263 SELF-ABASEMENT EXPRESSION THANKS AS AN OF structing an identity of kinship with Boaz 21. This involves reciprocal obligations between the two 22, which no doubt explains why Boaz calls her request an instance of dsj: Ruth seeks to remain within the family she has married into. It is also note- worthy that there is no narration of thanks by Ruth after Boaz’s promise to act in accordance with her request (3,10-13). Is this an omission by the narrator, or does it reflect Boaz’s acceptance of her newly claimed status 23 ? Whatever is the case, it highlights Ruth’s thanks in 2,13 with its lack of obligation to Boaz, because in 3,9 she is obligating herself to Boaz. Ruth’s repeated use of “your servant” (Ètjpç) in Ruth 2,13 indicates that conventional master-slave defence can also be used as self-abasement. A noteworthy example occurs in 2 Sam 14,22: Joab prostrated himself with his face to the ground and did ob- eisance, and blessed the king, and Joab said, “Today your servant (Èdb[) knows that I have found favour in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king granted the request of his servant (wdb[)”. At first sight it seems there is no self-abasement on the part of Joab. His obeisance and use of master-slave deference are in keeping with a subject or an official speaking to the king (cf. Mephibosheth in 2 Sam 9,6; Barzillai, Ziba and Mephibosheth in 2 Sam 19; and the Tekoite woman in 2 Sam 14,4). However, in light of the wider narrative, his obeisance and deference is surpris- ingly polite. Normally he is portrayed as blunt to David and/or Cf. GIANTO, “Variations”, 501, who notes the change in language, espe- 21 cially Ruth’s use of the second person singular hta, arguing that it anticipates the husband-wife relationship at the end of the Book. This rests on the assumption that cultural-anthropological studies of 22 traditional Mediterranean societies, usually applied to the New Testament and classical societies, can be applied here. See B.J. MALINA, “Dealing with Bib- lical (Mediterranean) Characters: a Guide for U.S. Consumers ”, BTB 19 (1989) 127-141; S.S. BARTCHY “ Undermining Ancient Patriarchy: the Apostle Paul’s Vision of a Society of siblings”, BTB 29 (1999) 68-78; B.J. MALINA, The New Testament World. Insights from Cultural Anthropology (Louisville, KY 1993) 122-125 ; P.P. ESLER, Galatians (London 1998) 218-220. C.f. R.M. JOHNSON, The Words in their Mouths. A Linguistic and Lit- 23 erary Analysis of the Dialogues in the Book of Ruth (PhD diss., Vanderbilt University ; Ann Arbor, MI 1993) 147-150, who draws attention to Boaz’s con- trol of the conversation.