Ruth 3:8

8 And it cometh to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembleth, and turneth himself, and lo, a woman is lying at his feet.

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

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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 And she goeth down [to] the threshing-floor, and doth according to all that her mother-in-law commanded her

7 And Boaz eateth and drinketh, and his heart is glad; and he goeth in to lie down at the end of the heap; and she cometh in gently, and uncovereth his feet, and lieth down.

8 And it cometh to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembleth, and turneth himself, and lo, a woman is lying at his feet.

9 And he saith, `Who [art] thou?' and she saith, `I [am] Ruth thy handmaid, and thou hast spread thy skirt over thy handmaid, for thou [art] a redeemer.'

10 And he saith, `Blessed [art] thou of Jehovah, my daughter; thou hast dealt more kindly at the latter end than at the beginning -- not to go after the young men, either poor or rich.