Ruth 3

KJV · Chapter 3/4

1Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

2And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.

3Wash 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.

4And 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.

5And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.

6And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.

7And 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.

8And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

9And 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.

10And 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.

11And 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.

12And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.

13Tarry 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.

14And 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.

15Also he said, Bring the vail 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.

16And 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.

17And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.

18Then 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.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Following Naomi's advice, Ruth approaches Boaz at the threshing floor at night, asking him to act as kinsman-redeemer. Boaz accepts with honor but reveals that there is another relative with a prior right.

Explanation

The custom described here, though strange to modern eyes, followed a recognized social protocol: uncovering the feet of someone who is sleeping and lying down there was a formal, non-sexual request for marital protection, tied to the family redemption law (goel) described in Leviticus 25. Boaz praises Ruth for not having 'followed young men, whether poor or rich,' recognizing that her proposal was motivated by loyalty to Naomi's family, not personal interest or immediate romantic attraction. Boaz's honesty in mentioning the closer relative, even though it could cost him the chance to marry Ruth, shows integrity that rigorously follows legal procedure, even when it does not favor his own desires.

Fun facts

  • The role of 'kinsman-redeemer' (goel, in Hebrew) included the responsibility of buying back land sold by poor relatives and marrying widows without sons to preserve the family line, according to Leviticus 25 and Deuteronomy 25:5-10.
  • The six measures of barley Boaz gave Ruth (v.15) likely represented a symbolic sign of commitment, linked to the number six as incomplete, awaiting the final resolution of the legal process the next day.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Ruth 3:1Naomi decides to act to secure Ruth’s future, looking for a way for her to find security and a new home through marriage.
  2. Ruth 3:2Naomi points out that Boaz is a family relative and that that night he would be working at the threshing floor, winnowing barley — a social and productive event of the time.
  3. Ruth 3:3Naomi tells Ruth to wash, perfume herself, and put on her best clothes before going down to the threshing floor, not as crude seduction but as a formal gesture from someone about to present a marriage request to a kinsman-redeemer, within a custom the text explains right afterward.
  4. Ruth 3:4Uncovering Boaz’s feet is a gesture within the custom of levirate marriage: Ruth does this while he sleeps and lies down there, signaling a request, not a sexual advance, for him to take on the role of redeemer and make her his wife. The text handles the scene with discretion, without detailing anything more than that.
  5. Ruth 3:5Ruth agrees to follow her mother-in-law’s instructions exactly, even though it is an unusual and risky plan.
  6. Ruth 3:6Ruth goes down to the threshing floor and does everything just as Naomi had instructed.
  7. Ruth 3:7After Boaz eats, drinks, and is well satisfied, he lies down to sleep near the pile of grain; Ruth approaches quietly and does what had been agreed.
  8. Ruth 3:8In the middle of the night, Boaz wakes up startled to find a woman lying at his feet.
  9. Ruth 3:9Asking Boaz to spread his skirt over her is Ruth’s direct way of asking to be taken as his wife, using the image of a cloak that covers and protects. It is a formal marriage proposal, within the role of redeemer that Naomi had already recognized in him.
  10. Ruth 3:10Boaz responds with respect, praising Ruth for not having gone after a younger man, whether rich or poor, and recognizing this as an even greater act of loyalty than caring for Naomi.
  11. Ruth 3:11He assures her he will grant her request, since the whole town knows that Ruth is a woman of respectable character.
  12. Ruth 3:12Boaz reveals that there is a relative even closer than himself, with the legal right of first refusal to redeem the land and marry Ruth. He does not ignore this rule, even though he is already willing to marry her, and promises to settle the matter the next day before the elders.
  13. Ruth 3:13Boaz asks Ruth to stay there until morning, promising to settle the matter of redemption: if the closer relative does not want to take on the responsibility, he himself will do it.
  14. Ruth 3:14Ruth leaves the threshing floor before daybreak, and Boaz makes sure no one knows a woman had been there during the night. It is a detail that protects her reputation, since this custom, though formal, could still be misread by the neighbors.
  15. Ruth 3:15Before she leaves, Boaz fills her shawl with six measures of barley, a generous gift to take back to Naomi.
  16. Ruth 3:16Ruth returns home, and Naomi asks how everything went; Ruth tells her in detail what Boaz did.
  17. Ruth 3:17Ruth explains that Boaz did not want her to go back to her mother-in-law empty-handed, and that is why he gave her the barley.
  18. Ruth 3:18Naomi advises Ruth to be patient, trusting that Boaz will settle the matter that very same day, without delay.

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