Boaz's phrase 'under whose wings you have come to take refuge' is a powerful metaphor. Commentators explain it evokes the image of a mother bird protecting her young, as seen in the Psalms. It also alludes to the cherubim's wings over the mercy seat, symbolizing God's holy presence. For Ruth, a foreigner, it signifies her conversion and her act of placing her trust entirely in the protection and care of Israel's God.