How does Ruth 2:15 illustrate the concept of grace in the Old Testament? Text “When she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, ‘Let her even gather among the sheaves, and do not reproach her.’” (Ruth 2:15) Literary Placement within Ruth Ruth 2:15 sits in the heart of the harvest narrative. Chapter 1 ends in emptiness—Naomi mourns the loss of husband and sons. Chapter 2 turns to hope as Ruth begins gleaning. Verse 15 is a hinge: Boaz moves from mere tolerance of Ruth’s presence (vv. 8–9) to deliberate provision (vv. 15–16), revealing the book’s key motif—Yahweh’s grace expressed through human agency. Historical-Legal Background: Gleaning and the Mosaic Provision Leviticus 19:9–10; 23:22 and Deuteronomy 24:19–22 command landowners to leave field margins, “the forgotten sheaf,” olives, and grapes for the poor, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. Archaeological digs at Gezer, Tel Rehov, and Lachish have uncovered sickle blades, threshing sledges, and granaries dating to Iron Age I (conventional 12th–11th centuries BC; Ussher’s chronology: c. 1120 BC), corroborating the agricultural world depicted. Boaz’ barley harvest therefore unfolds in a recognizable, historically grounded setting. The Mosaic law mandates charity, but only at the field’s edges. Ruth 2:15 records Boaz offering access “among the sheaves,” the premium grain inside the rows. His order exceeds the statute. This is grace—unmerited, overflowing favor beyond legal minimums. Grace Terminology: ḥên and ḥesed Ruth repeatedly uses two Hebrew words: • ḥên (“favor/grace”)—Ruth 2:2, 10. • ḥesed (“steadfast love/loyal kindness”)—Ruth 1:8; 2:20; 3:10. Verse 15 enacts ḥên while anticipating ḥesed. Ruth finds ḥên in Boaz’ field, and Boaz personifies ḥesed as a covenant-faithful Israelite. The episode teaches that divine grace includes immediate kindness (ḥên) and covenant loyalty (ḥesed), both sourced in Yahweh but mediated through His people. Boaz as Agent of Divine Grace 1. Provision beyond law: glean “among the sheaves” (v. 15). 2. Protection: “do not reproach her,” shielding a Moabite widow from social scorn (cf. Deuteronomy 23:3). 3. Purposeful abundance: “pull out for her some stalks” (v. 16). His threefold instruction parallels God’s triad in Exodus 22:22–24—“You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child…if they cry out, I will hear.” Boaz hears before Ruth even cries, reflecting the divine heart. Foreshadowing of the Kinsman-Redeemer The grace shown in Ruth 2:15 anticipates Boaz’ later role as gō’ēl (3:12–13; 4:1–10). By purchasing the land and marrying Ruth he mirrors the redemptive pattern fulfilled ultimately in Christ (Isaiah 59:20; Mark 10:45; Ephesians 1:7). As Boaz graciously grants access to the harvest, Christ grants access to the “true bread from heaven” (John 6:32) and eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:12). Gentile Inclusion and Covenant Reach Ruth is a Moabite (1:22), ethnically excluded from Israel’s assembly for ten generations (Deuteronomy 23:3). Boaz’ welcome signals that grace can transcend ethnic barriers, prefiguring Isaiah 49:6 and Acts 10:34-35. The genealogy in Ruth 4 culminates in David, leading to Jesus (Matthew 1:5-6, 16), demonstrating that God’s plan of salvation always envisioned Gentile inclusion. Comparative Ancient Near-Eastern Evidence The Law Code of Hammurabi (§ 67–68) and Middle Assyrian Laws (§ 14) require landowners to share limited gleanings, but no ANE corpus commands care for foreigners as comprehensively as Torah does. Boaz’ generosity therefore stands out even by contemporary standards, supporting the biblical portrayal of Israel’s distinctive ethics. Chronological Note Ussher places the events of Ruth c. 1312 BC (Judge Jair’s era). Even employing standard critical dating (c. 1100 BC), the agricultural-cultural picture aligns. Carbon-14 samples from barley grains unearthed in Bethlehem’s vicinity (Tell el-Farah) date to 1100–1000 BC, affirming harvest plausibility. Pastoral and Practical Application Believers emulate Boaz by showing tangible generosity, defending the marginalized, and welcoming strangers (Hebrews 13:1-2; James 1:27). Every act of grace points back to the greater Redeemer who “loved us and gave Himself for us” (Galatians 2:20). Summary Ruth 2:15 is a concise yet profound tableau of grace: Yahweh’s law provides the framework, Boaz supplies the overflow, and Ruth the outsider receives abundance she did not earn. The scene prepares the way for the redemptive lineage culminating in Christ, demonstrating that divine grace is as old as Genesis, as persistent as Ruth, and as triumphant as the empty tomb. |
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