Ruth 2:10

The stranger and outcast Humility

⁸ Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:

⁹ Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

¹¹ And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.

¹² The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: At this, she fell on her face, bowing low to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you should take notice of me, even though I am a foreigner?”
KJV: Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
WEB: Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take knowledge of me, since I am a foreigner?”
ASV: Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found favor in thy sight, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a foreigner?
DARBY: Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found favour in thine eyes, that thou shouldest regard me, seeing I am a foreigner?
BLB: And she fell on her face and she bowed herself to the earth and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me though I [am] a foreigner?”

ÅB: Da falt hun på sitt ansikt og bøyde seg til jorden og sa til ham: Hvorfor har jeg funnet nåde for dine øyne, så du tar deg av meg, enda jeg er en fremmed?
OTB: Da falt hun på sitt ansikt, bøyde seg til jorden og sa til ham: «Hvorfor har jeg funnet nåde i dine øyne, slik at du legger merke til meg, siden jeg er en fremmed?»
B1930: Da falt hun på sitt ansikt og bøide sig til jorden og sa til ham: Hvorfor har jeg funnet nåde for dine øine, så du tar dig av mig, enda jeg er en fremmed?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Samuel 25:23
And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
Read in context
Ruth 2:13
Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
Read in context
Luke 1:48
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Read in context
Luke 17:16–18
And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Read in context
Luke 1:43
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Read in context
Romans 12:10
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Read in context
2 Samuel 19:28
For all of my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?
Read in context
2 Samuel 9:8
And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
Read in context