76 – Ruth & Boaz
Ruth 3:1 – 4:22
Continued from the previous story
At the end of harvest, Naomi said to Ruth, “I am going to make sure you’re cared for. Here’s what you’re to do. Take a bath and put on some perfume. Dress in your best clothes. Boaz and his men will be working late tonight at the threshing floor. When they’re done, they’ll eat and drink, and then sleep on the threshing floor to protect the grain.
“Go there, but don’t let the men see you. Watch carefully and note where Boaz lies down. Once everyone is asleep, uncover his feet, and lie down next to them. When he wakes up, he’ll explain what you’re to do.”
So Ruth went to where the men were working and hid in the shadows. She watched carefully until she saw Boaz and the others lie down on the threshing floor. Their heads were towards the grain with their feet pointing out. Once they were asleep, she quietly uncovered the feet of Boaz, and lay down.
During the night, Boaz realized there was a woman lying at his feet. He said, “Who are you?”
She said, “I’m Ruth. Spread your protection over me, because you’re my closest relative.”
He said, “The Lord bless you! You didn’t come to our village looking for a husband, rich or poor. Instead you proved yourself to be a woman of integrity.
“Still, there is a next-of-kin who is closer than me. In the morning I’ll talk to him and give him an opportunity to redeem you. If he doesn’t, I will. For now, it’s not safe to go home in the night. I’ll send you there in the morning.”
She lay at his feet until morning, and then got up while it was still dark. Boaz gave her grain to take to Naomi.
Ruth told her mother-in-law everything that happened. Naomi said, “Now you’re to wait. Boaz won’t rest until this matter is settled.”
That day, Boaz arranged a meeting with the next-of-kin and the elders of the city. He said, “Naomi has come back from Moab and is selling her husband’s land. You’re the closest relative. Buy it in the presence of these elders. And if you don’t, I’ll buy it.”
The man was quick to answer. “I’ll buy it!”
Boaz went on to explain, “Well, when you buy it, you must also marry Ruth, the Moabite woman. This will keep the family name with the property.”
The man said, “I can’t marry this woman. It would ruin my own family name. You have my permission to buy the property.” With that, the man took off one of his sandals and handed it to Boaz. That made the deal legally binding.
Boaz held the sandal out toward the elders. “You are witnesses that I just bought the property that belonged to Naomi’s husband and sons. And because of that, Ruth will become my wife.”
People had gathered around and were watching all of this. The elders said, “Yes, we’ve seen the whole thing. May the Lord bless you, and may the Lord bless this woman who will become your wife.”
So Boaz took Ruth as his wife, and in the course of time, she gave birth to a son named Obed. He had a son named Jesse, who became the father of a shepherd boy named David. He became the great king of Israel!
