1 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek a resting place for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Now is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been working, a relative of ours? In fact, tonight he is winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Therefore wash yourself, put on perfume, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 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.”

5 “I will do everything you say,” Ruth answered. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do.

7 After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth went in secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

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

9 “Who are you?” he asked.

“I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your garment * 3:9 Or Spread your wing; the word for wing can also mean corner of a garment; see Ruth 2:12. over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.† 3:9 The Hebrew word for kinsman-redeemer or guardian-redeemer is a legal term for the kinsman who redeems or vindicates a relative; similarly in verses 12 and 13; see Leviticus 25:25–55.”

10 Then Boaz said, “May the LORD bless you, my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before, because you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now do not be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you request, since all my fellow townspeople know that you are a woman of noble character. 12 Yes, it is true that I am a kinsman-redeemer, but there is a redeemer nearer than I.‡ 3:12 That is, more closely related 13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good. Let him redeem you. But if he does not want to redeem you, as surely as the LORD lives, I will. Now lie here until morning.”

14 So she lay down at his feet until morning, but she got up before anyone else could recognize her.

Then Boaz said, “Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he told her, “Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he shoveled six measures of barley § 3:15 Possibly six seahs (two ephahs), or approximately 39.6 dry quarts or 43.8 liters (about 58 pounds or 26.3 kilograms of barley) into her shawl. Then he went * 3:15 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate, and Syriac she went into the city.

16 When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked her, “How did it go, my daughter?”

Then Ruth told her all that Boaz had done for her. 17 And she said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ”

18 “Wait, my daughter,” said Naomi, “until you find out how things go, for he will not rest unless he has resolved the matter today.”