Ruth 3
The Message
3 1-2 One day her mother-in-law Naomi said to Ruth, “My dear daughter, isn’t it about time I arranged a good home for you so you can have a happy life? And isn’t Boaz our close relative, the one with whose young women you’ve been working? Maybe it’s time to make our move. Tonight is the night of Boaz’s barley harvest at the threshing floor.
3-4 “Take a bath. Put on some perfume. Get all dressed up and go to the threshing floor. But don’t let him know you’re there until the party is well under way and he’s had plenty of food and drink. When you see him slipping off to sleep, watch where he lies down and then go there. Lie at his feet to let him know that you are available to him for marriage. Then wait and see what he says. He’ll tell you what to do.”
5 Ruth said, “If you say so, I’ll do it, just as you’ve told me.”
6 She went down to the threshing floor and put her mother-in-law’s plan into action.
7 Boaz had a good time, eating and drinking his fill—he felt great. Then he went off to get some sleep, lying down at the end of a stack of barley. Ruth quietly followed; she lay down to signal her availability for marriage.
8 In the middle of the night the man was suddenly startled and sat up. What in the world? This woman asleep at his feet!
9 He said, “And who are you?”
She said, “I am Ruth, your maiden; take me under your protecting wing. You’re my close relative, you know, in the circle of covenant redeemers—you do have the right to marry me.”
10-13 He said, “God bless you, my dear daughter! What a splendid expression of love! And when you could have had your pick of any of the young men around. And now, my dear daughter, don’t you worry about a thing; I’ll do all you could want or ask. Everybody in town knows what a courageous woman you are—a real prize! You’re right, I am a close relative to you, but there is one even closer than I am. So stay the rest of the night. In the morning, if he wants to exercise his customary rights and responsibilities as the closest covenant redeemer, he’ll have his chance; but if he isn’t interested, as God lives, I’ll do it. Now go back to sleep until morning.”
14 Ruth slept at his feet until dawn, but she got up while it was still dark and wouldn’t be recognized. Then Boaz said to himself, “No one must know that Ruth came to the threshing floor.”
15 So Boaz said, “Bring the shawl you’re wearing and spread it out.”
She spread it out and he poured it full of barley, six measures, and put it on her shoulders. Then she went back to town.
16-17 When she came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “And how did things go, my dear daughter?”
Ruth told her everything that the man had done for her, adding, “And he gave me all this barley besides—six quarts! He told me, ‘You can’t go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law!’”
18 Naomi said, “Sit back and relax, my dear daughter, until we find out how things turn out; this man isn’t going to waste any time. Mark my words, he’s going to get everything wrapped up today.”
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Ruth 3
Christian Standard Bible
Ruth’s Appeal to Boaz
3 Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I find rest 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 charged her to do. 7 After Boaz ate, drank, and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the end of the pile of barley, and she came 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 servant,” she replied. “Take me under your wing,[b](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,[c] 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,[d] since all the people in my town[e] 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.[f] Then Boaz said, “Don’t let it be known that a[g] 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[h] went into the town.
16 She went to her mother-in-law, Naomi, who asked her, “What happened,[i] 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,[j] ‘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
- 3:5 Alt Hb tradition reads say to me
- 3:9 Or “Spread the edge of your garment; lit “Spread the wing of your garment; Ru 2:12
- 3:10 Lit kindness at the last than at the first
- 3:11 Some Hb mss, Orig, Syr, Tg, Vg read say to me
- 3:11 Lit all the gate of my people
- 3:14 Lit up before a man could recognize his companion
- 3:14 LXX; MT reads the
- 3:15 Some Hb mss, Aramaic, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read he
- 3:16 Lit “Who are you
- 3:17 Alt Hb tradition, LXX, Syr, Tg read said to me
Rut 3
Hoffnung für Alle
Ruth wagt einen mutigen Schritt
3 Eines Tages sagte Noomi zu Ruth: »Ich möchte dir helfen, einen Mann und ein neues Zuhause zu finden, damit du gut versorgt bist. 2 Du hast doch mit den Mägden von Boas zusammengearbeitet, er ist ja unser Verwandter. Nun hör gut zu: Heute Abend ist er auf seinem Dreschplatz und trennt die Spreu von der Gerste. 3 Nimm ein Bad, verwende duftende Salben, zieh dein schönstes Kleid an und geh dorthin! Pass auf, dass er dich nicht entdeckt, bevor er gegessen und getrunken hat. 4 Merk dir genau die Stelle, wo er sich hinlegt. Wenn er dann eingeschlafen ist, decke seine Füße auf und leg dich dorthin! Alles Weitere wird er dir schon sagen.«
5 »Gut«, erwiderte Ruth, »ich will deinen Rat befolgen.« 6 Sie ging zum Dreschplatz und verhielt sich genau so, wie ihre Schwiegermutter es vorgeschlagen hatte. 7 Als Boas gegessen und getrunken hatte, legte er sich zufrieden am Rand des Getreidehaufens schlafen. Ruth schlich leise zu ihm, zog die Decke am Fußende seines Lagers ein Stück zurück und legte sich dort auf den Boden.
8 Um Mitternacht fuhr Boas aus dem Schlaf hoch. Er beugte sich vor und entdeckte eine Frau, die zu seinen Füßen lag. 9 »Wer bist du?«, fragte er erstaunt. »Ich bin Ruth«, antwortete sie. »Ich habe eine Bitte: Als naher Verwandter von mir bist du doch dafür verantwortlich, mir in meiner Not zu helfen. Breite den Saum deines Gewandes über mich aus als Zeichen dafür, dass du mich heiraten und versorgen wirst.«
10 »Der Herr segne dich!«, rief Boas. »Jetzt zeigst du noch viel mehr als bisher, wie sehr dir die Familie deiner Schwiegermutter am Herzen liegt! Du bist nicht den jungen Männern nachgelaufen, obwohl du sicher auch einen wohlhabenden hättest finden können. 11 Du brauchst dir keine Sorgen zu machen, ich werde deine Bitte erfüllen. Jeder hier in Bethlehem weiß, dass du eine ehrbare junge Frau bist. 12 Du hast recht, ich bin ein naher Verwandter von euch und habe die Pflicht, für dich zu sorgen. Aber es gibt einen Mann, der noch näher mit dir verwandt ist. 13 Bleib heute Nacht hier! Morgen soll sich der Mann entscheiden, ob er sich deiner annehmen will. Wenn nicht, werde ich es tun. Das schwöre ich dir, so wahr der Herr lebt! Du kannst bis zum Morgen hierbleiben.«
14 Ruth schlief die Nacht über am Fußende seines Lagers; doch bevor es so hell wurde, dass andere sie hätten erkennen können, stand sie auf. Denn Boas hatte gesagt: »Niemand darf erfahren, dass eine Frau bei mir war.« 15 Bevor Ruth den Dreschplatz verließ, forderte Boas sie auf: »Nimm dein Umschlagtuch ab und halte es auf!« Er schüttete gut 25 Kilogramm Gerste hinein, lud ihr das Bündel auf die Schulter und ging dann zurück in die Stadt.
16 Als Ruth zu Hause ankam, fragte Noomi sie: »Wie ist es dir ergangen, meine Tochter?« Ruth berichtete, was Boas ihr geantwortet hatte. 17 »Und diesen halben Zentner Gerste hat er mir geschenkt«, erzählte sie weiter, »er sagte: ›Du sollst nicht mit leeren Händen zu deiner Schwiegermutter zurückkehren!‹« 18 Noomi machte ihr Mut: »Warte jetzt einfach ab, wie es sich entwickelt. Dieser Mann wird nicht eher ruhen, bis er alles zu Ende gebracht hat – ganz sicher wird es noch heute geschehen!«
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Hoffnung für Alle® (Hope for All) Copyright © 1983, 1996, 2002 by Biblica, Inc.®