Unshaken_Ruth by Francine Rivers

Author:Francine Rivers [Rivers, Francine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical
ISBN: 9780842335973
Amazon: 0842335978
Goodreads: 95610
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Published: 2001-03-01T00:00:00+00:00

“He’s not married?” Naomi said in surprise, feeling a pang of guilt at this bit of information given to her by Sigal, a friend from years past. “What’s wrong with the man that he’s not taken a wife by this age?”

“Nothing.” Sigal poured grains of wheat onto the grinding stone. “He probably never had time to seek a wife. He’s poured his life into building up his estate. Boaz isn’t like other landowners. He’s out there in the fields every day. And when he’s not, he’s at the city gate helping settle disputes.”

“What good is an estate without sons to inherit?”

“He’s not in the grave yet, Naomi. He can still look for a wife, if he has a mind to do so. Believe me, there are plenty of fathers who would throw their daughters at Boaz if he broached the subject of marriage. He’s become the wealth-iest man in Bethlehem.”

“And probably the loneliest.”

Sigal gave a snort of laughter. “The man has no time to be lonely.”

“Still, it’s a pity he isn’t married.”

“Maybe he’s waiting for the perfect woman, someone beautiful and intelligent and who has the faith of his mother. Some men have expectations so high they can never be met.”

“Some men want a wife who will love them.”

“Boaz is loved and respected by everyone in Bethlehem.”

“I mean he might be waiting for someone to fall in love with him.”

“I doubt that. Most men know love takes time. As long as the girl respects her husband, there’s every reason to hope for a happy marriage.”

“You are a wise woman, Sigal.”

“I always was.”

Naomi couldn’t help wondering. Had she hurt Boaz so badly he never dared ask another woman to marry him? She felt grieved at that thought. Surely that wasn’t the reason he had remained without a wife. Boaz was too sensible to give up marriage just because of one foolish girl.

Should she ask him about it?

Her heart lurched. No! Never! She couldn’t say a word about the past without embarrassing Boaz and possibly jeopardizing the future. She wanted to make up for the pain she had caused him so many years ago. Whatever his reasons for not taking a wife, it made her sad to think of him living out his life alone. A man was not meant to be alone. And certainly not a man like Boaz. God had blessed him with land and possessions, but surely it was a sign that He had not blessed the man with the one thing he needed to fulfill his life: a wife who would bear him sons. The man should have a family of his own.

“I remember a rumor I heard years ago,” Sigal said, con-tinuing to grind wheat. “About you and Boaz.” She gave Naomi a teasing smile.

“Rumors aren’t worth the sand we walk on,” Naomi said. If the rumor was revived, it would only serve to humiliate a good man. “Elimelech paid my father the bride-price when I was fourteen.”

“All the young women were envious of you. Elimelech was very handsome.

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