Naomi's plan
One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shouldn't I try to find a home for you, where you'll be looked after? Now, isn't Boaz a relative of ours, the man whose women you've been working with? Tonight he's winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash yourself and put on some perfume, and put your best clothes on. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you're there until he's finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he's lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He'll tell you what to do.” “I'll do everything you say,” Ruth answered.
One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shouldn't I try to find a home for you, where you'll be looked after?
Now, isn't Boaz a relative of ours, the man whose women you've been working with? Tonight he's winnowing barley on the threshing floor.
Wash yourself and put on some perfume, and put your best clothes on. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you're there until he's finished eating and drinking.
When he lies down, note the place where he's lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He'll tell you what to do.”
“I'll do everything you say,” Ruth answered.
The threshing floor
So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do. When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. And she came quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man, and he turned over — and there was a woman lying at his feet. “Who are you?” he said. “I'm your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your cloak over me, because you're a guardian-redeemer of our family.” “The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he said. “This kindness is greater than the first — you haven't gone after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I'll do everything you ask. All the people of my town know you're a woman of noble character. It's true that I'm a guardian-redeemer, but there's one who's more closely related than I am. Stay here for the night, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem, good — let him redeem. But if he doesn't want to, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will. Lie here till morning.”
So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.
When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. And she came quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down.
In the middle of the night something startled the man, and he turned over — and there was a woman lying at his feet.
“Who are you?” he said. “I'm your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your cloak over me, because you're a guardian-redeemer of our family.”
“The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he said. “This kindness is greater than the first — you haven't gone after the younger men, whether rich or poor.
And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I'll do everything you ask. All the people of my town know you're a woman of noble character.
It's true that I'm a guardian-redeemer, but there's one who's more closely related than I am.
Stay here for the night, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem, good — let him redeem. But if he doesn't want to, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will. Lie here till morning.”
Six measures
So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognised. And he said, “Don't let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.” And he said, “Bring me the shawl you're wearing and hold it out.” So she held it out, and he poured six measures of barley into it and put it on her. Then he went back to town. When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi said, “How did it go, my daughter?” And she told her everything Boaz had done for her, and she said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, and said, ‘Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” And Naomi said, “Sit tight, my daughter, until you find out how it turns out. That man won't rest until he's settled it today.”
So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognised. And he said, “Don't let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.”
And he said, “Bring me the shawl you're wearing and hold it out.” So she held it out, and he poured six measures of barley into it and put it on her. Then he went back to town.
When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi said, “How did it go, my daughter?” And she told her everything Boaz had done for her,
and she said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, and said, ‘Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”
And Naomi said, “Sit tight, my daughter, until you find out how it turns out. That man won't rest until he's settled it today.”