drawn.
Then Ruth bowed herself to the ground, and thanked Boaz for his
kindness to a stranger.
But Boaz told her that he had heard all about her love to her
mother-in-law, and how she had left father and mother to come to a
strange land. And then he asked the Lord God of Israel, under Whose
wings she had come to trust, to bless her, and to give her a full
reward for all she had done.
So Boaz told her to come at meal-times and share the food they had;
and he gave her parched corn, some of which she saved to carry to her
mother-in-law; and when she had had sufficient, she went back to her
gleaning. And Boaz told his young men to let fall handfuls on purpose
for her, so that by evening she had gathered quite a good quantity.
When Naomi heard all the kindness of Boaz, she told Ruth that he was
a near relation, and she realized that, after all, the Lord had not
forsaken her, though in her grief she had almost thought He had!
She told Ruth to keep fast by the maidens of Boaz. So day after day,
till the harvest was over, Ruth did as Naomi bade her; and as Boaz went
to and fro among the reapers, he saw the modest and sweet behaviour of
the young stranger girl, and he determined to ask her to be his wife.
So they were married; and by and by a dear little son was given to them.
And the women said to Naomi: "Bless be the Lord, which hath not left
thee without a kinsman, that his name should be famous in Israel."
So Naomi was comforted, and became a nurse to the babe who was so
precious to her.
And his name was famous! For the child was called Obed, and he was in
due time the father of Jesse; and Jesse was the father of David, and
through David, years afterwards, came our Blessed Lord!
Do you not remember how the blind man cried out?—"Jesus, Thou son of
David, have mercy upon me."
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