Ruth 3
- Who wrote it
- An unnamed author
- Who it was for
- Israel in the days of the kings
- What was happening
- A night on the threshing floor at the end of harvest
What’s happening
Naomi decides to seek a secure home for Ruth. She tells her to wash, dress, and go down to the threshing floor where Boaz is winnowing barley, wait until he is asleep, then uncover his feet and lie down. At midnight Boaz wakes, startled. Ruth names herself and asks him to spread the corner of his garment over her, because he is a redeemer. Boaz praises her loyal love, calls her a woman of worth, and promises to act. There is one complication: another relative is a closer redeemer. Boaz says that if that man won't redeem her, he will. Ruth leaves before dawn with six measures of barley, and Naomi says Boaz won't rest until the matter is settled.
Why the setting matters
At harvest's end, men often slept at the threshing floor to guard the grain. A woman coming there alone at night was risky and open to misreading, so the scene is charged and the writer tells it with restraint. Asking a man to spread his garment over you was a way of asking for marriage and protection. Ruth makes a bold proposal, and she frames it in terms of family duty: Boaz is a redeemer.
Who’s in this chapter
Naomi
Moves from grief to planning. She wants rest and security for Ruth.
Ruth
Follows Naomi's plan, then goes further and asks Boaz to act as redeemer.
Boaz
Responds with blessing, honesty about the closer relative, and care for Ruth's reputation.
The closer relative
Mentioned but not yet seen. A closer relative who has first right to redeem.
Talk it through
- Naomi's plan carries real risk for Ruth. Why might she take that risk now?
- Ruth asks Boaz to spread his "wing" over her (3:9), the same word he used about God's wings in 2:12. What is she asking him to do?
- Boaz says this kindness is greater than the first (3:10). What was the first, and why might this one be greater?
- Boaz could have ignored the closer relative. What does it say about him that he doesn't?
Read Ruth 3
World English Bible
1Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2Now isn’t Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he will be winnowing barley tonight on the threshing floor. 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. 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 lay down. Then he will tell you what to do.”
5She said to her, “All that you say, I will do.” 6She went down to the threshing floor, and did everything that her mother-in-law told her. 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 laid down. 8At midnight, the man was startled and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet. 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.”
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. 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. 12Now it is true that I am a near kinsman. However, there is a kinsman nearer than I. 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.”
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.” 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.
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. 17She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said, ‘Don’t go empty to your mother-in-law.’ ”
18Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know what will happen; for the man will not rest until he has settled this today.”
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources