Naomi tells Ruth to go to Boaz at the threshing floor at night. Ruth lies at his feet and asks him to act as a redeemer. Boaz says there is a nearer relative but promises to settle the matter.
1 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?
2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred , with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor .
3 Wash 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 .
4 And 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 .
5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do .
6 And she went down unto the floor , and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
7 And 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 .
8 And it came to pass at midnight , that the man was afraid , and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet .
9 And 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 .
10 And 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 .
11 And 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 .
12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman : howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
13 Tarry 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 .
14 And 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 .
15 Also 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 .
16 And 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.
17 And she said , These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law .
18 Then 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 .