Ruth 3 - Introduction

1 By Naomi her instruction,

5 Ruth lieth at Boaz his feete.

8 Boaz acknowledgeth the right of a kinseman.

14 He sendeth her away with sixe measures of barley.

1 Then Naomi her mother in law said vnto her, My daughter, shal I not seeke rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

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

3 Wash thy selfe therefore, and annoint thee, and put thy raiment vpon thee, and get thee downe to the floore: but make not thy selfe knowen vnto the man, vntill hee shall haue done eating and drinking.

4 And it shall be when hee lieth downe, that thou shalt marke the place where hee shall lie, and thou shalt goe in, and [Note: Or, lift vp the clothes that are on his feete.] vncouer his feete, and lay thee downe, and he will tell thee what thou shalt doe.

5 And shee said vnto her, All that thou sayest vnto me, I will doe.

6 And she went downe vnto the floore, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.

7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunke, and his heart was merrie, hee went to lie downe at the ende of the heape of corne: and she came softly, and vncouered his feet, and laid her downe.

8 And it came to passe at midnight, that the man was afraid, and [Note: Or, tooke holde on.] turned himselfe: and behold, a woman lay at his feete.

9 And hee said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt ouer thine handmaid, for thou art [Note: Or, one that hath right to redeeme.] a neare kinseman.

[Boaz talketh with Ruths kinsman.]

10 And hee said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindnesse in the latter ende, then at the beginning, in as much as thou followedst not yong men, whether poore, or rich.

11 And now my daughter, feare not, I will doe to thee all that thou requirest: for all the [Note: Hebrew: gate.] citie of my people doeth know, that thou art a vertuous woman.

12 And now it is true, that I am thy neare kinseman: howbeit there is a kinseman nearer then I.

13 Tary this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if hee will performe vnto thee the part of a kinseman, well, let him doe the kinsemans part; but if hee will not doe the part of a kinseman to thee, then will I doe the part of a kinseman to thee, as the Lord liueth: lie downe vntill the morning.

14 And shee lay at his feete vntill the morning: and she rose vp before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be knowen, that a woman came into the floore.

15 Also he said, Bring the [Note: Or, sheete, or, apron.] vaile that thou hast vpon thee, and holde it. And when she helde it, he measured sixe measures of barley, and laide it on her: and he went into the citie.

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

17 And she said, These sixe measures of barley gaue he me, for he said to me, Go not emptie vnto thy mother in law.

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