Naomi's Plan
Naomi sends Ruth to the threshing floor at night to ask Boaz to spread his cloak over her. He is startled, then glad: he calls her worthy, blesses her by our Father, and swears to redeem her if a nearer relative will not.
3 1Then her mother-in-law Naomi said, "My daughter, shouldn't I seek a home for you, so it goes well for you? 2Isn't Boaz, whose young women you were with, our relative? Tonight he winnows barley at the threshing floor. 3Wash, perfume yourself, put on your cloak, and go down to the threshing floor. Don't reveal yourself to the man until he finishes eating and drinking. 4When he lies down, note the place; go uncover his feet and lie down—he'll tell you what to do."
5And Ruth said to her, "All that you say I will do." 6So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had told her. 7Boaz ate, drank, and felt good, then lay down at the end of the grain heap. She came secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8At midnight the man was startled, turned over, and there lay a woman at his feet! 9"Who are you?" he asked. "I am Ruth, your servant," she said. "Spread your cloak's corner over your servant, for you are a redeemer." a a v9 Spreading a garment's corner over someone was a request for marriage and protection.
10He said, "Blessed are you by our Father, my daughter. This last kindness is better than the first, since you didn't chase young men, poor or rich. 11Now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I'll do all you ask, for my whole town knows you're a worthy woman. 12Now it is true that I am a redeemer, yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13Stay tonight. In the morning, if he'll redeem you—good, let him redeem. If not, as our Father lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until morning."
14She lay at his feet until morning, rose before anyone was recognizable, for he said, "No one may know a woman came to the threshing floor." 15He said, "Bring the shawl you're wearing; hold it out." She held it out. He measured six portions of barley, put it on her, and went into the city.
16When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, "How did it go, my daughter?" She told her all the man had done for her. 17She said, "He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, 'Don't return to your mother-in-law empty-handed.'"
18Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, until you know the outcome, for the man won't rest until he settles it today."
