Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.

Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.

And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.

And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.

And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.

10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.

11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.

12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.

13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth: lie down until the morning.

14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.

15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.

16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.

17 And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.

18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

1 Naomi giveth Ruth counsel. 8 She sleepeth at Boaz’s feet. 12 He acknowledgeth himself to be her kinsman.

Afterward Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, shall not I seek [a]rest for thee, that thou mayest prosper?

Now also is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maids thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley tonight in the [b]floor.

Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: let not the [c]man know of thee, until he have left eating and drinking.

And when he shall sleep, mark the place where he layeth him down, and go, and uncover the place of his feet, and lay thee down, and he shall tell thee what thou shalt do.

And she answered her, All that thou biddest me, I will do.

¶ So she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.

And when Boaz had eaten and drunken, and [d]cheered his heart, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn, and she came softly, and uncovered the place of his feet, and lay down.

And at midnight the man was afraid [e]and caught hold: and lo, a woman lay at his feet.

Then he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore the wing of thy garment over thine handmaid: for thou art the kinsman.

10 Then he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: thou hast [f]showed more goodness in the latter end, than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, were they poor or rich.

11 And now, my daughter, fear not: I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.

12 And now, it is true that I am thy kinsman, howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.

13 Tarry tonight, and when morning is come, if he [g]will do the duty of a kinsman unto thee, well, let him do the kinsman’s duty: but if he will not do the kinsman’s part, then will I do the duty of a kinsman, as the Lord liveth: sleep until the morning.

14 ¶ And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she arose before one could know another: for he said, Let no man know, that a woman came into the floor.

15 Also he said, Bring the [h]sheet that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid them on her, and she went into the city.

16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, [i]Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her,

17 And said, These six measures of barley gave he me: for he said to me, Thou shalt not come empty unto thy mother-in-law.

18 Then said she, My daughter, sit still, until thou know how the thing will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he hath finished the matter this same day.

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 3:1 Meaning, that she would provide her of an husband, with whom she might live quietly.
  2. Ruth 3:2 Or, in the barn.
  3. Ruth 3:3 Boaz, nor yet any other.
  4. Ruth 3:7 That is, had refreshed himself among his servants.
  5. Ruth 3:8 Or, turned himself from one side to another.
  6. Ruth 3:10 Thou showest thyself from time to time more virtuous.
  7. Ruth 3:13 If he will take thee to be his wife by the title of affinity, according to God’s law, Deut. 25:5.
  8. Ruth 3:15 Or, mantle.
  9. Ruth 3:16 Perceiving by her coming home, that he had not taken her to his wife, she was astonied.