Elimelech. But Ruth did not know of this relationship.

Boaz saw Ruth gleaning, and asked one of his servants who she was. The
servant replied, "It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi
out of the country of Moab." Then Boaz spoke kindly to Ruth, telling
her not to go to any other field to glean, but to stay with his
maidens and glean in his field. She fell on her face before him and
bowed herself to the ground, and asked, "Why have I found grace in
thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a
stranger?" Boaz was pleased with her because of her kindness to Naomi,
so he replied, "It hath fully been showed me all that thou hast done
unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thine husband." He also bade
her to eat and drink with his servants, and told his reapers to let
some handfuls of grain fall on purpose for her. So Ruth gleaned that
day quite a large quantity of barley, which she took home to Naomi.
Then she learned that Boaz was her kinsman.

She continued gleaning until the end of harvest; and afterwards became
the wife of Boaz and grandmother of Jesse, the father of David. Jesus
Christ descended from David; so we see what high honour was bestowed
upon Ruth for her kindness to her mother-in-law.

[Illustration: BOAZ SHOWING KINDNESS TO RUTH.]




HANNAH PRAYING BEFORE THE LORD.