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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 and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you.(A) Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.(B) Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.(C) When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” She said to her, “All that you say I will do.”

So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. When Boaz had eaten and drunk and was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came stealthily and uncovered his feet and lay down.(D) At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman! He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin.”[a](E) 10 He said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not be afraid, I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman.(F) 12 But now, though it is true that I am a near kinsman, there is another kinsman more closely related than I.(G) 13 Remain this night, and in the morning, if he will act as next-of-kin[b] for you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to act as next-of-kin[c] for you, then, as the Lord lives, I will act as next-of-kin[d] for you. Lie down until the morning.”(H)

14 So she lay at his feet until morning but got up before one person could recognize another, for he said, “It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Then he said, “Bring the cloak you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her back; then he went into the town. 16 She came to her mother-in-law, who said, “How did things go with you,[e] my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”(I)

Footnotes

  1. 3.9 Or one with the right to redeem
  2. 3.13 Or one with the right to redeem
  3. 3.13 Or one with the right to redeem
  4. 3.13 Or one with the right to redeem
  5. 3.16 Or “Who are you,