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Ruth 3
International Standard Version
Ruth 3
International Standard Version
Naomi Offers to Find a Husband for Ruth
3 Ruth’s[a] mother-in-law Naomi, told her, “My daughter, should I not make inquiries about your financial security,[b] so you’ll be better off in life?[c] 2 Isn’t Boaz one of our close relatives? You’ve been associating with his women servants lately. Look, he’ll be winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight. 3 So get cleaned up, put on some perfume, dress up, and go to the threshing floor, but don’t let him see you[d] until after he’s finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, be sure to notice where he is resting. Then go over, uncover his feet, and lie down. He’ll tell you what to do.”
5 Ruth replied, “I’ll do everything you’ve said.” 6 So she went out to the threshing floor and did precisely what her mother-in-law had advised.
Ruth’s Meeting with Boaz
7 After Boaz had finished eating and drinking to his heart’s content, he went over and lay down next to the pile of threshed grain. Ruth[e] came in quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night, Boaz[f] was startled awake and turned over in surprise to see a woman lying at his feet.
9 He asked her, “Who are you?”
She answered, “I’m only Ruth, your servant. Spread the edge[g] of your garment over your servant, because you are my related redeemer.”
10 He replied, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You’ve added to the gracious love you’ve already demonstrated[h] by not pursuing younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 Don’t be afraid, my daughter. I’ll do for you everything that you have asked, since all of my people in town are aware that you’re a virtuous[i] woman. 12 It’s true that I’m your related redeemer, but there is another related redeemer even closer than I. 13 Stay the night, and if he fulfills his duty as your related redeemer in the morning, that will be acceptable. But if he isn’t inclined to do so,[j] then, as the Lord lives, I will act as your related redeemer myself. So lie down until morning.”
14 So she lay down at his feet until dawn approached, then got up while it was still difficult for anyone to be recognized. Then he told her, “It shouldn’t be known that a woman has come to the threshing floor.” 15 So he said, “Take your cloak and hold it out.” She did so, and he measured out six units[k] of barley and placed them in a sack[l] on her. Then she left for town.
Naomi’s Response to Ruth
16 When Ruth[m] returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi[n] asked her, “How did it go, my daughter?”
Then she related everything that the man had done for her. 17 Ruth[o] also said, “He gave me these six units[p] of barley and told me, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”[q]
18 Naomi[r] replied, “Be patient, my daughter, until you learn how this works out, because the man won’t rest until he finishes everything today.”
Footnotes
- Ruth 3:1 Lit. her
- Ruth 3:1 Lit. about a resting place
- Ruth 3:1 Lit. so your life may go well
- Ruth 3:3 Lit. but do not make yourself known to the man
- Ruth 3:7 Lit. She
- Ruth 3:8 Lit. the man
- Ruth 3:9 Or wing; cf. 2:12
- Ruth 3:10 Lit. You’ve showed more gracious love in the latter end than in the beginning
- Ruth 3:11 The Heb. word for virtuous is identical to the word for of considerable wealth in 2:1
- Ruth 3:13 I.e. act as related redeemer
- Ruth 3:15 The Heb. lacks units
- Ruth 3:15 The Heb. lacks in a sack
- Ruth 3:16 Lit. she
- Ruth 3:16 Lit. she
- Ruth 3:17 Lit. She
- Ruth 3:17 The Heb. lacks units
- Ruth 3:17 Lit. in vain
- Ruth 3:18 Lit. She
Ruth 3
New International Version
Ruth 3
New International Version
Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor
3 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi(A) said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home[a](B) for you, where you will be well provided for. 2 Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative(C) of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.(D) 3 Wash,(E) put on perfume,(F) and get dressed in your best clothes.(G) Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.(H) 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”
5 “I will do whatever you say,”(I) Ruth answered. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor(J) and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.
7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits,(K) he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile.(L) Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!
9 “Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment(M) over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer[b](N) of our family.”
10 “The Lord bless you,(O) my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier:(P) You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.(Q) 12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family,(R) there is another who is more closely related than(S) I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer,(T) good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives(U) I will do it.(V) Lie here until morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.(W)”(X)
15 He also said, “Bring me the shawl(Y) you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he[c] went back to town.
16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”
Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her 17 and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”
18 Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”(Z)
Footnotes
- Ruth 3:1 Hebrew find rest (see 1:9)
- Ruth 3:9 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55); also in verses 12 and 13.
- Ruth 3:15 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac she
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.