Ruth 3
3
Encounter at the threshing floor
1Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I seek security for you, so that things might go well for you? 2Now isn’t Boaz, whose young women you were with, our relative? Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. 3You should bathe, put on some perfume, wear nice clothes, and then go down to the threshing floor. Don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4When he lies down, notice the place where he is lying. Then go, uncover his feet, and lie down. And he will tell you what to do.”
5Ruth replied to her, “I’ll do everything you are telling me.”
6So she went down to the threshing floor, and she did everything just as her mother-in-law had ordered.
7Boaz ate and drank, and he was in a good mood. He went over to lie down by the edge of the grain pile. Then she quietly approached, uncovered his legs, and lay down. 8During the middle of the night, the man shuddered and turned over—and there was a woman lying at his feet. 9“Who are you?” he asked.
She replied, “I’m Ruth your servant. Spread out your robe#3.9 Or wing; cf 2:12; Ps 91:4 over your servant, because you are a redeemer.”
10He said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, my daughter! You have acted even more faithfully than you did at first. You haven’t gone after rich or poor young men. 11And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I’ll do for you everything you are asking. Indeed, my people—all who are at the gate—know that you are a woman of worth. 12Now, although it’s certainly true that I’m a redeemer, there’s a redeemer who is a closer relative than I am. 13Stay the night. And in the morning, if he’ll redeem you—good, let him redeem. But if he doesn’t want to redeem you, then—as the LORD lives—I myself will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”
14So she lay at his feet until morning. Then she got up before one person could recognize another, for he had said, “No one should know that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15He said, “Bring the cloak that you have on and hold it out.” She held it out, and he measured out six measures of barley and placed it upon her. Then she#3.15 MT he; other Heb sources, Syr, Vulg she went into town.
16She came to her mother-in-law, who said, “How are you, my daughter?”
So Ruth told her everything the man had done for her. 17She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said to me, ‘Don’t go away empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’”
18“Sit tight, my daughter,” Naomi replied, “until you know how it turns out. The man won’t rest until he resolves the matter today.”
Currently Selected:
Ruth 3: CEB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.