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Boaz Will Redeem Ruth

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? 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. 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. 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.” She said to her, “(B)All that you say I will do.”

So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her. 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. 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. 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.”

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 3:2 Or acquaintance
  2. Ruth 3:8 Lit twisted himself
  3. Ruth 3:13 Or act as close relative to
  4. Ruth 3:13 Or act as close relative to
  5. Ruth 3:15 As in many mss; M.T. he
  6. Ruth 3:16 Lit Who are you?

Ruth Meets Boaz at the Threshing Floor

Now Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek for you security that things may be good for you? So then, is not Boaz our kinsman whose maidservants you were with? Look, he is winnowing the barley at the threshing floor tonight. Wash, anoint yourself, put your clothing on, and go down to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man until he finishes eating and drinking. And when he lies, take notice of the place where he lies. And you shall go and uncover[a] his feet and lie down, and he shall tell you what to do.” And she said to her, “I will do all that you say.”

And she went down to the threshing floor and did all that her mother-in-law had instructed her. And Boaz ate and drank until his heart was merry[b] and then he came to lie at the end of the grain heap. And she came in quietly and uncovered[c] his feet and lay down. And it happened in the middle of the night the man was startled and he reached out and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. And he said, “Who are you?” And she said, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your garment[d] over your servant because you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “You are blessed by Yahweh my daughter. You did better in this last kindness than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And so then my daughter, do not be afraid. All that you ask I will do for you, for the entire assembly of my people knows that you are a worthy woman. 12 Now truly I am a redeemer, but there is also a redeemer of a closer relationship than me. 13 Stay tonight,[e] and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good; but if he is not willing to redeem, then as Yahweh lives,[f] I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”

14 So she lay at his feet until morning and got up before anyone could recognize each other.[g] And he said, “It must not be known that you[h] came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the cloak that is on you and hold it out.”[i] And she held it out and he measured six measures of barley and put it on her cloak. Then she went into the city. 16 And she came to her mother-in-law, and she said, “How did it go for you,[j] my daughter?” And she told her all that the man did for her. 17 And she said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘You shall not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” 18 And she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 3:4 Literally “open”
  2. Ruth 3:7 Literally “good”
  3. Ruth 3:7 Literally “opened”
  4. Ruth 3:9 Literally “your wing”
  5. Ruth 3:13 Literally “Spend the night tonight”
  6. Ruth 3:13 Literally “the life of Yahweh”
  7. Ruth 3:14 Literally “a man could recognize his friend”
  8. Ruth 3:14 Literally “the woman”
  9. Ruth 3:15 Literally “hold on her”
  10. Ruth 3:16 Literally “who are you?”