006_kim_589-601 13/02/15 12:50 Pagina 601 THE AGENT OF ḤESED IN NAOMI’S BLESSING (RUTH 2,20) 601 abandon his ḥesed with the living and the dead. In its search for the agent of ḥesed in Naomi’s blessing, this article also brings out the importance of human activity in the Book of Ruth. Seoul Women’s University Yoo-ki KIM Republic of Korea SUMMARY The ambiguity regarding the agent of ḥesed in Naomi’s blessing in Ru 2,20 has been the focus of interest for commentators, linguists, and transla- tors. For a better resolution of the ambiguity, this article examines the syn- tactic structure of the sentence, seeks a proper understanding of the significance of “ḥesed to the dead”, and sets the blessing in the context of the whole narrative. The findings of our analysis support the argument that it is Boaz who, in Naomi’s words, performed ḥesed to the living and dead mem- bers of her family.