Bible Strands
Ruth 2:12
May the LORD repay your work, and may you receive a rich reward from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have taken refuge.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Boaz addresses Ruth, a Moabite widow gleaning in his barley field, immediately after acknowledging her loyalty to Naomi (v. 11).
The words — מַשְׂכִּיר (maskir) means "wage" or "pay due to a hired worker"; Boaz frames her gleaning not as charity received but as labor owed a full reward.
The thread — The image of taking refuge under divine wings recurs in Psalms 36:7, 91:4, and 63:7, where the shadow of God's wings is the shelter of the faithful.
Why it lands — The verse asks the reader to see that humble, unglamorous labor done in dependence on God is not diminished but is counted as work with a full wage due.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
Cross-references
- Psalms 36:7 How precious is Your loving devotion, O God, that the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings!
- Psalms 91:4 He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart.
- Psalms 63:7 For You are my help; I will sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.
- Psalms 17:8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings
- Psalms 61:4 Let me dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah
- Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
- Ruth 1:16 But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
- Psalms 57:1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy, for in You my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of Your wings I will take shelter until the danger has passed.
- 1 Samuel 24:19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.
- Hebrews 11:26 He valued disgrace for Christ above the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward.