3:1 Then her mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek ①security for you, that it may go well for you?
▷ ①Lit a resting place
3:2 Now then, is Boaz not our relative, with whose young women you were? Behold, he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight.
3:3 Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor; but do not reveal yourself to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
3:4 And it shall be when he lies down, that you shall ①take notice of the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you should do.”
▷ ①Lit know
3:5 And she said to her, “All that you say I will do.”
3:6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her.
3:7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down.
3:8 And it happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and ①bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet.
▷ ①Or tossed around
3:9 So he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your slave. Now spread your garment over your slave, for you are a redeemer.”
3:10 Then he said, “May you be blessed of the LORD, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first, by not going after young men, whether poor or rich.
3:11 So now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you say, for all ①my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence.
▷ ①Lit the gate of my people know
3:12 But now, although it is true that I am a redeemer, yet there is also a redeemer more closely related than I.
3:13 Remain this night, and when morning comes, if he will ①redeem you, good; let him redeem you. But if he does not wish to ②redeem you, then I will redeem you, as the LORD lives. Lie down until morning.”
▷ ①Or act as close relative to ②Or act as close relative to
3:14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and got up before one person could recognize another; and he said, “Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
3:15 Again he said, “Give me the shawl that is on you and hold it.” So she held it, and he measured six measures of barley and laid it on her. Then ①she went into the city.
▷ ①Many mss; MT he
3:16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “ ①How did it go, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done for her.
▷ ①Lit Who are you?
3:17 She also said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ”
3:18 Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter ①turns out; for the man will not rest until he has ②settled it today.”
▷ ①Lit falls ②Lit finished the matter