Ruth 3

1 And after that Ruth had turned (again) to her mother-in-law, she heard of her, My daughter, I shall seek rest to thee, and I shall purvey that it be well to thee. (And sometime later, when Ruth had returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi said to her, My daughter, I shall seek rest for thee, and I shall purvey that it be well with thee.)

2 This Boaz, to whose damsels thou were joined (to) in the field, is our kinsman, and in this night he winnoweth the cornfloor of barley (and tonight he thresheth barley at his threshing floor).

3 Therefore be thou washed, and anointed, and be thou clothed with more honest clothes, and go thou down into the cornfloor; the man see not thee, till he have ended to eat and to drink. (And so be thou washed, and anointed, and be thou clothed with more honourable, or more decent, clothes, and then go thou down to the threshing floor; but do not let the man see thee until he hath finished eating and drinking.)

4 Forsooth when he goeth to sleep, mark thou the place in which he sleepeth; and thou shalt come, and uncover the cloak, with which he is covered, from the part of the feet, and thou shalt cast thee down, and thou shalt lie there. Forsooth he shall say to thee, what thou oughtest to do.

5 And Ruth answered, Whatever thing thou commandest to me, I shall do.

6 And she went down into the cornfloor (And she went down to the threshing floor), and did all things which her mother-in-law commanded to her.

7 And when Boaz had eaten and (had) drunk, and was made more glad, and had gone to sleep beside the mound of sheaves, Ruth came, and hid herself; and when the cloth was uncovered from his feet, she casted down herself (and she turned back the cloak over his feet, and lay herself down).

8 And lo! now at midnight, the man dreaded, and was troubled (And lo! at midnight, the man was startled, or was afraid, and he woke up from his sleep); and he saw a woman lying at his feet;

9 and he said to her, Who art thou? She answered, I am Ruth, thine handmaid; stretch forth thy cloth on thy servantess, for thou art nigh of kin. (and he said to her, Who art thou? She answered, I am Ruth, thy servantess; stretch forth thy cloak over thy servantess, for thou art my next of kin.)

10 And he said, Daughter, thou art blessed of the Lord, and thou hast overcome the former mercy with the latter (and now thou hast surpassed thy earlier proof of family devotion, or loyalty, with this one); for thou followedest not young men, poor either rich.

11 Therefore, do not thou dread, but whatever thing thou shalt say to me, I shall do to thee; for all the people that dwelleth within the gates of my city know, that thou art a woman of virtue. (And so, do not thou fear, but whatever that thou shalt ask of me, I shall do for thee; for all the people who liveth within the gates of my city know, that thou art a woman of virtue.)

12 And I forsake not, that I am of nigh kin, but another man is nearer kin than I; (And I do not deny, that I am your close kin, but another man is a closer kin than I;)

13 (so) rest thou here this night, and when the morrowtide is made, if the man will hold thee to wife by right of nigh kin (if the man will make thee his wife by right of next of kin), (then) the thing is well done; and if he will not, (then) I shall take thee without any doubt, (as) the Lord liveth; (so) sleep thou till the morrowtide.

14 Therefore she slept at his feet till to the going away of [the] night, and then she rose (up), before that men should know each other. And Boaz said to her, Be thou ware lest any man know, that thou camest hither.

15 And again he said, Stretch forth thy mantle with which thou art covered, and hold thou with ever either hand. And while she stretched forth and held, he meted six measures of barley, and putted on her; and she bare, and entered into the city, (And then he said, Stretch forth thy mantle with which thou art covered, and hold thou it with both hands. And while she stretched it forth and held it, he measured, or counted, out six measures of barley, and put it on her mantle; and she carried it, and went into the city,)

16 and came to her mother-in-law. Which said to Ruth, What hast thou done, daughter? And Ruth told to her all things, which the man had done to her. (and came home to her mother-in-law. And Naomi said to Ruth, What happened, my daughter? And Ruth told her all the things, that the man had done for her.)

17 And Ruth said, Lo! he gave to me six measures of barley; and he said, I will not that thou turn again void to thy mother-in-law. (And Ruth added, Lo! he gave me six measures of barley; for he said, I will not have it that thou return empty-handed to thy mother-in-law.)

18 And Naomi said, Abide, daughter, till we see what issue the thing shall have (And Naomi said, Just wait, or have patience, daughter, until we see what shall happen); for the man shall not cease, no but he [ful]fill those things which he spake.

Ruth 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The directions given to Ruth by Naomi. (1-5) Boaz acknowledges the duty of a kinsman. (6-13) Ruth's return to her mother-in-law. (14-18)

Verses 1-5 The married state should be a rest, as much as any thing upon earth can be so, as it ought to fix the affections and form a connexion for life. Therefore it should be engaged in with great seriousness, with earnest prayers for direction, for the blessing of God, and with regard to his precepts. Parents should carefully advise their children in this important concern, that it may be well with them as to their souls. Be it always remembered, That is best for us which is best for our souls. The course Naomi advised appears strange to us; but it was according to the laws and usages of Israel. If the proposed measure had borne the appearance of evil, Naomi would not have advised it. Law and custom gave Ruth, who was now proselyted to the true religion, a legal claim upon Boaz. It was customary for widows to assert this claim, ( Deuteronomy 25:5-10 ) . But this is not recorded for imitation in other times, and is not to be judged by modern rules. And if there had been any evil in it, Ruth was a woman of too much virtue and too much sense to have listened to it.

Verses 6-13 What in one age or nation would be improper, is not always so in another age or another nation. Being a judge of Israel, Boaz would tell Ruth what she should do; also whether he had the right of redemption, and what methods must be taken, and what rites used, in order to accomplishing her marriage with him or another person. The conduct of Boaz calls for the highest praise. He attempted not to take advantage of Ruth; he did not disdain her as a poor, destitute stranger, nor suspect her of any ill intentions. He spoke honourably of her as a virtuous woman, made her a promise, and as soon as the morning arrived, sent her away with a present to her mother-in-law. Boaz made his promise conditional, for there was a kinsman nearer than he, to whom the right of redemption belonged.

Verses 14-18 Ruth had done all that was fit for her to do, she must patiently wait the event. Boaz, having undertaken this matter, would be sure to manage it well. Much more reason have true believers to cast their care on God, because he has promised to care for them. Our strength is to sit still, ( Isaiah 30:7 ) . This narrative may encourage us to lay ourselves by faith at the feet of Christ: He is our near Kinsman; having taken our nature upon him. He has the right to redeem. Let us seek to receive from him his directions: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? ( Acts 9:6 ) . He will never blame us as doing this unseasonably. And let us earnestly desire and seek the same rest for our children and friends, that it may be well with them also.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO RUTH 3

In this chapter we have a proposal of Naomi to Ruth, with advice and directions to get Boaz for her husband, Ru 2:1-4. Ruth's obedience to the instructions she gave her, Ru 2:5-7, the notice Boaz took of her, and the conversation that passed between them, Ru 2:8-13 the dismission of her in the morning to her mother-in-law with a gift, to whom she returned, and acquainted her with what had passed, Ru 2:14-18.