Naomi's Plan
Study note
Naomi wanted to find Ruth a permanent home with a husband. She knew Boaz would be winnowing barley that night at the threshing floor. Winnowing was the process of tossing grain into the air so the wind could blow away the lightweight outer shells, leaving the heavier kernels. Workers often slept at the threshing floor to guard their grain. Naomi told Ruth to wash, put on her best clothes, and go to the threshing floor after Boaz had finished eating. Uncovering his feet and lying down was a culturally recognized way of asking for his protection and proposing marriage.
1 One day Naomi told Ruth, "My daughter, I want to help you find a good home with a husband who will take care of you." Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
2 "Here is what I am thinking: Boaz, whose servant women you have been working alongside, is our relative. Tonight he will be at the threshing floor, winnowing barley." Winnowing involved tossing grain into the air so the breeze would carry off the lightweight husks while the heavier grain fell back down. And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
3 "So here is what you should do: Take a bath, put on some perfume, and dress in your finest outfit. Then go down to the threshing floor. But stay out of sight until Boaz has finished his dinner and drinks." Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
4 "Once he lies down for the night, pay close attention to where he settles. Then go over quietly, pull back the covering from his feet, and lie down there. He will tell you what to do from that point on." And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
5 Ruth said, "I will do exactly what you have told me." And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
Ruth Approaches Boaz
Study note
Ruth followed Naomi's instructions exactly. At midnight Boaz woke up startled to find a woman lying at his feet. Ruth identified herself and asked him to spread his covering over her, which was a symbolic way of asking him to marry her and act as her kinsman-redeemer. The Hebrew word for 'covering' is the same word used for 'wings' in chapter 2, connecting Boaz's earlier blessing about God's wings with Ruth's request for Boaz's protection.
6 She went down to the threshing floor and followed all of her mother-in-law's instructions. And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
7 After Boaz had eaten and drunk his fill and was in good spirits, he lay down to sleep at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth crept over quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
8 Sometime in the middle of the night, Boaz suddenly woke up and rolled over. He was startled to discover a woman lying at his feet. And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 "Who are you?" he whispered. She answered, "I am Ruth, your servant. Please spread the edge of your garment over me, because you are my family redeemer." And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
Boaz Accepts but Reveals a Closer Relative
Study note
Boaz praised Ruth for choosing him instead of a younger man. He called her a virtuous woman, the same Hebrew word used for the excellent wife in Proverbs 31. He agreed to redeem her, but there was a complication: another relative had a closer legal claim. In Israelite law, the duty of the kinsman-redeemer went first to the nearest relative. Boaz promised to settle the matter the next day. He told Ruth to stay until morning but to leave early so no one would misunderstand the situation.
10 Boaz responded, "May the Lord bless you, my daughter. What you are doing right now shows even greater loyalty than what you showed before. You could have gone after any of the younger men, rich or poor, but you did not." And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
11 "Do not worry about a thing, my daughter. I will take care of everything you are asking. Everyone in town knows you are a woman of outstanding character." And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
12 "Now, it is true that I am a relative who has the right to redeem you. But there is a closer relative than me who has first right." And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
13 "Stay here tonight. Tomorrow morning, if the closer relative chooses to step up and fulfill his duty as your redeemer, then fine -- let him do it. But if he decides not to, then I give you my word -- as surely as the Lord lives -- I will redeem you myself. Now rest here until morning." Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.
14 Ruth lay at his feet until dawn. She got up while it was still too dark for anyone to recognize her. Boaz said quietly, "Nobody should know that a woman was here at the threshing floor tonight." And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
Ruth Returns to Naomi
Study note
Before Ruth left, Boaz filled her shawl with six measures of barley as a gift for Naomi. This generous gift showed his serious intentions. When Ruth told Naomi everything, Naomi wisely said to wait. She knew Boaz was a man of action who would settle the matter that very day.
15 Then Boaz told her, "Hold out the shawl you are wearing." When she spread it open, he measured out six generous scoops of barley and loaded them onto her back. Then Ruth headed back into town. Also he said, Bring the veil that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.
16 When Ruth got home, Naomi asked eagerly, "How did it go, my daughter?" Ruth described everything Boaz had said and done. And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
17 She added, "He gave me all this barley and said, 'You should not go home to your mother-in-law empty-handed.'" And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
18 Naomi said, "Be patient and wait, my daughter. Boaz will not let this drag on. He will get everything settled before today is over." Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.