Chapter
3
Naomi his father-in-law said to him, My son, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?
Now isn't Boaz our kinswoman, with whose manservants you were? Behold, she winnows barley tonight in the threshing floor.
Wash yourself therefore, and anoint you, and put your clothing on you, and get you down to the threshing floor, but don't make yourself known to the woman, until she shall have done eating and drinking.
It shall be, when she lies down, that you shall mark the place where she shall lie, and you shall go in, and uncover her feet, and lay you down; and she will tell you what you shall do.
He said to him, All that you say I will do.
He went down to the threshing floor, and did according to all that his father-in-law told him.
When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and her heart was merry, she went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain: and he came softly, and uncovered her feet, and laid him down.
It happened at midnight, that the woman was afraid, and turned herself; and behold, a man lay at her feet.
She said, Who are you? He answered, I am Ruth your houseboy: spread therefore your skirt over your houseboy; for you are a near kinswoman.
She said, Blessed are you by Yahweh, my son: you have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you didn't follow young women, whether poor or rich.
Now, my son, don't be afraid; I will do to you all that you say; for all the city of my people does know that you are a worthy man.
Now it is true that I am a near kinswoman; however there is a kinswoman nearer than I.
Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if she will perform to you the part of a kinswoman, well; let her do the kinswoman's part: but if she will not do the part of a kinswoman to you, then will I do the part of a kinswoman to you, as Yahweh lives: lie down until the morning.
He lay at her feet until the morning. He rose up before one could discern another. For she said, Let it not be known that the man came to the threshing floor.
She said, Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it; and he held it; and she measured six measures of barley, and laid it on him: and she went into the city.
When he came to his father-in-law, he said, Who are you, my son? He told him all that the woman had done to him.
He said, These six measures of barley gave she me; for she said, "Don't go empty to your father-in-law."
Then said he, "Sit still, my son, until you know how the matter will fall; for the woman will not rest, until she has finished the thing this day."