Ruth uncovers Boaz's feet
1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth,
It's time to find you a husband who can take care of you.
How about our rich relative Boaz, since you're already his maiden?
He'll be winnowing the grain tonight on the threshing floor.
So take a bath, put on some perfume and your best clothes, and go to the threshing floor.
But don't let him see you until he's done eating and drinking.
Then go in, uncover his feet [1], and lay down beside him.
He'll tell you what to do next.
5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
Ruth said to Naomi,
I'll do everything you told me to do.
6 And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
So Ruth went to the threshing floor and did everything Naomi told her to do.
7And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
After Boaz had finished eating and drinking, and was a bit drunk, Ruth came quietly,
uncovered his feet, and lay down beside him.
8And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
At midnight, Boaz was afraid, and saw a woman laying at his feet.
9And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
He said to her,
Who are you? [2]
Ruth replied,
I am Ruth your handmaid. Spread your skirt over me. [3]
10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
11And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
Boaz said to her,
Thanks for choosing me over a younger man.
Don't worry, I'll do whatever you want me to do.
13Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.
Stay here tonight.
In the morning I'll check with an even closer relative of yours to see if he wants to perform the part of a kinsman. [4]
If he doesn't, I will.
14And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.
So Ruth lay at Boaz's feet until morning.
Then she got up before sunrise.
Boaz said to her,
Don't let anyone know about last night.
Bring your veil to me.
And he put six measures [5] of barley in her veil for her to take with her.
16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
17 And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.
When Ruth returned to Naomi, Naomi said to her,
How'd it go?
And Ruth told her what Boaz did to her.
3:1-18