Study Desk

Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi said to her, "My daughter, shouldn't I find security for you, so that you will be taken care of?

Now isn't Boaz our relative?^(a) Haven't you been working with his female servants? This evening he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.

Wash, put on perfumed oil, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but don't let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.

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."

So Ruth said to her, "I will do everything you say."^[a]

She went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her.

After Boaz ate, drank, and was in good spirits,^[b] he went to lie down at the end of the pile of barley. Then she went in secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman!

So he asked, "Who are you?" "I am Ruth, your slave," she replied. "Spread your cloak^[c] over me,^(b) for you are a family redeemer."^(c)

Then he said, "May the Lord bless you,^(d) my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before,^[d] because you have not pursued younger men, whether rich or poor.

Now don't be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you say,^[e] since all the people in my town^[f] know that you are a woman of noble character.^(e)

Yes, it is true that I am a family redeemer, but there is a redeemer closer than I am.

Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, that's good.^(f) Let him redeem you. But if he doesn't want to redeem you, as the Lord lives,^(g) I will. Now lie down until morning."

So she lay down at his feet until morning but got up while it was still dark.^[g] Then Boaz said, "Don't let it be known that a^[h] woman came to the threshing floor."

And he told Ruth, "Bring the shawl you're wearing and hold it out." When she held it out, he shoveled six measures of barley into her shawl, and she^[i] went into the town.

She went to her mother-in-law, Naomi, who asked her, "How did it go,^[j] my daughter?" Then Ruth told her everything the man had done for her.

She said, "He gave me these six measures of barley, because he said,^[k] ‘Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.'"

Naomi said, "My daughter, wait until you find out how things go, for he won't rest unless he resolves this today."

Boaz went to the gate of the town^(a) and sat down there. Soon the family redeemer Boaz had spoken about came by. Boaz called him by name and said, "Come^[a] over here and sit down." So he went over and sat down.

Then Boaz took 10 men of the town's elders^(b) and said, "Sit here." And they sat down.

He said to the redeemer, "Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, is selling a piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.^(c)

I thought I should inform you:^[b] Buy it back in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem it, do so. But if you do^[c] not want to redeem it, tell me so that I will know, because there isn't anyone other than you to redeem it, and I am next after you." "I want to redeem it," he answered.

Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you will also acquire^[d] Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man's name on his property."^(d)

The redeemer replied, "I can't redeem it myself, or I will ruin my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I can't redeem it."

At an earlier period in Israel, a man removed his sandal^(e) and gave it to the other party in order to make any matter legally binding concerning the right of redemption or the exchange of property. This was the method of legally binding a transaction in Israel.

So the redeemer removed his sandal and said to Boaz, "Buy back the property yourself."

Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses today that I am buying from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon.

I will also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife, to perpetuate the deceased man's name on his property, so that his name will not disappear among his relatives or from the gate of his home. You are witnesses today."

The elders and all the people who were at the gate said, "We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your house like Rachel and Leah,^(f) who together built the house of Israel. May you be powerful in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.

May your house become like the house of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah,^(g) because of the offspring the Lord will give you by this young woman."

Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he was intimate with her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.

Then the women said to Naomi, "Praise the Lord , who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel.

He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons,^(h) has given birth to him."

Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and took care of him.

The neighbor women said, "A son has been born to Naomi," and they named him Obed.^[e] He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron.

Hezron fathered Ram,^[f] who fathered Amminadab.

Amminadab fathered Nahshon, who fathered Salmon.

Salmon fathered Boaz, who fathered Obed.

And Obed fathered Jesse, who fathered David.⁽ⁱ⁾