Ruth 3
3
Naomi’s Plan for Ruth’s Marriage
1Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I try to look for a home that would be good for you? 2Isn’t Boaz, whose young women you’ve been working with, our relative? He will be separating the barley from its husks on the threshing floor #3:2 A threshing floor is an outdoor area where grain is separated from its husks. tonight. 3Freshen up, put on some perfume, dress up, and go down to the threshing floor. Don’t let him know that you’re there until he’s finished eating and drinking. 4When he lies down, notice the place where he is lying. Then uncover his feet, and lie down there. He will make it clear what you must do.”
5Ruth answered her, “I will do whatever you say.”
Ruth at the Feet of Boaz
6Ruth went to the threshing floor and did exactly as her mother-in-law had directed her. 7Boaz had eaten and drunk to his heart’s content, so he went and lay at the edge of a pile of grain. Then she went over to him secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
8At midnight the man was shivering. When he turned over, he was surprised to see a woman lying at his feet. 9“Who are you?” he asked.
She answered, “I am Ruth. Spread the corner of your garment over me because you are a close relative who can take care of me.”
10Boaz replied, “May the Lord bless you, my daughter. This last kindness—that you didn’t go after the younger men, whether rich or poor—is better than the first. 11Don’t be afraid, my daughter. I will do whatever you say. The whole town knows that you are a woman who has strength of character. 12It is true that I am a close relative of yours, but there is a relative closer than I. 13Stay here tonight. In the morning if he will agree to take care of you, that is good. He can take care of you. But if he does not wish to take care of you, then, I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, I will take care of you myself. Lie down until morning.”
Ruth Returns to Bethlehem
14So Ruth lay at his feet until morning. Then she got up early before anyone could be recognized. At that moment Boaz thought to himself, “I hope that no one will ever know that this woman came to the threshing floor.”
15Then Boaz told Ruth, “Stretch out the cape you’re wearing and hold it tight.” So she held it tight while he measured out six measures of barley. Then he placed it on her ⌞back⌟ and went into the town.
16When Ruth returned, her mother-in-law Naomi asked, “How did things go, my daughter?”
Ruth told Naomi everything the man had done for her. 17She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley and told me not to come back to you empty-handed.”
18Naomi replied, “Stay here, my daughter, until you know how it turns out. The man won’t rest unless he settles this matter today.”
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Ruth 3
3
Ruth and Boaz at the threshing-floor
1One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, ‘My daughter, I must find a home#3:1 Hebrew find rest (see 1:9) for you, where you will be well provided for. 2Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing-floor. 3Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing-floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 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,’ Ruth answered. 6So she went down to the threshing-floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.
7When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. 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 over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer#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. of our family.’
10‘The Lord bless you, my daughter,’ he replied. ‘This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: 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. 12Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. 13Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.’
14So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognised; and he said, ‘No-one must know that a woman came to the threshing-floor.’
15He also said, ‘Bring me the shawl 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#3:15 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac she 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.’
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