Ruth 3:8

8 Et au milieu de la nuit, cet homme-là eut peur; il se pencha, et voici, une femme était couchée à ses pieds.

Ruth 3:8 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 3:8

And it came to pass at midnight
So long Boaz slept without knowledge of any person being at his feet, and so long Ruth had lain there; but awaking, and perceiving something at his feet, which pressed them, it made him look about and feel, and so affected him,

that the man was afraid;
though a man, and a man of spirit, he was afraid, a panic seized him, not knowing but it might be a spectre, a spirit, or a demon, as Jarchi; and such an instance we have in history


FOOTNOTES:

F19 of an apparition, which seemed to put off clothes, and place itself in a bed where a man lay

and turned himself;
to see who it was:

and, behold, a woman lay at his feet;
which he knew by putting his hand upon her head, as Jarchi thinks, and so knew her by her headdress, or vail; or rather by her voice, as Aben Ezra, and who supposes the moon might shine, and he might be able to discern she had no beard, as well as also discover her by her clothes.


F19 Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 2. c. 9.

Ruth 3:8 In-Context

6 Elle descendit donc à l'aire, et fit tout ce que sa belle-mère lui avait commandé.
7 Et Booz mangea et but, et son cœur fut heureux, et il vint se coucher au bout d'un tas de gerbes. Alors elle vint tout doucement, et découvrit ses pieds, et se coucha.
8 Et au milieu de la nuit, cet homme-là eut peur; il se pencha, et voici, une femme était couchée à ses pieds.
9 Alors il lui dit: Qui es-tu? Et elle répondit: Je suis Ruth, ta servante. Étends le pan de ta robe sur ta servante; car tu as droit de rachat.
10 Et il dit: Ma fille, que l'Éternel te bénisse! Cette dernière bonté que tu me témoignes est plus grande que la première, de n'être point allée après les jeunes gens, pauvres ou riches.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.