Boaz Will Redeem Ruth

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? Now then, is Boaz not (A)our relative, with whose young women you were? Behold, he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight. 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. 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.” And 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. 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. 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. 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

  1. Ruth 3:1 Lit a resting place
  2. Ruth 3:4 Lit know
  3. Ruth 3:8 Or tossed around
  4. Ruth 3:11 Lit the gate of my people know
  5. Ruth 3:13 Or act as close relative to
  6. Ruth 3:13 Or act as close relative to
  7. Ruth 3:15 Many mss; MT he
  8. Ruth 3:16 Lit Who are you?
  9. Ruth 3:18 Lit falls
  10. Ruth 3:18 Lit finished the matter

Ruth’s Redemption Assured

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? 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. 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. 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.”

And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.”

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

Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. 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.”

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 3:1 Lit. rest
  2. Ruth 3:9 Or Spread the corner of your garment over your maidservant
  3. Ruth 3:9 redeemer, Heb. goel
  4. Ruth 3:15 cloak
  5. Ruth 3:15 Many Heb. mss., Syr., Vg. she; MT, LXX, Tg. he
  6. Ruth 3:16 Or How are you,

Boaz Will Redeem Ruth

Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to Ruth, “My daughter, shall I not look for [a]security and a home for you, so that it may be well with you? Now Boaz, with whose maids you were [working], is he not our relative? See now, he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight. So wash and anoint yourself [with olive oil], then put on your [[b]best] clothes, and go down to the threshing floor; [c]but stay out of the man’s sight until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, notice the place where he is lying, and [d]go and uncover his feet and lie down. Then he will tell you what to do.” Ruth answered her, “I will do everything that you say.”

So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had told her. When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was happy, he went to lie down at the end of the stack of grain. Then Ruth came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night the man was startled and he turned over, and found a woman lying at his feet. So he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maid. Spread the hem of your garment over me, for you are a close relative and redeemer.” 10 Then he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made your last kindness better than the first; for you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 Now, my daughter, do not be afraid. I will do for you whatever you ask, since all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence. 12 It is true that I am your close relative and redeemer; however, there is a relative closer [to you] than I. 13 Spend the night [here], and in the morning if he will redeem you, fine; let him do it. But if he does not wish to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”

14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but got up before anyone could recognize another; Boaz said, “[e]Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor [last night].” 15 He also said, “Give me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” So Ruth held it and he measured out six measures of barley [into it] and placed it on her. And she went into the city. 16 When she came home, her mother-in-law said, “How did it go, my daughter?” And Ruth told her everything that the man had done for her. 17 She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, and he said to me, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” 18 Then Naomi said, “Sit and wait, my daughter, until you learn how this matter turns out; for the man will not rest until he has settled it today.”

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 3:1 Lit rest.
  2. Ruth 3:3 One rabbi said that these were special garments for the Sabbath.
  3. Ruth 3:3 Lit do not reveal yourself to the man.
  4. Ruth 3:4 By her action Ruth was expressing her desire and willingness to marry Boaz.
  5. Ruth 3:14 The wording suggests that this was a command Boaz gave to others who were near him on the threshing floor.

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.