Ruth 2:10 (KJV)

What does Ruth 2:10 mean?

Ruth bows low before Boaz and asks why he has shown her favor when she is a foreigner. His protection and generosity surprise her because she is a Moabite outsider gleaning in an Israelite’s field.

The Hebrew gives her question a striking wordplay: “take knowledge of me,” נָכַר (nakar), sounds like “stranger,” נָכְרִי (nokhri). Ruth is asking why Boaz has taken notice of someone marked as foreign. The KJV’s “take knowledge” means more here than simply knowing who she is: Boaz has noticed her and treated her with consideration.

The Hebrew behind Ruth 2:10

• “fell … face … ground” — נָפַל (naphal), פָּנִים (panim), אֶרֶץ (erets): These words describe falling, the face, and the earth or ground. Together they show Ruth lowering herself face-down toward the ground. Her response is a visible act of humility before Boaz.

• “bowed” — שָׁחָה (shachah): This means to bow down or prostrate oneself. Here the gesture expresses deep respect toward Boaz, the landowner who has offered her protection and access to food.

• “found … grace … eyes” — מָצָא (matsa), חֵן (chen), עַיִן (ayin): These mean “find,” “favor,” and “eye.” To “find grace” in someone’s “eyes” is to be regarded favorably by that person. Ruth is asking why Boaz regards her with such kindness; “grace” here names the favor he has shown her.

• “stranger” — נָכְרִי (nokhri): This means a foreigner, someone from another people. Ruth is not merely saying that Boaz has never met her. She is drawing attention to her foreign identity, which makes his welcome especially unexpected.

Why Ruth 2:10 matters

• Ruth’s question concerns kindness across a social boundary. Her words “seeing I am a stranger” explain her surprise: Boaz has given favorable attention to a foreign woman.

• Boaz’s answer explains the attention Ruth cannot yet account for. In the next verse, he says he has heard about her care for Naomi and her departure from her homeland. His kindness responds to a story about Ruth that he already knows.