Ruth 3

3 ¹ Then her mother-in-law Naomi said, "My daughter, shouldn't I find you rest, so it goes well for you?" ² Isn't Boaz, whose young women you were with, our relative? Tonight he winnows barley at the threshing floor. ³ Wash, perfume yourself, put on your cloak, and go down to the threshing floor. Don't reveal yourself to the man until he finishes eating and drinking. ⁴ When he lies down, note the place; go uncover his feet and lie down—he'll tell you what to do."

⁵ And Ruth said to her, "All that you say I will do." ⁶ So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had told her. ⁷ Boaz ate, drank, and felt good, then lay down at the end of the grain heap. She came secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. ⁸ At midnight the man was startled, turned over, and there lay a woman at his feet! ⁹ "Who are you?" he asked. "I am Ruth, your servant," she said. "Spread your cloak's corner over your servant, for you are a redeemer." ^a a v9 Spreading a garment's corner over someone was a request for marriage and protection.

¹⁰ He said, "Blessed are you by our Father, my daughter. This last kindness is better than the first, since you didn't chase young men, poor or rich." ¹¹ Now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I'll do all you ask, for my whole town knows you're a worthy woman. ¹² Now it is true that I am a redeemer, yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. ¹³ Stay tonight. In the morning, if he'll redeem you—good, let him redeem. If not, as our Father lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until morning.

¹⁴ She lay at his feet until morning, rose before anyone was recognizable, for he said, "No one may know a woman came to the threshing floor." ¹⁵ He said, "Bring the shawl you're wearing; hold it out." She held it out. He measured six portions of barley, put it on her, and went into the city.

¹⁶ When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, "How did it go, my daughter?" She told her all the man had done for her. ¹⁷ She said, "He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, 'Don't return to your mother-in-law empty-handed.'"

¹⁸ Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, until you know the outcome, for the man won't rest until he settles it today."