Ruth 3:9-4:6

New International Version

⁹ “Who are you?” he asked.

“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment^(A) over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer^[a](B) of our family.”

¹⁰ “The Lord bless you,^(C) my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier:^(D) You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. ¹¹ And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.^{(E) 12} Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family,^(F) there is another who is more closely related than^(G) I. ¹³ Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer,^(H) good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives^(I) I will do it.^(J) Lie here until morning.”

¹⁴ So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.^(K)”^(L)

¹⁵ He also said, “Bring me the shawl^(M) you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he^[b] went back to town.

¹⁶ When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”

Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her ¹⁷ and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

¹⁸ Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”^(N)

Boaz Marries Ruth

4 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate^(O) and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer^[c](P) he had mentioned^(Q) came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

² Boaz took ten of the elders^(R) of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.^{(S) 3} Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.^{(T) 4} I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you^[d] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you,^(U) and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite,^(V) the^[e] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”^(W)

⁶ At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem^(X) it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”^(Y)