Ruth 2:13

“My lord,” she said, “may I continue to find favor in your eyes, for you have comforted and spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your servant girls.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Ruth addresses Boaz after his blessing in 2:12 and before his mealtime invitation in 2:14. She speaks as a foreign maidservant acknowledging his authority as landowner.

The words — The Hebrew חֵן (chen) translates to "favor," and נִֽחַמְתָּ֔/נִי (ni.cham.Ta./ni) literally means "you have comforted me." Ruth pairs these terms to quantify Boaz’s unexpected kindness.

The thread — The plea to "find favor in your eyes" appears in 1 Samuel 1:18 and Genesis 33:8. These passages show the phrase functioning as a formal appeal from a subordinate seeking grace from a superior.

Why it lands — The text records a foreign worker receiving unmerited provision from a landowner. It demands the reader observe how grace operates without prior qualification or reciprocal obligation.

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

וַ֠תֹּאמֶרVa./to.merand/ she said אֶמְצָא־'em.tza'-I am finding חֵ֨ןchenfavor בְּעֵינֶ֤יךָbe./'ei.Nei./khain/ view/ your אֲדֹנִי֙'a.do.N/iO lord/ my כִּ֣יkifor נִֽחַמְתָּ֔נִיni.cham.Ta./niyou have comforted/ me וְכִ֥יve./Khiand/ for דִבַּ֖רְתָּdi.Bar.tayou have spoken עַל־'al-to לֵ֣בlev[the] heart of שִׁפְחָתֶ֑ךָshif.cha.Te./khamaidservant/ your וְאָנֹכִי֙ve./'a.no.Khiand/ I לֹ֣אlo'not אֶֽהְיֶ֔ה'eh.YehI am כְּאַחַ֖תke./'a.Chatlike/ one of שִׁפְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃shif.cho.Tei./khamaidservants/ your

King James Version

Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.

Cross-references

1 Samuel 1:18 “May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began to eat, and her face was no longer downcast.
Genesis 33:8 “What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.
Genesis 34:3 And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke to her tenderly.
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
Genesis 33:10 But Jacob insisted, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then receive this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, since you have received me favorably.
Genesis 33:15 “Let me leave some of my people with you,” Esau said. But Jacob replied, “Why do that? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”
Genesis 43:14 May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
1 Samuel 25:41 She arose, bowed facedown, and said, “Here is your servant, ready to serve and to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”
2 Samuel 16:4 So the king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I humbly bow before you,” said Ziba. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king!”
Judges 19:3 her husband got up and went after her to speak kindly to her and bring her back, taking his servant and a pair of donkeys. So the girl brought him into her father’s house, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him.