Ruth 2 · Verse 5

Ruth 2:5

Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

Ruth 2:5, King James Version

Ruth 2:5 in other translations

BSB	And Boaz asked the foreman of his harvesters, “Whose young woman is this?”
WEB	Then Boaz said to his servant who was set over the reapers, “Whose young lady is this?”
ASV	Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
YLT	And Boaz saith to his young man who is set over the reapers, ‘Whose is this young person?'
DARBY	And Boaz said to his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose maiden is this?
BBE	Then Boaz said to his servant who was in authority over the cutters, Whose girl is this?
Webster	Then said Boaz to his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

What does Ruth 2:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

5. his servant that was set over the reapers--an overseer whose special duty was to superintend the operations in the field, to supply provision to the reapers, and pay them for their labor in the evening.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 5 His servant that was set over the reapers - This was a kind of steward or hind who had the under management of the estate. Some think that an officer of this kind is intended in the description given by Homer of the labors of a harvest field, as represented by Vulcan on one compartment of the shield which he made for Achilles: - Εν δ' ετιθει τεμενος βαθυληΐον· ενθα δ εριθοι Ἡμων, οξειας δρεπανας εν χερσιν εχοντες· Δραγματα δ' αλλα μετ' ογμον επμον επητριμα πιπτον εραζε, Αλλα δ' αμαλλοδετηρες εν ελλεδανοισι δεοντο. Τρεις δ' αρ' αμαλλοδετηρες εφεστασαν· αυταρ οπισθε Παιδες δραγμευοντες, εν αγκαλιδεσσι φεροντες, Ασπερχες παρεχον· βασιλευς δ' εν τοισι σιωπῃ Σκηπτρον εχων ἑστηκει επ' ογμου γηθοσυνος κηρ. Κηρυκες δ' απανευθεν ὑπο δρυΐ δαιτα πενοντο· Βουν δ' ἱερευσαντες μεγαν, αμφεπον· αἱ δε γυναικες Δειπνον εριθοισιν, λευκ' αλφιτα πολλα παλυνον. Iliad xviii., v. 550. There too he form'd the likeness of a field Crowded with corn, in which the reapers toil'd, Each with a sharp-tooth'd sickle in his hand. Along the furrow here, the harvest fell In frequent handfuls; there, they bound the sheaves. Three binders of the sheaves their sultry task All plied industrious, and behind them boys Attended, filling with the corn their arms, And offering still their bundles to be bound. Amid them, staff in hand, the master stood, Enjoying, mute the order of the field: While, shaded by an oak, apart his train Prepared the banquet - a well thriven ox New slain, and the attendant maidens mix'd Large supper for the hinds, of whitest flour. Cowper. This scene is well described; and the person who acts as overseer is here called βασιλευς, king, and his staff is called σκηπτρον, a scepter; and he stands in mute dignity, merely to see that the work is well done, and that each person performs his task; and there appear to me to be gleaners in the description, viz., the boys who gather the handfuls after the three binders. See the Greek.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ruth 2:4-16

The pious and kind language between Boaz and his reapers shows that there were godly persons in Israel. Such language as this is seldom heard in our field; too often, on the contrary, what is immoral and corrupt. A stranger would form a very different opinion of our land, from that which Ruth would form of Israel from the converse and conduct of Boaz and his reapers. But true religion will teach a man to behave…

Read the full comment on Ruth 2:4-16 →

Ruth 2:5 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559

בֹּ֙עַז֙bo.'azBoazH1162

לְנַעֲר֔וֹle.na.'a.Roto servant hisH5288

הַנִּצָּ֖בha.ni.Tzavwho was appointedH5324

עַל\־'al-overH5921

הַקּֽוֹצְרִ֑יםha.kotz.Rimthe harvestersH7114

לְמִ֖יle.Mi[belongs] to whom?H4310

הַנַּעֲרָ֥הha.na.'a.Rahthe young womanH5291

הַזֹּֽאת\׃ha.Zot<the> thisH2063

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ruth 2:5

1 Chronicles 2:11-12
And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz, And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse,
Ruth 4:21
And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

4:21; 1Ch 2:11,12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Ruth 2:4
And, behold, Boaz came from Beth–lehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.
Ruth 2:5
Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
Ruth 2:6
And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:

Read all of Ruth 2

Ruth 2:5 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y Booz dijo á su criado el sobrestante de los segadores: ¿Cúya es esta moza?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et Boaz dit à son serviteur qui était établi sur les moissonneurs: À qui est cette jeune femme?
German Elberfelder 1871	Und Boas sprach zu seinem Knechte, der über die Schnitter bestellt war: Wessen ist diese Dirne?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Dixitque Booz juveni, qui messoribus præerat: Cujus est hæc puella?