Ruth 3

¹Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter , should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?

²Is not Boaz our relative , with whose young women you were? See , he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor .

³Wash therefore and anoint yourself , and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor , but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking .

⁴But when he lies down , observe the place where he lies . Then go and uncover his feet and lie down , and he will tell you what to do .

⁵And she replied , All that you say I will do .

⁶So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her.

⁷And when Boaz had eaten and drunk , and his heart was merry , he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain . Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down .

⁸At midnight the man was startled and turned over , and behold , a woman lay at his feet !

⁹He said , Who are you? And she answered , I am Ruth , your servant . Spread your wings over your servant , for you are a redeemer .

¹⁰And he said , May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter . You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men , whether poor or rich .

¹¹And now , my daughter , do not fear . I will do for you all that you ask , for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman .

¹²And now it is true that I am a redeemer . Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I.

¹³Remain tonight , and in the morning , if he will redeem you, good ; let him do it . But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives , I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning .

¹⁴So she lay at his feet until the morning , but arose before one could recognize another . And he said , Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor .

¹⁵And he said , Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out . So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city .

¹⁶And when she came to her mother-in-law , she said , How did you fare, my daughter ? Then she told her all that the man had done for her,

¹⁷saying , These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law .

¹⁸She replied , Wait , my daughter , until you learn how the matter turns out , for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today .