Ruth 2:13 · Bible study
Ruth 2:13 Commentary: Study: Grace Received with Humility
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How Ruth's humble response to Boaz's kindness models receiving grace. Analysis of key Hebrew terms, textual variants, and pastoral applications.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Ruth responds to Boaz's kindness with profound humility, acknowledging her unworthiness while trusting in continued favor.
- Key words: אמצא (find), חן (favor), נחמתני (comforted), דבר על לב (spoken to the heart), שפחה (maidservant).
- Main debate: Whether אמצא should be read as present tense ('I find favor') or optative future ('may I find favor' / 'I shall find favor').
- Theological theme: Grace received with humility, the proper human response to divine generosity in human form.
- Best use: Pastoral teaching on receiving kindness without entitlement, and on the nature of true humility.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
“My lord,” she said, “may I continue to find favor in your eyes, for you have comforted and spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your servant girls.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, because you have comforted me, and because you have spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not as one of your servants.”
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Then she said, Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken kindly unto thy handmaid, though I be not as one of thy handmaidens.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And she saith, `Let me find grace in thine eyes, my lord, because thou hast comforted me, and because thou hast spoken unto the heart of thy maid-servant, and I--I am not as one of thy maid-servants.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And she said, Let me find favour in thine eyes, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken kindly to thy handmaid, though I am not like one of thy handmaidens.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And she said: I have found grace in thy eyes, my lord, who hast comforted me, and hast spoken to the heart of thy handmaid, who am not like to one of thy maids.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y ella dijo: Señor mío, halle yo gracia delante de tus ojos; porque me has consolado, y porque has hablado al corazón de tu sierva, no siendo yo como una de tus criadas.
E ela disse: Senhor meu, ache eu favor diante de teus olhos; porque me consolaste, e porque falaste ao coração de tua serva, não sendo eu como uma de tuas criadas.
Et elle dit: Oh! Que je trouve grâce à tes yeux, mon seigneur! Car tu m’ as consolée, et tu as parlé au cœur de ta servante. Et pourtant je ne suis pas, moi, comme l’ une de tes servantes.
Sie sprach: Laß mich Gnade vor deinen Augen finden, mein Herr; denn du hast mich getröstet und deine Magd freundlich angesprochen, so ich doch nicht bin wie deiner Mägde eine.
En zij zeide: Laat mij genade vinden in uw ogen, mijn heer, dewijl gij mij getroost hebt, en dewijl gij naar het hart uwer dienstmaagd gesproken hebt, hoewel ik niet ben, gelijk een uwer dienstmaagden.
Ella gli disse: “Possa io trovar grazia agli occhi tuoi, o mio signore! Poiché tu m’hai consolata, e hai parlato al cuore della tua serva, quantunque io non sia neppure come una delle tue serve”.
A ona rzekła: Znalazłam łaskę w oczach twoich, panie mój, gdyżeś mię pocieszył, a mówiłeś do serca służebnicy twojej, chociam ja nie jest, jako jedna z służebnic twoich.
Она сказала: да буду я в милости пред очами твоими, господин мой! Ты утешил меня и говорил по сердцу рабы твоей, между тем как я не стою ни одной из рабынь твоих.
路得說：「我主啊，願在你眼前 蒙 恩。我 雖然 不 及 你的一個 使女，你還 用慈愛的話 安慰我的 心。」
Then she said, May I have grace in your eyes, my lord, for you have given me comfort, and you have said kind words to your servant, though I am not like one of your servants.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Ruth 2:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse displays Ruth's genuine humility and gratitude in response to Boaz's unexpected kindness. Gill notes that the verb אמצא ('I am finding') is better understood as an optative future, 'I shall find favor', as Ruth looks forward to continued kindness rather than requesting it anew. Keil and Delitzsch concur, seeing this as a wish that Boaz would sustain the favor he has already shown. The Cambridge Bible connects 'you have comforted me... spoken kindly' (דבר על לב, literally 'spoken to the heart') with the same phrasing in Isaiah 40:1, 2, marking this as language of prophetic consolation. Ruth's self-description, 'though I am not as one of your maidens,' is, as Adam Clarke puts it, an acknowledgment that she is unworthy even of the lowest status among Boaz's household, a foreign widow with no claim on his generosity. Matthew Henry observes that Ruth 'humbly implores the continuance of his good opinion' while confessing her inferiority. The consensus: Ruth receives Boaz's protection not as something earned but as sheer gift, and her response models the posture of faith before divine kindness.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Ruth is expressing genuine gratitude and humility, acknowledging her unworthiness as a foreigner, and recognizing that Boaz's kindness is undeserved.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of אמצע (find favor) | Ruth is responding to favor she has already received from Boaz. | Some read the imperfect as present tense ('I find favor'), while Gill and Keil insist on an optative or future sense ('I shall find favor'), expressing hope for continued kindness. |
| Function of 'though I am not as one of your servants' | The phrase expresses Ruth's humility and awareness of her lowly status. | Some see it as an accurate assessment of her social position (a Moabitess has no claim), while others see it as excessive self-deprecation that actually intensifies her appeal. |
| Use of 'my lord' (אדני) | This is a respectful term of address to a social superior. | Whether it hints at a potential marriage context (as in Genesis 33 where Jacob uses it of Esau) or is purely deferential is debated. |
| Connection to the hesed theme of the book | Ruth's response participates in the larger pattern of hesed (lovingkindness) between Boaz, Ruth, and Naomi. | Whether the hesed motif is primarily social or theological is a point of emphasis; some focus on human loyalty and others on divine providence. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Israel, gleaning was a legal provision for the poor (Leviticus 19:9, 10; Deuteronomy 24:19), but it offered no guarantee of safety or generous treatment. Ruth, as a Moabitess, carried additional vulnerability: Deuteronomy 23:3, 6 excluded Moabites from the assembly, and ethnic prejudice would have been common. Boaz's kindness therefore goes far beyond legal obligation. He offers protection from harassment (v.9), access to water drawn by the young men, and, most striking, a blessing that identifies her as one who has come under Yahweh's wings (v.12).
Ruth's response in verse 13 employs the Hebrew idiom 'speak to the heart' (דבר על לב), a phrase used in Judges 19:3 for a husband seeking reconciliation and in Isaiah 40:2 for God comforting Jerusalem. It signifies deep, personal consolation. The verb אמצא (from מצא, 'to find') appears in the imperfect, which can carry present, future, or optative force. Gill and Keil argue persuasively that the context demands an optative reading: Ruth expresses confidence that she will continue to find favor, not a request for favor she does not yet have. Her self-identification as 'maidservant' (שפחה) was a standard term of humility (1 Samuel 25:41), but she immediately qualifies it: she is not even worthy to be counted among Boaz's maidservants. This reflects both social reality, she is a foreign widow, and a theological position: grace is received, not earned.
Culturally, the scene reverses expectations. An Israelite landowner shows hesed to a Moabite woman, and she responds with a humility that recognizes the sheer gratuity of his kindness. This sets the stage for the meal invitation in verse 14 and the ongoing narrative of redemption.
Textual Notes
The Masoretic Text reads the negative לא before אהיה ('I am not'). However, Gill notes that the Septuagint and Syriac versions omit the negative particle, reading instead 'I shall be [or am] as one of your maidservants.' This variant would significantly change the sense: Ruth would be claiming equality with the servants rather than distancing herself from them. The majority of Hebrew manuscripts support the negative, and the context of Ruth's consistent humility (vv.10, 19) favors the MT reading. The textual evidence does not make the negative uncertain; it merely shows that some ancient translators struggled with the depth of Ruth's self-abasement and softened it.
Reception History
This verse has been used devotionally to illustrate how the believer receives grace not as something earned but as gift. Reformation commentators such as Matthew Henry and John Wesley draw on Ruth's self-description, 'though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens,' to emphasize that the recipient of grace brings nothing. Wesley notes that Ruth sees herself as 'a person more mean, necessitous, and obscure.' In the Wesleyan tradition, Adam Clarke similarly highlights the foreigner's lack of claim. More recent readings (e.g., the Cambridge Bible, Keil and Delitzsch) pay close attention to the Hebrew idiom 'speak to the heart,' connecting it to prophetic consolation in Isaiah. The verse continues to be preached as a pattern for receiving kindness with both gratitude and humility, and it has also been used in discussions of the inclusion of outsiders in the people of God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Grace Awakens Humility: Ruth's confession of unworthiness comes after Boaz's kindness, not before. She experiences comfort and then names her lowliness. True humility is the fruit of grace received.
- Gratitude Answers Kindness: Ruth does not merely accept Boaz's favor silently; she gives words to her thanks. She names what he has done: comfort (נחמתני) and speaking to her heart. Gratitude completes the gift.
- Faith Hopes for Continued Favor: The verb אמצא looks forward. Ruth trusts that the God who moved Boaz's heart will continue to provide. She does not presume, but she does hope.
Five-point outline
- Ruth's posture of humility: she calls herself a handmaid but goes further, she is not even that.
- The content of Boaz's kindness: comfort and spoken-to-the-heart language that goes beyond mere politeness.
- The function of foreignness: Ruth's Moabite identity makes the kindness remarkable and her humility more poignant.
- The forward-looking faith: 'I shall find favor' as confident hope in ongoing provision.
- The theological echo: this scene prefigures the inclusion of Gentiles in God's redemptive story.
Illustration hooks
- Receiving a compliment you feel you don't deserve: someone praises your work, and you instinctively deflect because you know your limitations.
- Being welcomed into a group where you are the outsider: a new job, a new church, a new country, when someone treats you as family when you have no right to it.
- When a person in authority treats you with unexpected dignity: a boss who not only pays you fairly but also asks about your family, remembers your name, and goes beyond policy.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it healthy to feel unworthy when someone is kind to us, or does that posture become a barrier to receiving love?
- How do we receive grace with gratitude rather than with either entitlement or anxious self-deprecation?
- What does it look like to 'speak to someone's heart' in a way that comforts them without condescension?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures a moment of intimate gratitude. Ruth moves from surprise (v.10) to acknowledgment of comfort. The group should consider both the social and spiritual dimensions of how Ruth receives grace. Notice how her humility does not repel Boaz's favor but receives it fully.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What does Ruth say Boaz has done for her, and what specific words does she use to describe his kindness?
- Observation: How does Ruth describe herself in this verse, and how does that compare with Boaz's description of her in vv.11, 12?
- Interpretation: Why do you think Ruth adds the phrase 'though I am not as one of your servants'? What does that reveal about her view of herself and her situation?
- Interpretation: The Hebrew behind 'spoken kindly' is literally 'spoken to the heart.' How does that imagery deepen our understanding of what Boaz offered Ruth?
- Application: When have you received kindness you felt you did not deserve? How did you respond, and how might Ruth's example shape that response going forward?
- Application: This scene shows an outsider being welcomed. How can your community extend 'speaking to the heart' to those who feel like outsiders?
- Theological: Ruth's humility does not keep her from receiving Boaz's favor; it is the context in which she receives it. What does this teach about how we approach God's grace?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 33:8 | Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” |
| Genesis 33:10 | Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of God, and you were pleased with me. |
| Genesis 33:15 | Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” He said, “Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” |
| Genesis 34:3 | His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady. |
| Genesis 43:14 | May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” |
| Judges 19:3 | Her husband arose and went after her to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him and a couple of donkeys. She brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the young lady saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. |
| I Samuel 1:18 | She said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more. |
| I Samuel 25:41 | She arose and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, “Behold, your servant is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the speaker's deep humility: she counts herself as unworthy as any maidservant, yet she receives exceptional kindness. The contrast between her low self-estimation and the favor shown is the point he draws from her words.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that Ruth describes herself as a stranger, not even a servant, so she has no claim to kindness. Yet Boaz's words and comfort match the same gracious language God uses toward Israel in Isaiah, underscoring that his favor is given freely to one who had no right to expect it.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Then she saide, Let me finde fauour in thy sight, my lord: for thou hast comforted mee, and spoken comfortably vnto thy mayde, though I be not like to one of thy maydes.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill points out that Ruth is not really asking for favour but confidently stating she will continue to find it. Her words acknowledge the kindness she has already received, and she gives her reason: Boaz has comforted her and spoken kindly, even though she considers herself unworthy of his lowliest servant.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasizes that Ruth's request to "find favour" is a humble wish, not a statement of present fact. They note that calling herself "thy maiden" she immediately qualifies it, admitting she is unworthy even to be compared to Boaz's servant girls, which demonstrates her genuine modesty.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights that Ruth's love proves itself through action, not words: she freely volunteers for the humiliating, exhausting task of gleaning without relying on the law's provisions for the poor. He emphasizes that God's providence guides her to Boaz's field, where her self-sacrificing character is recognized and rewarded.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights the mutual blessing between Boaz and his workers as a model of godly workplaces, where both master and servants invoke the Lord. He then focuses on Boaz's deliberate, generous kindness to Ruth, commending her faith and loyalty to Naomi as the reason for his favor, which reflects God's own care for those who take refuge under His wings.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the speaker's profound humility, pleading for continued favor while acknowledging complete unworthiness. The point rests on the contrast: a person of lowly, obscure, heathen birth dares to ask for acceptance from the holy people of Israel.