Bethlehem means House of Bread. Boaz, the wealthy owner of the field where Ruth gleans, comes from Bethlehem (Ruth 2:4), and God thereby shows that the man hails from a place of plenty. Behind the name lies the biblical metaphor of bread as a symbol of God's Word. Boaz is a type of Christ, and Ruth represents the Christian being redeemed. So the origin of the one who provides for her points to the abundant spiritual nourishment Christ supplies. His field is sufficient to supply all that she needs to be filled, just as Christ's teaching is sufficient to feed His people. Boaz therefore commands Ruth not to gather in any other field, which is the equivalent of Christ telling us not to gather spiritual food from any other source. Boaz's name, meaning "in him is strength," adds to this picture of a trustworthy man from a place of plenty.