Breadcrumb: Gleaning can be a dangerous business

As I mentioned yesterday, Ruth spends the harvest gleaning in Boaz's field, so that she and Naomi can have some food. While this may seem straightforward, it was apparently a more dangerous situation than it originally appears. Boaz specifically tells his men not to touch Ruth. (Ruth 2:9) Later, Naomi confirms the potential danger and tells her to stay in Boaz's field, because elsewhere she might be harmed. (Rush 2:22) Though it seems simple to us now, it must have been terrifying for Ruth, a foreigner newly-arrived in a strange land, with no husband to protect her. With all the raping and murdering we've read about in the book of Judges, no wonder she was happy to find a decent man to protect her.