Ruth 2:9 (KJV)

What does Ruth 2:9 mean?

Boaz tells Ruth to stay with his harvest workers, assures her that he has ordered the young men not to harm or harass her, and gives her permission to drink their water. Ruth is a foreign widow gathering leftover grain in his field.

The key detail is in “go thou after them.” The Hebrew אַחֲרֵיהֶן (achareihen), meaning “after them,” has a feminine ending: Boaz is telling Ruth to follow the women. In the previous verse, he told her to stay close to his young women. Ruth is to keep with that group as the harvest moves through the field.

The Hebrew behind Ruth 2:9

• “charged” — צָוָה (tsavah): This means to command or give orders. “Have I not charged” presents the protection as an instruction Boaz has already given his workers. Ruth is being told about an arrangement already in place.

• “touch” — נָגַע (naga): The basic meaning is to touch or come into contact with someone or something. Here, the command that the men “shall not touch thee” forbids unwanted physical interference. In Ruth’s vulnerable position, that includes rough treatment or sexual harassment; the word itself does not specify just one kind of mistreatment.

• “young men” — נַעַר (na‘ar): This word can mean a youth, attendant, or servant. Here, the plural refers to Boaz’s male workers. They are under his authority, so his command gives practical force to Ruth’s protection.

• “vessels” — כְּלִי (keli); “drawn” — שָׁאַב (sha’av): The first word is a broad term for an implement or container; here it means water containers. The second means to draw water. Ruth may drink water the workers have already fetched, rather than leave the field to obtain her own.

Why Ruth 2:9 matters

• Boaz gives Ruth a defined place within the harvest. “Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap” tells her to watch where harvesting is happening and follow the workers there.

• His permission includes more than gathering grain. “Drink of that which the young men have drawn” grants Ruth access to the workers’ water supply, alongside the protection he has ordered.