Ruth chapter 3
Naomi’s plan. Ruth asks Boaz to marry her. Ruth reports back to Naomi.
NAOMI’S PLAN
VERSE 1. Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?
Naomi her mother-in-law said to her. Naomi is serving as a matchmaker. She is coaching Ruth on how to ask Boaz to marry her.
VERSE 2. Now isn’t Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he will be winnowing barley tonight on the threshing floor.
VERSE 3. Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed, and go down to the threshing floor; but don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
VERSE 4. It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall note the place where he is lying. Then you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lay down. Then he will tell you what to do.”
VERSE 5. She said to her, “All that you say, I will do.”
I will do. Ruth will do what Naomi said.
RUTH ASKS BOAZ TO MARRY HER
VERSE 6. She went down to the threshing floor, and did everything that her mother-in-law told her.
VERSE 7. When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came softly, uncovered his feet, and laid down.
VERSE 8. At midnight, the man was startled and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.
VERSE 9. He said, “Who are you?” She answered, “I am Ruth your servant. Therefore spread the corner of your garment over your servant; for you are a near kinsman.”
spread the corner of your garment. Ruth is asking Boaz to marry her.
Deuteronomy 25:5. If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her, and take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.
Ezekiel 16:8. Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you,” says the Lord GOD, “and you became mine.
A foreign widow is asking a noted Jewish man to marry her.
VERSE 10. He said, “You are blessed by the LORD, my daughter. You have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, because you didn’t follow young men, whether poor or rich.
You are blessed by the LORD. Boaz immediately says words of blessing. He is an authentic man of God.
Boaz joyfully accepts Ruth’s proposal.
you didn’t follow young men. Boaz admits Ruth could pursue whatever man she wanted.
VERSE 11. Now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do to you all that you say; for all the city of my people knows that you are a worthy woman.
will do to you all that you say. Boaz understood Ruth’s invitation meant marriage.
In their Old Testament way, it was Ruth who proposed to Boaz.
VERSE 12. Now it is true that I am a near kinsman. However, there is a kinsman nearer than I.
VERSE 13. Stay this night, and in the morning, if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, good. Let him do the kinsman’s duty. But if he will not do the duty of a kinsman for you, then I will do the duty of a kinsman for you, as the LORD lives. Lie down until the morning.”
Stay this night. Boaz does not send Ruth home in the middle of the night.
VERSE 14. She lay at his feet until the morning, then she rose up before one could discern another. For he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
Let it not be known. If Ruth’s presence on the threshing floor were made known, Ruth’s life would be complicated by gossips in the village.
Nothing had happened that was improper. But gossipers are not careful about the truth.
VERSE 15. He said, “Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it.” She held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; then he went into the city.
RUTH REPORTS BACK TO NAOMI
VERSE 16. When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did it go, my daughter?” She told her all that the man had done for her.
VERSE 17. She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said, ‘Don’t go empty to your mother-in-law.’ ”
VERSE 18. Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know what will happen; for the man will not rest until he has settled this today.”
the man will not rest until he has settled this today. Naomi knows Boaz will not sit idle or waste any time.
Boaz will not let the sun go down until this is resolved.
Securing his marriage relationship with Ruth was the topmost priority for Boaz. All else was secondary.
RUTH
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