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Read the Bible

Literal Standard Version

Ruth 3:8

And it comes to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembles, and turns himself, and behold, a woman is lying at his feet.

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.
King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himselfe: and behold, a woman lay at his feete.
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

6And she goes down [to] the threshing-floor, and does according to all that her mother-in-law commanded her 7And Boaz eats and drinks, and his heart is glad; and he goes in to lie down at the end of the heap; and she comes in gently, and uncovers his feet, and lies down. 8And it comes to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembles, and turns himself, and behold, a woman is lying at his feet.9And he says, "Who [are] you?" And she says, "I [am] Ruth your handmaid, and you have spread your skirt over your handmaid, for you [are] a redeemer." 10And he says, "Blessed [are] you of YHWH, my daughter; you have dealt more kindly at the latter end than at the beginning—not to go after the young men, either poor or rich. 11And now, my daughter, do not fear, all that you say I do to you, for all the gate of my people knows that you [are] a virtuous woman. 12And now, surely, true, that I [am] a redeemer, but also there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13Lodge tonight, and it has been in the morning, if he redeems you, well: he redeems; and if he does not delight to redeem you, then I have redeemed you—I; YHWH lives! Lie down until the morning."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
And the serpent has been cunning above every beast of the field which YHWH God has made, and he says to the woman, "Is it true that God has said, You do not eat from every tree of the garden?"
Genesis 3:2
And the woman says to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we eat,
Genesis 3:3
but from the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden, God has said, You do not eat of it, nor touch it, lest you die."
Genesis 3:9
And YHWH God calls to the man and says to him, "Where [are] you?"
Genesis 3:10
And he says, "I have heard Your sound in the garden, and I am afraid, for I am naked, and I hide myself."
Genesis 3:12
And the man says, "The woman whom You placed with me—she has given to me from the tree, and I eat."
Genesis 3:21
And YHWH God makes coats of skin [for] the man and his wife, and clothes them.
Genesis 3:22
And YHWH God says, "Behold, the man was as one of Us, as to the knowledge of good and evil; and now, lest he send forth his hand, and has also taken from the Tree of Life, and eaten, and lived for all time."
Deuteronomy 4:33
Has a people heard the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, you—and live?
Deuteronomy 5:25
And now, why do we die? For this great fire consumes us if we add to hear the voice of our God YHWH anymore—then we have died.

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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