Ruth 3

New International Version

Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

3 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. ²Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative^(C) of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.^(D) ³Wash,^(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) ⁴When 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.”

⁵“I will do whatever you say,”^(I) Ruth answered. ⁶So she went down to the threshing floor^(J) and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

⁷When 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. ⁸In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!

⁹“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. ¹¹And 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) ¹²Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family,^(R) there is another who is more closely related than^(S) I. ¹³Stay 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.”

¹⁴So 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)

¹⁵He 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.

¹⁶When 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 ¹⁷and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

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

Footnotes

Ruth 3:1 Hebrew find rest (see 1:9)
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.
Ruth 3:15 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac she

Psalm 35

New International Version

Psalm 35

Of David.

¹Contend,^(A) Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight^(B) against those who fight against me.
²Take up shield^(C) and armor;
    arise^(D) and come to my aid.^(E)
³Brandish spear^(F) and javelin^[a]^(G)
    against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
    “I am your salvation.^(H)”

⁴May those who seek my life^(I)
    be disgraced^(J) and put to shame;^(K)
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back^(L) in dismay.
⁵May they be like chaff^(M) before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord^(N) driving them away;
⁶may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

⁷Since they hid their net^(O) for me without cause^(P)
    and without cause dug a pit^(Q) for me,
⁸may ruin overtake them by surprise—^(R)
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit,^(S) to their ruin.
⁹Then my soul will rejoice^(T) in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.^(U)
¹⁰My whole being will exclaim,
    “Who is like you,^(V) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong^(W) for them,
    the poor and needy^(X) from those who rob them.”

¹¹Ruthless witnesses^(Y) come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
¹²They repay me evil for good^(Z)
    and leave me like one bereaved.
¹³Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth^(AA)
    and humbled myself with fasting.^(AB)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
¹⁴    I went about mourning^(AC)
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
¹⁵But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;^(AD)
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered^(AE) me without ceasing.
¹⁶Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;^[b]^(AF)
    they gnashed their teeth^(AG) at me.

¹⁷How long,^(AH) Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life^(AI) from these lions.^(AJ)
¹⁸I will give you thanks in the great assembly;^(AK)
    among the throngs^(AL) I will praise you.^(AM)
¹⁹Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies^(AN) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason^(AO)
    maliciously wink the eye.^(AP)
²⁰They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations^(AQ)
    against those who live quietly in the land.
²¹They sneer^(AR) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!^(AS)
    With our own eyes we have seen it.”

²²Lord, you have seen^(AT) this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far^(AU) from me, Lord.
²³Awake,^(AV) and rise^(AW) to my defense!
    Contend^(AX) for me, my God and Lord.
²⁴Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat^(AY) over me.
²⁵Do not let them think, “Aha,^(AZ) just what we wanted!”
    or say, “We have swallowed him up.”^(BA)

²⁶May all who gloat^(BB) over my distress^(BC)
    be put to shame^(BD) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me^(BE)
    be clothed with shame and disgrace.
²⁷May those who delight in my vindication^(BF)
    shout for joy^(BG) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
    who delights^(BH) in the well-being of his servant.”^(BI)