Ruth 3

1Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek a resting place for you, that it may go well with you?”

2And now, is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you have been? Look, he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight.

3Wash yourself, anoint yourself, and put your cloak on; then go down to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

4Then, when he lies down, note the place where he lies. Then go, uncover his feet, and lie down, and he will tell you what you should do.

5And she said to her, “All that you say, I will do.”

6So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her.

7And Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was merry, and he went to lie down at the end of the grain heap. Then she came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

8And it happened at midnight that the man trembled and turned himself, and behold, a woman was lying at his feet.

9He said, “Who are you?” And she said, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wing over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”

10And he said, “May you be blessed by Yahweh, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first by not going after the young men, whether poor or rich.”

11And now, my daughter, do not fear. All that you say, I will do for you, for all the gate of my people knows that you are a woman of noble character.

12And now, it is true that I am a redeemer, yet there is also a redeemer closer than I.

13Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good—let him redeem you. But if he does not desire to redeem you, then I myself will redeem you, as Yahweh lives. Lie down until the morning.

14So she lay at his feet until morning, and she got up before one man could recognize another. And he said, “Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”

15Then he said, “Bring the cloak that is on you and hold it out.” So she held it out, and he measured six measures of barley and put it on her. Then he went into the city.

16When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “Who are you, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her.

17She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

18Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter will fall out, for the man will not rest unless he has settled the matter today.”