Ruth 2:19 (KJV)

What does Ruth 2:19 mean?

Naomi asks Ruth where she has been gleaning and blesses the person who has taken notice of her. Ruth then identifies the man whose field she worked in: Boaz.

The key phrase is “did take knowledge of thee.” The Hebrew נכר (nakar) means to recognize or acknowledge someone; here, it describes giving Ruth favorable attention. Naomi has seen the grain Ruth brought home and the food she saved from her meal. Naomi’s question recognizes that someone has treated Ruth generously, even before Naomi knows who that person is.

The Hebrew behind Ruth 2:19

• “gleaned” — לקט (laqat): To gather what remains after the harvesters have passed. Ruth was collecting leftover grain, a provision available to poor people and foreigners. Naomi asks where Ruth gathered such a substantial supply.

• “wroughtest,” “wrought” — עשה (asah): A broad word meaning “to do” or “to make,” used here for working. “Where wroughtest thou?” means “Where did you work?” Ruth’s reply, “with whom I wrought,” identifies the man associated with the field where she worked; it does not mean that Boaz was working beside her.

• “blessed” — ברך (barakh): To bless, here expressing a wish that the man receive blessing. Naomi says “blessed be he” before hearing Boaz’s name. Her words respond to the kindness evident in what Ruth has brought back.

• “shewed” — נגד (nagad): To tell, report, or make known. In the KJV, “she shewed her mother in law” means Ruth told Naomi who the man was. Ruth supplies the name Naomi’s questions have been seeking.

Why Ruth 2:19 matters

• Naomi’s questions move from the place to the person. She begins, “Where hast thou gleaned?” Ruth answers by naming the man: “The man’s name … is Boaz.” The person behind the generosity becomes the focus.

• Ruth’s report connects the day’s work with a family relationship. Readers already know from Ruth 2:1 that Boaz belongs to the family of Naomi’s late husband. Naming Boaz here prepares for Naomi’s explanation of that relationship in the next verse.