Ruth 3
Modern English Version
Ruth’s Redemption
3 One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, why should I not find a home that will be good for you? 2 Now is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you have been working? Tonight he winnows barley on the threshing floor. 3 Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, notice the place where he is lying. Go in and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what you will do.”
5 She said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.” 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did all that her mother-in-law had instructed.
7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 At midnight, the man was startled and rolled over; and there, a woman was lying at his feet.
9 He said, “Who are you?”
And she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Spread your cloak over me, for you are a redeeming kinsman.”
10 He said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter. You have shown your last act of kindness to be greater than the first, because you have not pursued young men, whether poor or rich. 11 So now, my daughter, do not worry. All that you ask me, I will do for you. All of my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character. 12 Now it is true that I am a redeeming kinsman. Yet there is another redeemer closer than I am. 13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning if he wants to redeem you, very well. Let him do so. Yet if he does not want to redeem you, then I will redeem you. I will, as the Lord lives! Sleep here until morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, “It must not be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.”
15 He said, “Bring me the shawl you have on you, and hold it.” So she held it, and he poured six measures of barley into it and placed it on her. Then she went into the city.
16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi said, “How did it go, my daughter?”
Then she told her all that Boaz had done for her. 17 She said, “He gave me these six ephahs of barley, for he said to me, ‘Do not return to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ”
18 Then Naomi said, “Wait here, my daughter, until you learn what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”
Ruth 3
New King James Version
Ruth’s Redemption Assured
3 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, (A)shall I not seek (B)security[a] for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Now Boaz, (C)whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Therefore wash yourself and (D)anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.”
5 And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.”
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her. 7 And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and (E)his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
8 Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 And he said, “Who are you?”
So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. (F)Take[b] your maidservant under your wing, for you are (G)a [c]close relative.”
10 Then he said, (H)“Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than (I)at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a (J)virtuous woman. 12 Now it is true that I am a (K)close relative; however, (L)there is a relative closer than I. 13 Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will (M)perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, (N)as the Lord lives! Lie down until morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, (O)“Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Also he said, “Bring the [d]shawl that is on you and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then [e]she went into the city.
16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, [f]“Is that you, my daughter?”
Then she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 And she said, “These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, ‘Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ”
18 Then she said, (P)“Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
