Ruth

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

1Naomi 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.

2"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.

3"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.

4"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.

5Ruth 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.

6So 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.

7Boaz 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.

NoteThe KJV says "corn." In 1611 that word meant grain of any kind. Here it means barley, not the yellow corn we eat today.

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

8In 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.

9He 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."

Note"Near kinsman" means a close family member. In Israel such a person had the duty to buy back family land and marry a widow, so the family would not be lost. Spreading a coat's corner over someone was a way of asking for that protection.

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.

10Boaz 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.

11"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.

12"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.

13"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.

14She 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.

15He 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.

NoteSix measures of barley was a heavy load, likely more than Ruth could easily carry home alone. The exact size is not given in the text.

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.

16Ruth 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.

17She 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.

18Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, until you know how this turns out. That man will not rest. He will settle it today."