Ruth 3:1-18
3 Naʹo·mi her mother-in-law now said to her: “My daughter, ought I not to look for a resting-place+ for you, that it may go well with you?
2 And now, is not Boʹaz, with whose young women you have continued, our kinsman?+ Look! He is winnowing+ barley at the threshing floor tonight.
3 And you must wash and rub yourself with oil+ and put your mantles upon you+ and go down to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
4 And it should occur that when he lies down, you must also take note of the place where he lies down; and you must come and uncover him at his feet and lie down; and he, for his part, will tell you what you ought to do.”
5 At that she said to her: “All that you say to me* I shall do.”
6 And she proceeded to go down to the threshing floor and to do according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her.
7 Meantime Boʹaz ate and drank, and his heart was feeling good.+ Then he went to lie down at the extremity of the grain heap. After that she came stealthily and uncovered him at his feet and lay down.
8 And it came about at midnight that the man began to tremble. So he bent himself forward, and, look! a woman lying at his feet!
9 Then he said: “Who are you?” In turn she said: “I am Ruth your slave girl, and you must spread out your skirt over your slave girl, for you are a repurchaser.”+
10 At that he said: “Blessed may you be of Jehovah,+ my daughter. You have expressed your loving-kindness+ better in the last instance than in the first instance,+ in not going after the young fellows whether lowly or rich.
11 And now, my daughter, do not be afraid. All that you say I shall do for you,+ for everyone in the gate* of my people is aware that you are an excellent woman.+
12 And now while it is a fact that I am a repurchaser,+ there is also a repurchaser closer related than I am.+
13 Lodge here tonight, and it must occur in the morning that if he will repurchase+ you, fine! Let him do the repurchasing. But if he does not take delight in repurchasing you, I will then repurchase you, I myself, as sure as Jehovah lives.+ Keep lying down until the morning.”
14 And she kept lying at his feet until the morning and then got up before anyone could recognize another. He now said: “Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.”+
15 And he went on to say: “Bring the cloak that is on you, and hold it open.” So she held it open, and he proceeded to measure out six measures* of barley and to place it upon her, after which he* went into the city.
16 And she went her way to her mother-in-law, who now said: “Who are you, my daughter?” Accordingly she told her everything that the man had done to her.
17 And she went on to say: “These six measures of barley he gave me, for he said to me,* ‘Do not come empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’”+
18 At that she said: “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out, for the man will have no rest unless he has brought the matter to an end today.”+
Footnotes
^ “To me,” TSy. Many Heb. mss do not have these words but have the qere vowel points for these words after “say.” Compare Jg 20:13 ftn.
^ Or, “city.”
^ According to rabbinical sources these were six seah measures, or 44 L (40 dry qt). This was likely all that she could carry on her head.
^ “He,” M; SyVg, “she.”
^ “To me,” TLXXSy and the qere vowel points of many Heb. mss. See vs 5 ftn.
