Ruth 3
Legacy Standard Bible
Boaz Will Redeem Ruth
3 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek a state of rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 And now, is not Boaz (A)our [a]kinsman, with whose young women you were? Behold, he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight. 3 So you shall wash yourself and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes, and you shall go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 Let it be that when he lies down, you shall know the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do.” 5 She said to her, “(B)All that you say I will do.”
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And Boaz ate and drank and (C)his heart was merry, and he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 Then it happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and [b]bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 And he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maidservant. So spread your (D)wing over your maidservant, for you are a kinsman redeemer.” 10 Then he said, “(E)May you be blessed of Yahweh, my daughter. You have shown your last lovingkindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 So now, my daughter, do not fear. All that you say, I will do for you; for all my people within the gates of the city know that you are (F)a woman of excellence. 12 But now it is true I am a kinsman redeemer; however, there is a kinsman redeemer closer than I. 13 Stay this night, and it will be in the morning that, (G)if he will [c]redeem you, good; let him redeem you. But if he does not desire to [d]redeem you, then I will redeem you, (H)as Yahweh lives. Lie down until morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until morning and rose before one could recognize another; and he said, “(I)Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Give me the cloak that is on you and hold it.” So she held it, and he measured six measures of barley and placed it on her. Then [e]she went into the city. 16 Then she came to her mother-in-law, and she said, “[f]How did it go, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 She said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty.’” 18 Then she said, “Sit, then, my daughter, until you know how the matter falls into place; for the man will not remain quiet until he has finished the matter today.”
Ruth 3
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Ruth’s Appeal to Boaz
3 Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I find security for you, so that you will be taken care of? 2 Now isn’t Boaz our relative?(A) Haven’t you been working with his female servants? This evening he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash, put on perfumed oil, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, notice the place where he’s lying, go in and uncover his feet, and lie down. Then he will explain to you what you should do.”
5 So Ruth said to her, “I will do everything you say.”[a] 6 She went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her. 7 After Boaz ate, drank, and was in good spirits,[b] he went to lie down at the end of the pile of barley. Then she went in secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
8 At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman! 9 So he asked, “Who are you?”
“I am Ruth, your slave,” she replied. “Spread your cloak[c] over me,(B) for you are a family redeemer.”(C)
10 Then he said, “May the Lord bless you,(D) my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before,[d] because you have not pursued younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 Now don’t be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you say,[e] since all the people in my town[f] know that you are a woman of noble character.(E) 12 Yes, it is true that I am a family redeemer, but there is a redeemer closer than I am. 13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, that’s good.(F) Let him redeem you. But if he doesn’t want to redeem you, as the Lord lives,(G) I will. Now lie down until morning.”
14 So she lay down at his feet until morning but got up while it was still dark.[g] Then Boaz said, “Don’t let it be known that a[h] woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he told Ruth, “Bring the shawl you’re wearing and hold it out.” When she held it out, he shoveled six measures of barley into her shawl, and she[i] went into the town.
16 She went to her mother-in-law, Naomi, who asked her, “How did it go,[j] my daughter?”
Then Ruth told her everything the man had done for her. 17 She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, because he said,[k] ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”
18 Naomi said, “My daughter, wait until you find out how things go, for he won’t rest unless he resolves this today.”
Footnotes
- Ruth 3:5 Alt Hb tradition reads say to me
- Ruth 3:7 Lit and his heart was glad
- Ruth 3:9 Or Spread the edge of your garment; lit Spread the wing of your garment; Ru 2:12
- Ruth 3:10 Lit kindness at the last than at the first
- Ruth 3:11 Some Hb mss, Orig, Syr, Tg, Vg read say to me
- Ruth 3:11 Lit all the gate of my people
- Ruth 3:14 Lit up before a man could recognize his companion
- Ruth 3:14 LXX; MT reads the
- Ruth 3:15 Some Hb mss, Aram, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read he
- Ruth 3:16 Lit Who are you
- Ruth 3:17 Alt Hb tradition, LXX, Syr, Tg read said to me
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