Ruth 3:6-15

Holman Christian Standard Bible

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,^[a] 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^[b] over me,^(A) for you are a family redeemer.”^(B)

¹⁰ Then he said, “May the Lord bless you,^(C) 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.^{(D) 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.^(E) Let him redeem you. But if he doesn’t want to redeem you, as the Lord lives,^(F) 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.