THE BOOK OF
RUTH
Ruth 3 ©
By Naomi’s advice v.1, etc. Ruth goes to the threshingfloor of Boaz, and lies down at his feet, 6. Who, awaking, deals kindly with her, and acknowledges the right of redemption, 8. But for as much as there was another nearer kinsman than himself, he is minded first to discourse with him, 12. Sends Ruth betimes in the morning home with a large present, 14.
THEN Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek 1rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
And now is not Boaz of our 2kindred, with whose maidens thou 3wast? Behold, he winnoweth 4barley to night in the threshingfloor.
Wash thyself therefore, and 5anoint thee, and put thy 6raiment 7upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
And it shall be, when he 8lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt 9go in, and 10uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
And 11she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
¶And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was 12merry, 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.
¶And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and 13turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: 14spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near 15kinsman.
And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou 16hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the 17city of my people doth know that thou art a 18virtuous woman.
And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
Tarry 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.
¶And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before 19one could know another. And he said, 20Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
Also he said, Bring the 21vail 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.
And when she came to her mother in law, she said, 22Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
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.