经文研读
Ruth 2:12 — Boaz's Blessing Upon Ruth
Boaz prays that Jehovah will reward Ruth's loyal devotion and grant her a full reward from the God of Israel, under whose wings she has come to take refuge.
经文
- 12.願 耶 和 華 照 你 所 行 的 賞 賜 你 。 你 來 投 靠 耶 和 華 ─ 以 色 列 神 的 翅 膀 下 ， 願 你 滿 得 他 的 賞 賜 。Jehovah recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of Jehovah, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge.
这段经文的意思
Boaz's statement in Ruth 2:12 is a prayer-cum-blessing spoken directly to Ruth. He asks Jehovah to 'recompense thy work' — that is, to repay the labor and loyal kindness Ruth has shown, especially her devotion to Naomi as recounted in the preceding verse. The phrase 'a full reward be given thee of Jehovah, the God of Israel' makes clear that Boaz considers any repayment to be entirely in God's hands; human kindness (such as his own provision for her) is framed as a secondary expression of God's prior favor.
The central image of the verse is taking refuge 'under whose wings.' Boaz identifies the God of Israel as the one beneath whose protective wings Ruth has come to shelter. By naming 'Jehovah, the God of Israel' — the covenant name combined with the covenant people — Boaz acknowledges that Ruth, a Moabite, has entrusted herself to Israel's God. This wording also echoes Ruth's own confession to Naomi in 1:16, where she pledged herself to Naomi's people and Naomi's God.
Finally, the verse links human deeds and divine reward. Boaz does not promise the reward himself; he asks that Jehovah give it. The pairing of 'thy work' with 'a full reward' presents a theology in which faithful action (Ruth's care for Naomi, her willingness to glean, her act of taking refuge) is met by God's generous repayment. The chapter's note summarizes this as evidence that God blesses those who take shelter in Him.
背景
Ruth 2:12 sits at the climax of Boaz's first extended speech to Ruth. The previous verses establish the setting: Ruth, a Moabite widow, has gone to glean in the field and by 'hap' has come to the portion belonging to Boaz (v. 3). After Boaz greets his reapers and learns Ruth's identity from his servant (vv. 4–7), he addresses her directly: he tells her to stay in his field, drink from the water the young men have drawn, and not fear being touched (vv. 8–9). Ruth's astonished response — 'Why have I found favor in thy sight, seeing I am a foreigner?' — leads Boaz to recount what he has heard about her loyalty to Naomi (v. 11), and then to pray the blessing of v. 12.
What follows v. 12 continues the scene: Ruth responds with humble gratitude (v. 13), Boaz invites her to eat with his reapers (v. 14), and he further instructs his men to let her glean among the sheaves and even to pull out extra grain for her (vv. 15–16). The day's gleaning yields about an ephah of barley (v. 17), and Naomi, upon hearing who Ruth has worked with, blesses Boaz and recognizes him as a near kinsman (vv. 19–20). Thus v. 12 functions as the theological hinge of chapter 2: Boaz's blessing frames the practical generosity that the rest of the chapter describes.
常见问题
Who is speaking in Ruth 2:12 and to whom?
Boaz is speaking directly to Ruth. The speech follows his report that he has been told of her loyal care for Naomi (v. 11), and it leads into Ruth's grateful reply in v. 13.
What does it mean to take refuge 'under wings' in Ruth 2:12?
Within the passage itself, Boaz identifies the God of Israel as the one beneath whose wings Ruth has come to take refuge. The wording parallels Ruth's confession in 1:16, where she pledged herself to Naomi's people and Naomi's God, suggesting that her act of cleaving to Naomi is also an act of sheltering under Israel's God.
What does Boaz ask Jehovah to do for Ruth?
Boaz asks Jehovah to 'recompense thy work' and to give her 'a full reward.' He frames the reward as something only God can give, even though he himself has just offered Ruth practical protection, water, and continued access to his field.