Ruth 3

1 A little later Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, don't you think I should find you a husband and a good home?

Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?

2 Don't ignore the fact that Boaz, whose women you worked with, is closely related to us. Now tonight he will be busy winnowing grain on the threshing floor.

And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he winnows barley to night in the threshing floor.

3 Have a bath, put on some perfume, wear your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor—but don't let him recognize you. Once he's finished eating and drinking,

Wash yourself therefore, and anoint you, and put your raiment upon you, and get you down to the floor: but make not yourself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

4 watch where he goes to lie down. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. Then he will tell you what to do.”

And it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall mark the place where he shall lie, and you shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lay you down; and he will tell you what you shall do.

5 “I'll do everything you told me,” said Ruth.

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

6 She went down to the threshing floor and did what her mother-in-law had told her to do.

And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.

7 After Boaz had finished eating and drinking, and was feeling contented, he went and lay down beside the grain pile. Ruth quietly approached him, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

And 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.

8 Around midnight Boaz suddenly woke up. Bending forward he was surprised to see a woman lying at his feet.

And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

9 “Who are you?” he asked. “I'm Ruth, your servant,” she replied. “Please spread the corner of your cloak over me, for you are my family redeemer.”

And he said, Who are you? And she answered, I am Ruth your handmaid: spread therefore your skirt over your handmaid; for you are a near kinsman.

10 “May the Lord bless you, my daughter,” he said. “You are showing even more loyalty and love to the family than before. You haven't gone looking for a younger man, of whatever social status.

And he said, Blessed be you of the LORD, my daughter: for you have showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you followed not young men, whether poor or rich.

11 So don't worry, my daughter. I will do everything you ask—everyone in town knows you are a woman of good character.

And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to you all that you require: for all the city of my people does know that you are a virtuous woman.

12 However, even though I'm one of your family redeemers, there's one who is more closely related than I am.

And now it is true that I am your near kinsman: nevertheless there is a kinsman nearer than I.

13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning if he wants to redeem you, then fine, let him do it. But if he doesn't, then I promise you in the name of the living Lord, I will redeem you. Lie down here until morning.”

Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto you 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 you, then will I do the part of a kinsman to you, as the LORD lives: lie down until the morning.

14 So Ruth lay at his feet until morning. Then she got up before it was light enough to recognize anyone because Boaz had told her, “No one must know that a woman came here to the threshing floor.”

And 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 He also told her, “Bring me the cloak you're wearing and hold it out.” So she held it out and he poured out six measures of barley into it. He helped her put it on her back and she went back to town.

Also he said, Bring the vail that you have upon you, 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.

16 Ruth went to her mother-in-law, who asked her, “How did it go for you, my daughter?” So Ruth told her everything that Boaz had done for her.

And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who are you, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.

17 “And he also gave me these six measures of barley,” she added. “He told me, ‘You mustn't go home to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto your mother in law.

18 Naomi said to Ruth, “Wait patiently, my daughter, until you find out how it all works out. Boaz won't rest until he has it settled today.”

Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.