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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Ruth thanks Boaz for comforting her with kind words, though she counts herself less than his servants.
What Does Ruth 2:13 Mean?
Ruth responds with deep gratitude and humility. She thanks Boaz for comforting her and for speaking friendly, literally to her heart, even though, as she says, she is not even like one of his handmaidens. She does not presume to claim a place among his servants, yet she has been treated with tenderness, and it has comforted her wounded spirit.
Ruth's humility is striking; she counts herself lower than the lowest of his maids, and yet she has received kindness far above her hopes. Boaz's gentle words have reached the place where grief had settled, and they have brought comfort. There is a quiet beauty here: the lonely outsider, who expected nothing, is consoled by words spoken to her heart. So God comforts the humble, lifting those who think themselves least with kindness they never claimed to deserve. Ruth's lowliness only makes the grace shown her shine more brightly, and her gratitude is its fitting echo.