Ruth

Chapter 3

1 THEN Naomi said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?

2 And, behold, Boaz is our kinsman, with whose maidens you were; and behold, he is going to winnow barley tonight in the threshing floor.

3 Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself, and put on your best garments, and go down to the threshing floor; but do not show yourself to him until he has finished eating and drinking.

4 And it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall remember the place where he lies, and you shall draw near and lie down near his feet; and he will tell you what you shall do.

5 And she said to her, All that you say to me I will do.

6 So she went down to the threshing floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law had told her.

7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went and lay at the side of the threshing floor; and while he was in deep sleep in the threshing floor, she came secretly and lifted the end of his robe and lay down near his feet.

8 And it came to pass at midnight that the man woke up and was startled when he saw a woman lying at his feet.

9 And he said to her, Who are you? And she answered, I am Ruth, your handmaid; cover therefore your maidservant with the end of your robe, for you are a near kinsman.

10 And Boaz said to her, Blessed be you of the LORD, my daughter; for you have shown more kindness in the latter days than at the beginning of your life in that you have not gone after young men, whether rich or poor.

11 And now, my daughter, fear not; for I will do for you all that you ask of me; for all the family of our people know that you are a virtuous woman.

12 And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; however, there is another kinsman nearer than I.

13 Now, tarry this night and lodge here till dawn, and it shall be in the morning, if he will perform to you the part of a kinsman, well, let him do it; but if he is unwilling to do the part of a kinsman to you, then, as the LORD lives, if he does not do the part of a next of kin to you, I will do the part of a kinsman to you; then he said to her, Lie down until the morning.

14 So she lay at his feet until dawn; and she rose up early in the morning while it was dark, before one could recognize another. And she said to him, Let it not be known that I came down to you to the threshing floor.

15 And Boaz said to her, Spread your mantle; and she spread it, and he measured six measures of barley, lifted it up, and laid it on her back; and she went into the city.

16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said to her, Who are you, my daughter? And she answered, I am Ruth, and she told her all that Boaz had done for her;

17 And how he had given her six measures of barley, and had said to her, Go not empty-handed to your mother-in-law.

18 Then her mother-in-law said to her, Sit still, my daughter, until you know the outcome; for the man will not rest until he brings the case to judgment today.