Ruth 3

Ruth’s Redemption Assured

1One day Ruth’s mother-in-lawH2545 NaomiH5281 saidH559 to her, “My daughterH1323, should I notH3808 seekH1245 a resting placeH4494 for you, thatH834 it may be wellH3190 with you? 2NowH6258 is notH3808 BoazH1162, withH854 whoseH834 servant girlsH5291 you have beenH1961 working, a relative of oursH4130? In factH2009, tonightH3915 heH1931 is winnowingH2219 barleyH8184 on the threshing floorH1637. 3Therefore wash yourselfH7364, put on perfumeH5480, and wearH7760 your best clothesH8071H5921. Go downH3381 to the threshing floorH1637, but do notH408 let the manH376 knowH3045 you are there untilH5704 he has finishedH3615 eatingH398 and drinkingH8354. 4When he lies downH7901, noteH3045 the placeH4725 whereH834 he liesH7901H8033. Then go inH935 and uncoverH1540 his feetH4772, and lie downH7901, and heH1931 will explainH5046 to you whatH834 you should doH6213.”

5“I will doH6213 everythingH3605 you sayH559,” Ruth answeredH559. 6So she went downH3381 to the threshing floorH1637 and didH6213 everythingH3605 her mother-in-lawH2545 had instructed herH6680 to do.

7After BoazH1162 had finished eatingH398 and drinkingH8354 and was in good spiritsH3190H3820, he wentH935 to lie downH7901 at the endH7097 of the heap of grainH6194. Then Ruth went in secretlyH935H3909, uncoveredH1540 his feetH4772, and lay downH7901.

8

At midnightH2677H3915, BoazH376 was startledH2729, turned overH3943, and thereH2009 lyingH7901 at his feetH4772 was a womanH802!

9“WhoH4310 are youH859?” he askedH559.

“IH595 am your servantH519 RuthH7327,” she repliedH559. “SpreadH6566 the corner of your garmentH36711 overH5921 meH519, forH3588 youH859 are a kinsman-redeemerH1350.2”

10Then Boaz saidH559, “May the LORDH3068 blessH1288 youH859, my daughterH1323. You have shownH3190 more kindnessH2617 nowH314 thanH4480 beforeH7223, because you have notH1115 runH1980 afterH310 the younger menH970, whetherH518 richH6223 orH518 poorH1800. 11And nowH6258 do notH408 be afraidH3372, my daughterH1323. I will doH6213 for you whateverH3605 you requestH559, sinceH3588 allH3605 my fellow townspeopleH5971H8179 knowH3045 thatH3588 youH859 are a womanH802 of noble characterH2428. 12YesH3588, it is trueH551 thatH3588 IH595 am a kinsman-redeemerH1350, butH1571 there isH3426 a redeemerH1350 nearerH7138 than IH4480.3 13Stay here tonightH3885H3915H1961, and in the morningH1242, ifH518 he wants to redeem youH1350, goodH2896. Let him redeem youH1350. But ifH518 he does notH3808 wantH2654 to redeem youH1350, as surely as the LORDH3068 livesH2416, IH595 willH1350. Now lie hereH7901 untilH5704 morningH1242.”

14So she lay downH7901 at his feetH4772 untilH5704 morningH1242, but she got upH6965 beforeH2958 anyoneH376 elseH7453 could recognize herH5234.

Then Boaz saidH559, “Do notH408 let it be knownH3045 thatH3588 a womanH802 cameH935 to the threshing floorH1637.” 15And he told herH559, “BringH3051 the shawlH4304 you are wearingH5921 and holdH270 it out.” When sheH270 did so, he poured inH4058 sixH8337 measures of barleyH81844 and placed itH7896 on herH5921. Then he wentH9355 into the cityH5892.

16When Ruth returnedH935 toH413 her mother-in-lawH2545, Naomi asked herH559, “How did it goH4310H859, my daughterH1323?”

Then Ruth toldH5046 her allH3605 thatH834 Boaz had doneH6213 for her. 17And she saidH559, “He gaveH5414 me theseH428 sixH8337 measures of barleyH8184, forH3588 he saidH559, ‘Do notH408 go backH935 toH413 your mother-in-lawH2545 empty-handedH7387.’”

18“WaitH3427, my daughterH1323,” said NaomiH559, “untilH5704 you find outH3045 howH349 thingsH1697 goH5307, forH3588 heH376 will notH3808 restH8252 unlessH3588H518 he has resolvedH3615 the matterH1697 todayH3117.”