Ruth 3: Ruth goes to Boaz at the threshing floor
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What happens?
Naomi tells Ruth to wash, put on oil and her clothes, and go down to the threshing floor where Boaz is winnowing barley; when he lies down, she is to uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell her what to do. Ruth does all this. At midnight Boaz is startled to find a woman lying at his feet, and Ruth asks him to spread his wing (or: the corner of his garment) over her, because he is a redeemer. Boaz blesses her, calls her a worthy woman, and promises to redeem her if the one relative who is closer will not. She lies at his feet until morning and leaves before anyone can recognize anyone, with six measures of barley, and Naomi tells her to wait, because the man will settle the matter that day.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words in this chapter. Naomi gives Ruth her plan in verses 1 to 4, and Ruth answers in verse 5. Boaz and Ruth speak at the threshing floor in verses 9 to 15. Boaz's blessing in verse 10 and his oath "as Yahweh lives" in verse 13 are his own words. Ruth and Naomi speak again in verses 16 to 18. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?
In plain English: Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, should I not look for rest (or: a settled home) for you, so that it may go well with you?
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2Now isn’t Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he will be winnowing barley tonight on the threshing floor.
In plain English: Now, is not Boaz our relative (or: someone known to us; this Bible: kinsman), whose young women you were with? Look, tonight he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor.
Good to know: A threshing floor is a flat, open place. The dictionary gives it as "a threshing-floor (as made even); by analogy, any open area". There the grain was beaten out, and then winnowed: "to toss about", so that the wind blew the light chaff away from the grain. "Kinsman" here is moda'at, which the dictionary gives as "acquaintance", close to the word in .
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3Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed, and go down to the threshing floor; but don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
In plain English: So wash yourself, put on oil (this Bible: anoint yourself), put on your clothes (literally: put your garments on you), and go down to the threshing floor. But do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.
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4It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall note the place where he is lying. Then you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down. Then he will tell you what to do.”
In plain English: When he lies down, take note of the place where he lies. Then go in, uncover his feet (or: the place at his feet), and lie down. He will tell you what to do."
The Hebrew words: "Feet" is margelot, which the dictionary gives as "a footpiece, i.e. ... at the foot, or ... the foot itself". It is in only 5 verses: verses 4, 7, 8 and 14 of this chapter, and , where this Bible says "his feet". "Uncover" is galah, which the dictionary gives as "to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense) ... figuratively, to reveal". This Bible says "uncover" or a longer form in 45 of the 167 verses that use it. Boaz uses the same word in , "I thought I should tell you", which is word for word "I said I will uncover your ear". "Lie down" is shakab, which the dictionary gives as "to lie down (for rest, sexual connection, decease or any other purpose)".
What changes: Read as "his feet", Ruth uncovers Boaz's feet and lies down there. Read as "the place at his feet", she turns back the covering at his feet and lies down at that place. "Lie down" is the everyday word for lying down to sleep, and the dictionary says it is also used of lying with someone. The text says Ruth "lay at his feet until the morning" (verse 14), and it does not say more about the night. Readers take the scene in different ways.
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5She said to her, “All that you say, I will do.”
In plain English: She said to her, "I will do all that you say."
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6She went down to the threshing floor, and did everything that her mother-in-law told her.
In plain English: So she went down to the threshing floor and did all that her mother-in-law had told her (literally: had commanded her).
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7When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
In plain English: When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was glad (literally: his heart was good; this Bible: merry), he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came quietly (literally: in secret; this Bible: softly), uncovered his feet (or: the place at his feet), and lay down.
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8At midnight, the man was startled and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.
In plain English: In the middle of the night the man was startled (or: trembled) and turned over (literally: twisted), and look, a woman was lying at his feet (or: at the place of his feet).
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9He said, “Who are you?” She answered, “I am Ruth your servant. Therefore spread the corner of your garment over your servant; for you are a near kinsman.”
In plain English: He said, "Who are you?" She answered, "I am Ruth, your servant (or: your slave woman). So spread your wing (or: the corner of your garment) over your servant, because you are a redeemer (this Bible: near kinsman)."
The Hebrew word: "The corner of your garment" is kanaph, the word for "wings" in , where Boaz spoke of Yahweh, "under whose wings you have come to take refuge". The same words, "spread" and kanaph, are in , where Yahweh, speaking to Jerusalem (), says, "I spread my garment over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I pledged myself to you and entered into a covenant with you".
What changes: Read as "spread your wing", Ruth asks Boaz to take her under his care and protection. Read as "spread the corner of your garment", she asks him to cover her with his garment, as in Ezekiel 16:8, where the same act goes with a pledge and a covenant. The text gives Ruth's own reason: "for you are a near kinsman", a redeemer (see the note on ). In verses 12 and 13 Boaz answers by speaking of redeeming her.
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10He said, “You are blessed by Yahweh, my daughter. You have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, because you didn’t follow young men, whether poor or rich.
In plain English: He said, "May you be blessed by Yahweh, my daughter. This last kindness of yours is greater than the first (this Bible: you have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning), because you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich.
Good to know: "Kindness" is chesed, as in . Boaz says her last kindness is greater than her first. He gives the reason for the last: she did not go after young men, poor or rich. He does not name the first. In he had praised what she did for her mother-in-law. His blessing names Yahweh, but these are Boaz's own words.
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11Now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do to you all that you say; for all the city of my people knows that you are a worthy woman.
In plain English: Now, my daughter, do not be afraid. I will do for you all that you say, because all the town of my people (literally: all the gate of my people) knows that you are a worthy woman (or: a woman of strength, a woman of worth).
The Hebrew words: "A worthy woman" is eshet chayil, word for word "a woman of chayil". It is the word used of Boaz in , "a mighty man of wealth" (see the note there). This Bible says "a worthy woman" in only 2 other verses: and , "Who can find a worthy woman?"
What changes: Read as "worthy", the town knows Ruth as a woman of good character. Read as "strong" or "capable", it knows her as an able woman. The dictionary's meanings for chayil run from "wealth" to "virtue", "valor" and "strength", and the text does not say which it means here.
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12Now it is true that I am a near kinsman. However, there is a kinsman nearer than I.
In plain English: Now, it is true that I am a redeemer (this Bible: near kinsman). But there is a redeemer closer than I am.
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13Stay this night, and in the morning, if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, good. Let him do the kinsman’s duty. But if he will not do the duty of a kinsman for you, then I will do the duty of a kinsman for you, as Yahweh lives. Lie down until the morning.”
In plain English: Stay here tonight. In the morning, if he will redeem you (this Bible: perform for you the part of a kinsman), good: let him redeem. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then I will redeem you, as Yahweh lives. Lie down until the morning."
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14She lay at his feet until the morning, then she rose up before one could discern another. For he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
In plain English: So she lay at his feet (or: at the place of his feet) until the morning. She got up before anyone could recognize anyone else, because he said, "Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."
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15He said, “Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it.” She held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; then he went into the city.
In plain English: He said, "Bring the cloak (this Bible: mantle) you are wearing and hold it out." She held it, and he measured out six measures of barley (literally: six of barley) and put it on her. Then he went into the town (or: then she went into the town).
The Hebrew words: "Six measures of barley" is word for word "six barley". The text does not name the measure.
Good to know: The Hebrew has "he went into the city". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "she went into the city". Read the first way, Boaz goes to the town, and in he goes up to the gate. Read the second way, Ruth goes home with the barley, and verse 16 says she came to her mother-in-law.
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16When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did it go, my daughter?” She told her all that the man had done for her.
In plain English: When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "How did it go (literally: who are you), my daughter?" Ruth told her all that the man had done for her.
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17She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said, ‘Don’t go empty to your mother-in-law.’”
In plain English: She said, "He gave me these six measures of barley, because he said, 'Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed (this Bible: empty).'"
Good to know: "Empty" is reqam, the word Naomi used in : "Yahweh has brought me home again empty." These words of Boaz, "Don't go empty to your mother-in-law", are given only here, in Ruth's report to Naomi.
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18Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know what will happen; for the man will not rest until he has settled this today.”
In plain English: Then she said, "Wait (literally: sit), my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out, because the man will not rest until he has settled the matter today."
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