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Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to Ruth, My daughter, shall I not seek rest or a home for you, that you may prosper?

And now is not Boaz, with whose maidens you were, our relative? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.

Wash and anoint yourself therefore, 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.

But when he lies down, notice the place where he lies; then go and uncover his feet and lie down. And he will tell you what to do.

And Ruth said to her, All that you say to me I will do.

So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had told 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 grain. Then [Ruth] came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down.

At midnight the man was startled, and he turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet!

And he said, Who are you? And she answered, I am Ruth your maidservant. Spread your wing [of protection] over your maidservant, for you are a next of kin.

10 And he said, Blessed be you of the Lord, my daughter. For you have made this last loving-kindness greater than the former, for you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich.

11 And now, my daughter, fear not. I will do for you all you require, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of strength (worth, bravery, capability).

12 It is true that I am your near kinsman; however, there is a kinsman nearer than I.

13 Remain tonight, and in the morning if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, good; let him do it. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman for you, then, as the Lord lives, I will do the part of a kinsman for you. Lie down until the morning.

14 And she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another; for he said, Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.

15 Also he said, Bring the mantle you are wearing and hold it. So [Ruth] held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and laid it on her. And she went into the town.

16 And when she came home, her mother-in-law said, How have you fared, my daughter? And Ruth told her all that the man had done for her.

17 And she said, He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said to me, Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.

18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out; for the man will not rest until he finishes the matter today.

Then Boaz went up to the city’s gate and sat down there, and behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken came by. He said to him, Ho! Turn aside and sit down here. So he turned aside and sat down.

And Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city and said, Sit down here. And they sat down.

And he said to the kinsman, Naomi, who has returned from the country of Moab, has sold the parcel of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.

And I thought to let you hear of it, saying, Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then say so, that I may know; for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I am [next of kin] after you. And he said, I will redeem it.

Then Boaz said, The day you buy the field of Naomi, you must buy also Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the dead man, to restore the name of the dead to his inheritance.

And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest [by marrying a Moabitess] I endanger my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.(A)

Now formerly in Israel this was the custom concerning redeeming and exchanging. To confirm a transaction, a man pulled off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the way of attesting in Israel.

Therefore, when the kinsman said to Boaz, Buy it for yourself, he pulled off his sandal.

And Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s from the hand of Naomi.

10 Also Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife to restore the name of the dead to his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his birthplace. You are witnesses this day.

11 And all the people at the gate and the elders said, We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the household of Israel. May you do worthily and get wealth (power) in Ephratah and be famous in Bethlehem.

12 And let your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you by this young woman.

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord caused her to conceive, and she bore a son.

14 And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, Who has not left you this day without a close kinsman, and may his name be famous in Israel.

15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher and supporter in your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.

16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom and became his nurse.

17 And her neighbor women gave him a name, saying, A son is born to Naomi. They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David [the ancestor of Jesus Christ].

18 Now these are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron,

19 Hezron of Ram, Ram of Amminadab,

20 Amminadab of Nahshon, Nahshon of Salmon,

21 Salmon of Boaz, Boaz of Obed,

22 Obed of Jesse, and Jesse of David [the ancestor of Jesus Christ].

Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi(A) said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home[a](B) for you, where you will be well provided for. Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative(C) of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.(D) Wash,(E) put on perfume,(F) and get dressed in your best clothes.(G) Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.(H) When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

“I will do whatever you say,”(I) Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor(J) and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits,(K) he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile.(L) Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!

“Who are you?” he asked.

“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment(M) over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer[b](N) of our family.”

10 “The Lord bless you,(O) my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier:(P) You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.(Q) 12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family,(R) there is another who is more closely related than(S) I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer,(T) good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives(U) I will do it.(V) Lie here until morning.”

14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.(W)(X)

15 He also said, “Bring me the shawl(Y) you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he[c] went back to town.

16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”

Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her 17 and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

18 Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”(Z)

Boaz Marries Ruth

Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate(AA) and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer[d](AB) he had mentioned(AC) came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

Boaz took ten of the elders(AD) of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.(AE) Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.(AF) I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you[e] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you,(AG) and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite,(AH) the[f] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”(AI)

At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem(AJ) it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”(AK)

(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption(AL) and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal(AM) and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions(AN) in Israel.)(AO)

So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.(AP)

Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses(AQ) that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite,(AR) Mahlon’s widow, as my wife,(AS) in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown.(AT) Today you are witnesses!(AU)

11 Then the elders and all the people at the gate(AV) said, “We are witnesses.(AW) May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah,(AX) who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah(AY) and be famous in Bethlehem.(AZ) 12 Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez,(BA) whom Tamar(BB) bore to Judah.”

Naomi Gains a Son

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive,(BC) and she gave birth to a son.(BD) 14 The women(BE) said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord,(BF) who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer.(BG) May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law,(BH) who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons,(BI) has given him birth.”

16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse,(BJ) the father of David.(BK)

The Genealogy of David(BL)

18 This, then, is the family line of Perez(BM):

Perez was the father of Hezron,(BN)

19 Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,(BO)

20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,(BP)

Nahshon the father of Salmon,[g]

21 Salmon the father of Boaz,(BQ)

Boaz the father of Obed,

22 Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of David.

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 3:1 Hebrew find rest (see 1:9)
  2. Ruth 3:9 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55); also in verses 12 and 13.
  3. Ruth 3:15 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac she
  4. Ruth 4:1 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55); also in verses 3, 6, 8 and 14.
  5. Ruth 4:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts he
  6. Ruth 4:5 Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew (see also Septuagint) Naomi and from Ruth the Moabite, you acquire the
  7. Ruth 4:20 A few Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 21 and Septuagint of 1 Chron. 2:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Salma