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Boaz Will Redeem Ruth

Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek a state of rest for you, that it may be well with you? And now, is not Boaz (A)our [a]kinsman, with whose young women you were? Behold, he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight. So you shall wash yourself and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes, and you shall go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. Let it be that when he lies down, you shall know the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do.” She said to her, “(B)All that you say I will do.”

So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her. And Boaz ate and drank and (C)his heart was merry, and he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly and uncovered his feet and lay down. Then it happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and [b]bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. And he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maidservant. So spread your (D)wing over your maidservant, for you are a kinsman redeemer.” 10 Then he said, “(E)May you be blessed of Yahweh, my daughter. You have shown your last lovingkindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 So now, my daughter, do not fear. All that you say, I will do for you; for all my people within the gates of the city know that you are (F)a woman of excellence. 12 But now it is true I am a kinsman redeemer; however, there is a kinsman redeemer closer than I. 13 Stay this night, and it will be in the morning that, (G)if he will [c]redeem you, good; let him redeem you. But if he does not desire to [d]redeem you, then I will redeem you, (H)as Yahweh lives. Lie down until morning.”

14 So she lay at his feet until morning and rose before one could recognize another; and he said, “(I)Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Give me the cloak that is on you and hold it.” So she held it, and he measured six measures of barley and placed it on her. Then [e]she went into the city. 16 Then she came to her mother-in-law, and she said, “[f]How did it go, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 She said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty.’” 18 Then she said, “Sit, then, my daughter, until you know how the matter falls into place; for the man will not remain quiet until he has finished the matter today.”

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 3:2 Or acquaintance
  2. Ruth 3:8 Lit twisted himself
  3. Ruth 3:13 Or act as close relative to
  4. Ruth 3:13 Or act as close relative to
  5. Ruth 3:15 As in many mss; M.T. he
  6. Ruth 3:16 Lit Who are you?

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)

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