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Read the Bible

King James Version (1611 Edition)

Ruth 3:8

And it came to passe at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himselfe: and behold, a woman lay at his feete.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Chastity;   Continence;   Inheritance;   Ruth;   Threshing;  

Dictionaries:

- Holman Bible Dictionary - Economic Life;   Ruth;   Skirt;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Anointing, Anointed;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for June 22;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman!
Hebrew Names Version
It happened at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
King James Version
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
Lexham English Bible
And it happened in the middle of the night the man was startled and he reached out and behold, a woman was lying at his feet.
English Standard Version
At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet!
New Century Version
About midnight Boaz was startled and rolled over. There was a woman lying near his feet!
New English Translation
In the middle of the night he was startled and turned over. Now he saw a woman lying beside him!
Amplified Bible
In the middle of the night the man was startled and he turned over, and found a woman lying at his feet.
New American Standard Bible
And it happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And at midnight the man was afraide and caught holde: and loe, a woman lay at his feete.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then it happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet.
Contemporary English Version
In the middle of the night, Boaz suddenly woke up and was shocked to see a woman lying at his feet.
Complete Jewish Bible
In the middle of the night the man was startled and turned over, and — there was a woman lying at his feet!
Darby Translation
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.
Easy-to-Read Version
About midnight, Boaz rolled over in his sleep and woke up. He was very surprised. There was a woman lying near his feet.
George Lamsa Translation
And it came to pass at midnight that the man woke up and was startled when he saw a woman lying at his feet.
Good News Translation
During the night he woke up suddenly, turned over, and was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet.
Literal Translation
And it happened in the middle of the night, that the man trembled and turned himself. And, behold, a woman was lying at his feet!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Now wha it was midnight, the man was afrayed, and groped aboute him, and beholde, a woman laye at his fete.
American Standard Version
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
Bible in Basic English
Now in the middle of the night, the man awaking from his sleep in fear, and lifting himself up, saw a woman stretched at his feet.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And at midnight, the man was afraide, and caught holde: and beholde, a woman lay at his feete.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass at midnight that the man was amazed, and troubled, and behold, a woman lay at his feet.
English Revised Version
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
Berean Standard Bible
At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman!
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And lo! now at mydnyyt `the man dredde, and was troblid; and he siy a womman lyggynge at hise feet;
Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembleth, and turneth himself, and lo, a woman is lying at his feet.
Update Bible Version
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and saw that a woman lay at his feet.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and behold, a woman lay at his feet.
World English Bible
It happened at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
New King James Version
Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet.
New Living Translation
Around midnight Boaz suddenly woke up and turned over. He was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet!
New Life Bible
The man was surprised late in the night. He turned and saw that a woman was lying at his feet.
New Revised Standard
At midnight the man was startled, and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman!
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass, in the middle of the night, that the man started up, and turned, - and lo! a woman, lying at his feet.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And behold, when it was now midnight the man was afraid, and troubled: and he saw a woman lying at his feet,
Revised Standard Version
At midnight the man was startled, and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet!
THE MESSAGE
In the middle of the night the man was suddenly startled and sat up. Surprise! This woman asleep at his feet!
New American Standard Bible (1995)
It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet.

Contextual Overview

6 And she went downe vnto the floore, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunke, and his heart was merrie, hee went to lie downe at the ende of the heape of corne: and she came softly, and vncouered his feet, and laid her downe. 8 And it came to passe at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himselfe: and behold, a woman lay at his feete. 9 And hee said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt ouer thine handmaid, for thou art a neare kinseman. 10 And hee said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindnesse in the latter ende, then at the beginning, in as much as thou followedst not yong men, whether poore, or rich. 11 And now my daughter, feare not, I will doe to thee all that thou requirest: for all the citie of my people doeth know, that thou art a vertuous woman. 12 And now it is true, that I am thy neare kinseman: howbeit there is a kinseman nearer then I. 13 Tary this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if hee will performe vnto thee the part of a kinseman, well, let him doe the kinsemans part; but if hee will not doe the part of a kinseman to thee, then will I doe the part of a kinseman to thee, as the Lord liueth: lie downe vntill the morning.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtill then any beast of the field, which the LORD God had made, and he said vnto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of euery tree of the garden?
Genesis 3:2
And the woman said vnto the serpent, Wee may eate of the fruite of the trees of the garden:
Genesis 3:3
But of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shal not eate of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Genesis 3:9
And the LORD God called vnto Adam, and said vnto him, Where art thou?
Genesis 3:10
And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden: and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid my selfe.
Genesis 3:12
And the man said, The woman whom thou gauest to be with mee, shee gaue me of the tree, and I did eate.
Genesis 3:21
Unto Adam also, and to his wife, did the LORD God make coates of skinnes, and cloathed them.
Genesis 3:22
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of vs, to know good & euill. And now lest hee put foorth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eate and liue for euer:
Deuteronomy 4:33
Did euer people heare the voyce of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and liue?
Deuteronomy 5:25
Now therefore why should wee die? for this great fire will consume vs. If we heare the voyce of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass at midnight,.... So long Boaz slept without knowledge of any person being at his feet, and so long Ruth had lain there; but awaking, and perceiving something at his feet, which pressed them, it made him look about and feel, and so affected him,

that the man was afraid; though a man, and a man of spirit, he was afraid, a panic seized him, not knowing but it might be a spectre, a spirit, or a demon, as Jarchi; and such an instance we have in history s of an apparition, which seemed to put off clothes, and place itself in a bed where a man lay, c.

and turned himself to see who it was:

and, behold, a woman lay at his feet; which he knew by putting his hand upon her head, as Jarchi thinks, and so knew her by her headdress, or vail; or rather by her voice, as Aben Ezra, and who supposes the moon might shine, and he might be able to discern she had no beard, as well as also discover her by her clothes.

s Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 2. c. 9.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Turned himself - Rather, “bent forward,” so as to feel what it was which was at his feet. The same word is translated “took hold of,” in Judges 16:29.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ruth 3:8. The man was afraid, and turned himself — The verb ילפת yillapheth, which we render he turned himself, has puzzled even the Targumist, who translates the clause thus: "The man trembled, and his flesh became like a (boiled) turnip through fear." It is fully evident Boaz had no intimation of the present proceedings. To this verse the Targumist adds much; he says, "Boaz subdued his concupiscence, and acted towards her as Joseph did to the Egyptian wife of his master, and as Pelatiel, the son of Laish the pious, did to Michal, the daughter of Saul, the wife of David, who put a sword between Michal and himself, because he would not approach to her."


 
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