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
Ruth 3
New American Standard Bible
Boaz Will Redeem Ruth
3 Then her mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek [a]security for you, that it may go well for you? 2 Now then, is Boaz not (A)our relative, with whose young women you were? Behold, he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight. 3 Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor; but do not reveal yourself to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 And it shall be when he lies down, that you shall [b]take notice of the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you should do.” 5 And 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 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and (C)his heart was cheerful, 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 And it happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and [c]bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 So he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your slave. Now spread your garment over your slave, for you are a redeemer.” 10 Then he said, “(D)May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first, by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 So now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you say, for all [d]my people in the city know that you are (E)a woman of excellence. 12 But now, although it is true that I am a redeemer, yet there is also a redeemer more closely related than I. 13 Remain this night, and when morning comes, (F)if he will [e]redeem you, good; let him redeem you. But if he does not wish to [f]redeem you, then I will redeem you, (G)as the Lord lives. Lie down until morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and got up before one person could recognize another; and he said, “(H)Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Again he said, “Give me the shawl that is on you and hold it.” So she held it, and he measured six measures of barley and laid it on her. Then [g]she went into the city. 16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “[h]How did it go, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 She also said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” 18 Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter [i]turns out; for the man will not rest until he has [j]settled it today.”
Footnotes
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.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
