God’s Word Translation
Ruth 2:21
21Ruth, who was from Moab, told her, “He also said to me, ‘Stay with my younger workers until they have finished the harvest.’ ”
Ruth 2:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Ruth the Moabite said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Ruth the Moabite said, "Besides, he said to me, 'You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also said to me, ‘You shall stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’ ”
Context of Ruth 2:21
19Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you gather grain today? Just where did you work? May the man who paid attention to you be blessed.” So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the person with whom she worked. She said, “The man I worked with today is named Boaz.” 20Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May the Lord bless him. The Lord hasn’t stopped being kind to people—living or dead.” Then Naomi told her, “That man is a relative of ours. He is a close relative, one of those responsible for taking care of us.” Ruth, who was from Moab, told her, “He also said to me, ‘Stay with my younger workers until they have finished the harvest.’ ” 22Naomi told her daughter-in-law Ruth, “It’s a good idea, my daughter, that you go out to the fields with his young women. If you go to someone else’s field, you may be molested.” 23So Ruth stayed with the young women who were working for Boaz. She gathered grain until both the barley harvest and the wheat harvest ended. And she continued to live with her mother-in-law.
Read all of Ruth 2Ruth 2:21 word by word
וַתֹּ֖אמֶר ר֣וּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֑ה גַּ֣ם׀ כִּי־אָמַ֣ר אֵלַ֗י עִם־הַנְּעָרִ֤ים אֲשֶׁר־לִי֙ תִּדְבָּקִ֔ין עַ֣ד אִם־כִּלּ֔וּ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַקָּצִ֖יר אֲשֶׁר־לִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Ruthרוּתrûth · RuthH7327
- the Moabitessמוֹאָבִיmô'âbîy mô'âbîyâh mô'âbîyth · MoabiteH4125
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto me also, Thou shalt keep fastדָּבַקdâbaq · to cleaveH1692
- by my young menנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- until they have endedכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: finishH3615
- all my harvestקָצִירqâtsîyr · harvestH7105
Cross-references for Ruth 2:21
- Ruth 2:7She said, ‘Please let me gather grain. I will only gather among the bundles behind the reapers.’ So she came here and has been on her feet from daybreak until now. She just sat down this minute in the shelter.”
- Ruth 2:8Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go in any other field to gather grain, and don’t even leave this one. Stay here with my young women.
Commentaries on Ruth 2:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Keep fast by my young men - The word הנערים hannearim should be translated servants, both the male and female being included in it; the latter especially, as we see in Rth 2:22, Rth 2:23.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-23Verses 17-23 It encourages industry, that in all labour, even that of gleaning, there is profit. Ruth was pleased with what she gained by her own industry, and was careful to secure it. Let us thus take care that we lose not those things which we have wrought, which we have gained for our souls' good, 2Jo 1:8. Parents should examine their children, as Naomi did, not to frighten or discourage them, so as to make them hate home, or tempt them to tell a lie…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21The author calls Ruth "Ruth the Moabite" five times (Ruth 1:22; 2:2, 21; 4:5, 10). This reminds us that Ruth was not an Israelite.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. all my harvest--both barley and wheat harvests. The latter was at the end of May or the beginning of June.Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ruth 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries