⁶ So she went down to the threshing floor, and she did everything that her mother-in-law had commanded her to do.

⁷ After Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was happy, he went to lie down at the edge of the grain pile. Then Ruth came up to him quietly, and she uncovered his legs and lay down there. ⁸ In the middle of the night, the man was startled^[a] and turned over, and there was a woman lying on his legs!^[b]

⁹ He said, “Who are you?”

She said, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread out the skirt of your robe^[c] over your servant, for you are a family redeemer.”

¹⁰ Then he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter! You have made your last act of kindness better than the first by not going to look for a young man, whether poor or rich. ¹¹ So now, my daughter, do not be afraid. I will do everything that you are asking. Indeed, all the people at the city gate^[d] know that you are an honorable woman. ¹² Now it is indeed true—certainly I am a family redeemer—but nevertheless there is a redeemer who is closer than I am. ¹³ Spend the night here. If in the morning he acts as a redeemer for you, good. Let him redeem. But if he does not want to act as a redeemer for you, then I will act as a redeemer for you myself, as the Lord lives! Lie down here until morning.”

¹⁴ So she lay down at his feet until morning. She got up before it was light enough for anyone to recognize a person.

But Boaz thought, “No one should know that a woman came to the threshing floor.” ¹⁵ So he said, “Come here and hold out the shawl that you are wearing.” So she held it out. He measured out six scoops^[e] of barley into it for her to carry home. Then he^[f] returned to town.