Ruth 3:4

Wycliffe Bible

Forsothe whanne he goth to slepe, marke thou the place `in which he slepith; and thou schalt come and vnhile the cloth, `with which he is hilid, fro the part of the feet, and thou schalt caste thee doun, and thou schalt ly there. Forsothe he schal seie to thee, what thou `owist to do.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When he lies down, notice the place where he’s lying, go in and uncover his feet, and lie down. Then he will explain to you what you should do.”

Hebrew Names Version
It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall mark the place where he shall lie, and you shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lay you down; and he will tell you what you shall do.

King James Version
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

Lexham English Bible
And when he lies, take notice of the place where he lies. And you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he shall tell you what to do."

English Standard Version
But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do."

New Century Version
Watch him so you will know where he lies down to sleep. When he lies down, go and lift the cover off his feet and lie down. He will tell you what you should do."

New English Translation
When he gets ready to go to sleep, take careful notice of the place where he lies down. Then go, uncover his legs, and lie down beside him. He will tell you what you should do."

Amplified Bible
"When he lies down, notice the place where he is lying, and go and uncover his feet and lie down. Then he will tell you what to do."

New American Standard Bible
"And it shall be when he lies down, that you shall take notice of the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you should do."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when he shall sleepe, marke the place where he layeth him downe, and go, and vncouer the place of his feete, and lay thee downe, and he shall tell thee what thou shalt doe.

Legacy Standard Bible
Let it be that when he lies down, you shall know the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do."

Contemporary English Version
Watch where he goes to spend the night, then when he is asleep, lift the cover and lie down at his feet. He will tell you what to do.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then, when he lies down, take note of where he's lying; later, go in, uncover his feet, and lie down. He will tell you what to do."

Darby Translation
And it shall be, when he lies down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall have lain down, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thyself down; and he will shew thee what thou shalt do.

Easy-to-Read Version
After he eats, he will lie down to rest. Watch him so that you will know where he lies down. Go there and lift the cover off his feet. Then lie down there with Boaz. He will tell you what you should do about marriage."

George Lamsa Translation
And it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall remember the place where he lies, and you shall draw near and lie down near his feet; and he will tell you what you shall do.

Good News Translation
Be sure to notice where he lies down, and after he falls asleep, go and lift the covers and lie down at his feet. He will tell you what to do."

Literal Translation
And it shall be, when he lies down, you shall know the place where he lies down. And you shall go in and uncover his feet, and lie down. And he will tell you that which you are to do.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan he layeth him downe then to sleape, mark ye place where he lyeth downe, and come thou, and take vp the couerynge at his fete, and laye the downe, so shall he tell the what thou shalt do.

American Standard Version
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

Bible in Basic English
But see to it, when he goes to rest, that you take note of the place where he is sleeping, and go in there, and, uncovering his feet, take your place by him; and he will say what you are to do.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when he goeth to sleepe, marke the place where he layeth him downe, and then go and lyft vp the clothes that are on his feete, & lay thee downe there: and he shall tel thee what thou shalt do.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.'

King James Version (1611)
And it shall be when hee lieth downe, that thou shalt marke the place where hee shall lie, and thou shalt goe in, and vncouer his feete, and lay thee downe, and he will tell thee what thou shalt doe.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it shall come to pass when he lies down, that thou shalt mark the place where he lies down, and shalt come and lift up the covering of his feet, and shalt lie down; and he shall tell thee what thou shalt do.

English Revised Version
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

Berean Standard Bible
When he lies down, note the place where he lies. Then go in and uncover his feet, and lie down, and he will explain to you what you should do."

Young's Literal Translation
and it cometh to pass when he lieth down, that thou hast known the place where he lieth down, and hast gone in, and uncovered his feet, and lain down, -- and he doth declare to thee that which thou dost do.'

Update Bible Version
And it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall mark the place where he shall lie, and you shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lay down; and he will tell you what you shall do.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall be when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

World English Bible
It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall mark the place where he shall lie, and you shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lay you down; and he will tell you what you shall do.

New King James Version
Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do."

New Living Translation
Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do."

New Life Bible
When he lies down, watch where he lies. Go in and take the covers off his feet and lie down. Then he will tell you what to do."

New Revised Standard
When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he doth lie, and shalt go in and turn aside the covering of his feet, and lay thee down, - and, he, will tell thee what thou shalt do.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he shall go to sleep, mark the place wherein he sleepeth: and thou shalt go in, and lift up the clothes wherewith he is covered towards his feet, and shalt lay thyself down there: and he will tell thee what thou must do.

Revised Standard Version
But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"It shall be when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do."

Contextual Overview

¹ Forsothe aftir that Ruth turnede ayen to hir modir in lawe, Ruth herde of hir, My douytir, Y schal seke reste to thee, and Y schal purueye that it be wel to thee. ² This Booz, to whose damesels thou were ioyned in the feeld, is oure kynesman, and in this niyt he wyndewith the corn floor of barli. ³ Therfor be thou waischun, and anoyntid, and be thou clothid with onestere clothis, and go doun in to the corn floor; the man, `that is, Booz, se not thee, til he haue endid the mete and drynke. <sup>4</sup> Forsothe whanne he goth to slepe, marke thou the place `in which he slepith; and thou schalt come and vnhile the cloth, `with which he is hilid, fro the part of the feet, and thou schalt caste thee doun, and thou schalt ly there. Forsothe he schal seie to thee, what thou `owist to do. ⁵ Which answeride, What euer thing thou comaundist, Y schal do.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

uncover his feet: or, lift up the clothes that are on his feet, 1 Thessalonians 5:22

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
And the Lord seide to the womman, Whi didist thou this thing? Which answerde, The serpent disseyued me, and Y eet.

Deuteronomy 29:19
and whanne he hath herd the wordis of this ooth, he blesse hym silf in his herte, and seie, Pees schal be to me, and Y schal go in the schrewidnesse of myn herte; and lest the drunkun take the thirsti,

2 Kings 1:4
For which thing the Lord seith these thingis, Thou schalt not go doun of the bed, on which thou stiedist.

2 Kings 1:6
And thei answeriden to hym, A man mette vs, and seide to vs, Go ye, turne ye ayen to the kyng, that sente you; and ye schulen seie to him, The Lord seith these thingis, Whether for God was not in Israel, thou sendist, that Belzebub, god of Acharon, be counselid? Therfor thou schalt not go doun of the bed, on which thou stiedist, but thou schalt die bi deeth.

2 Kings 1:16
and he spak to the kyng, The Lord seith thes thingis, For thou sentist messangeris to counsele Belzebub, god of Acharon, as if no God were in Israel, of whom thow myytist axe a word; therfor thou schalt not go doun of the bed, on which thou stiedist, but thou schalt die bi deeth.

2 Kings 8:10
And Elisee seide, Go thou, and seye to hym, Thou schalt be heelid; forsothe the Lord schewide to me that he schal die bi deth.

Psalms 10:11
For he seide in his herte, God hath foryete; he hath turned awei his face, that he se not in to the ende.

2 Corinthians 2:11
that we be not disseyued of Sathanas; for we knowen hise thouytis.

2 Corinthians 11:3
But Y drede, lest as the serpent disseyuede Eue with his sutil fraude, so youre wittis ben corrupt, and fallen doun fro the symplenesse that is in Crist.

1 Timothy 2:14
and Adam was not disseyued, but the womman was disseyued, in breking of the lawe.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it shall be, when he lieth down,.... On the threshingfloor, under the open air, in order to sleep, and take rest:

that thou shall mark the place where he shall lie; the spot he shall lie on, and the direction in which he shall lie, whether east, west, c. that when the light shall be taken away, and the darkness of the night come on, she might pretty easily find the place where he lay:

and thou shall go in and uncover his feet, and lay thee down go into the threshingfloor, or to the place where he lay down and gently lay aside the covering upon his feet, whether a blanket, or rug, or his own long clothes, with which his feet were wrapped, and then lay herself down at his feet; this seems to be advised to, in order to give him a hint that there was somebody at his feet. This may seem to us to be strange advice, and not consistent with the character of pious and virtuous women, which they both bore, and with that modesty they otherwise seem to be possessed of; to clear this, let it be observed, that this man was, as Naomi thought, the next kinsman, and so in right of the law in Deuteronomy 25:5, was the husband of Ruth, and therefore might take such a freedom with him as she did; and it seems by the same law as if the woman was to make the demand of marriage, which may serve to reconcile the carriage of Ruth to her character: besides, what things in one age, and in one nation, are reckoned immodest, are not so accounted in another age, and in another nation; add to this the age and gravity of Boaz, and the well known virtue of Ruth to Naomi, she might think herself quite safe in the advice she gave: and yet after all, it must be owned, it is somewhat difficult to account for her simplicity and wisdom in it; since she could not be sure that sin and folly would not be committed, considering the infirmity of human nature; or that such a behaviour in Ruth would not alienate the affection of Boaz from her, and cause him to consider her as a light and loose woman, and unfit to be his wife:

and he will tell thee what thou shall do; being a judge of Israel, and expert in the law, he would inform her whether he was the next kinsman, and had the right of redemption or not, and what methods must be taken, and what rites used, in order to her marriage with him, or another person.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Uncover his feet - Rather, “the place of his feet;” the foot of his bed, as we should say. So also Ruth 3:7-8.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ruth 3:4. Uncover his feet, and lay thee down — It is said that women in the East, when going to the bed of their lawful husbands, through modesty, and in token of subjection, go to the bed's foot, and gently raising the clothes, creep under them up to their place. See Calmet.

On the whole, we must say, had not Boaz been a person of extraordinary piety, prudence, and continence, this experiment might have been fatal to Ruth. We cannot easily account for this transaction, probably Naomi knew more than she revealed to her daughter-in-law. The experiment however was dangerous, and should in no sense be imitated.

He will tell thee what thou shalt do — The Targum reads the clause thus: Thou shalt ask counsel from him, "and he shall tell thee what thou shouldest do."