Boaz

1And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

Naomi had a relative on her husband's side of the family. He was rich and well respected. He came from the same family as Elimelech, Naomi's husband. His name was Boaz.

2And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

Ruth came from the land of Moab. She said to Naomi, "Let me go out to the fields. I will pick up the grain the workers drop and leave behind. Maybe someone will be kind and let me do it." Naomi said, "Go ahead, my daughter."

3And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

So Ruth went out and picked up grain behind the workers. It happened that she came to a field that belonged to Boaz. Boaz was part of Elimelech's family.

4And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.

Just then Boaz came out from Bethlehem. He said to the workers, "May the LORD be with you." They answered, "May the LORD bless you."

5Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

Boaz asked the man in charge of the workers, "Who is that young woman?"

6And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:

The man in charge said, "She is the young woman from Moab. She came back with Naomi from the land of Moab."

7And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

"She asked if she could pick up the grain left behind the workers. She has been working from morning until now. She only rested a short time in the shelter."

8Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:

Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Do not go pick up grain in anyone else's field. Do not go away from here. Stay close to my servant girls."

9Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

"Watch the field where the men are cutting grain. Follow along behind the girls. I have told the young men not to bother you. When you are thirsty, go drink from the water jars they filled."

10Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

Ruth bowed down low with her face to the ground. She said to him, "Why are you so kind to me? Why do you even notice me? I come from another country."

11And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.

Boaz answered her, "People have told me all about you. I know what you have done for Naomi since your husband died. You left your own father and mother. You left the land where you were born. You came to live with people you did not know before."

12The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

"May the LORD pay you back for what you have done. May the God of Israel give you a full reward. You came to Him for safety, the way a small bird hides under a wing."

13Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.

Ruth said, "You are very kind to me, sir. Your words have comforted me. You spoke gently to me, and I am only a servant. I am not even one of your servant girls."

14And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.

At mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come over here. Have some bread. Dip it in the sour wine." So she sat down beside the workers. He handed her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted, and there was still some left.

15And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:

When Ruth got up to gather grain again, Boaz gave his young men an order. He said, "Let her gather grain even close to the bundles. Do not say unkind things to her."

16And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

"Pull some grain out of the bundles on purpose. Leave it on the ground for her to pick up. Do not scold her."

17So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.

So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. Then she beat the grain loose from the stalks. She had about an ephah of barley.

18And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

She carried the grain into the town. Her husband's mother saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also gave her the food she had saved from her meal.

19And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.

Naomi asked her, "Where did you gather grain today? Where did you work? May God bless the man who noticed you." So Ruth told her where she had worked. She said, "The man I worked with today is named Boaz."

20And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

Naomi said to Ruth, "May the LORD bless him! He has kept on being kind to us. He is kind to the living and to those who have died." Then Naomi said, "That man is a close relative. He is one of the men who can help and protect our family."

21And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.

Ruth, the woman from Moab, said, "He told me something else too. He said, 'Stay close to my workers until they finish all my harvest.'"

22And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.

Naomi said to Ruth, "That is good, my daughter. Go out with his servant girls. Then no one will hurt you in some other field."

23So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.

So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz. She gathered grain until the barley harvest and the wheat harvest were over. And she lived with Naomi, her husband's mother.

1Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

Naomi was the mother of Ruth's husband, who had died. She said, "My daughter, let me find you a safe home. Then life will be good for you."

2And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.

"Boaz is part of our family. You worked with the young women who work for him. Tonight he is at the threshing floor. He is tossing barley in the air so the wind blows the husks away."

3Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

"So wash yourself. Put on sweet-smelling oil. Put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor. Do not let Boaz know you are there. Wait until he has finished eating and drinking."

4And 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.

"Watch where he lies down to sleep. Then go over, uncover his feet, and lie down there. He will tell you what to do next."

5And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.

Ruth said to her, "I will do everything you say."

6And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.

So she went down to the threshing floor. She did just what Naomi had told her.

7And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.

Boaz finished eating and drinking, and he felt happy. He lay down at the end of the pile of grain. Ruth came in quietly. She uncovered his feet and lay down there.

8And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

In the middle of the night, Boaz woke up with a start. He turned over. A woman was lying at his feet.

9And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.

He said, "Who are you?" She said, "I am Ruth, your servant. Spread the corner of your coat over me. You are a close relative who can take care of me."

10And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.

Boaz said, "May the LORD bless you, my daughter. You have been even kinder now than you were before. You did not go after young men, rich or poor."

11And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.

"Do not be afraid, my daughter. I will do everything you ask. Everyone in our town knows you are a good woman."

12And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.

"It is true that I am a close relative who can help you. But there is one man who is even closer in the family."

13Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.

"Stay here tonight. In the morning we will find out. If he will help you as your relative should, that is good. Let him do it. If he will not, then I will do it. I promise, as surely as the LORD lives. Now lie down until morning."

14And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.

She lay at his feet until morning. She got up while it was still too dark to tell one person from another. Boaz said, "No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor."

15Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.

He also said, "Bring me the shawl you are wearing. Hold it open." She held it open. He poured six measures of barley into it and lifted it onto her. Then she went into the town.

16And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.

Ruth came back to Naomi. Naomi asked, "How did it go, my daughter?" Ruth told her everything Boaz had done for her.

17And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.

She said, "He gave me these six measures of barley. He said, 'Do not go back to your mother-in-law with empty hands.'"

18Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, until you know how this turns out. That man will not rest. He will settle it today."

1Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

Boaz went to the town gate and sat down there. The close relative he had talked about came by. Boaz said, "Come over here, friend. Sit down." So the man came and sat down.

2And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

Boaz called ten of the town's leaders. He said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.

3And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s:

Boaz said to the relative, "Naomi has come back from the land of Moab. She is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.

4And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

I thought I should tell you. You can buy it back here, in front of these people and leaders. If you want to buy it, buy it. If you do not, tell me so I know. You are first in line to buy it, and I come next." The man said, "I will buy it."

5Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also take Ruth. Ruth came from Moab, and her husband died. Her first son will carry the dead man's name and keep his land."

6And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

The relative said, "Then I cannot buy it. It would hurt the land I leave to my own children. You take my turn and buy it. I cannot."

7Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.

Long ago in Israel, people did something to make a deal certain. A man pulled off his sandal and handed it to the other man. That showed everyone the deal was final.

8Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

So the relative said to Boaz, "Buy it yourself." And he pulled off his sandal.

9And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi.

Boaz said to the leaders and all the people, "You all saw this today. I have bought from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon.

10Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

I have also taken Ruth to be my wife. She came from Moab, and her husband Mahlon died. Her son will carry Mahlon's name and keep his land. So Mahlon's name will not be forgotten in his town. You all saw this today."

11And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

All the people at the gate and the leaders said, "We saw it. May the LORD make this woman like Rachel and Leah. Those two mothers built up the families of Israel. May you do well in Ephratah and be known in Bethlehem.

12And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.

Long ago Tamar had a son named Pharez, and Judah was his father. May your family grow strong like that family. May the LORD give you children by this young woman."

13So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

So Boaz married Ruth, and she became his wife. The LORD let her have a baby, and she gave birth to a son.

14And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

The women said to Naomi, "Praise the LORD! Today he gave you a family helper. May his name be known all over Israel.

15And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

He will make you glad again. He will care for you when you are old. Your son's wife loves you. She is better to you than seven sons, and she gave him birth."

16And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

Naomi took the baby and held him close. She helped take care of him.

17And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The women next door gave him a name. They said, "Naomi has a son!" They called him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.