1Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2Now isn’t Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he will be winnowing barley tonight on the threshing floor. 3Therefore 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. 4It 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 lie down. Then he will tell you what to do.”
5She said to her, “All that you say, I will do.” 6She went down to the threshing floor, and did everything that her mother-in-law told her. 7When 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 lay down. 8At midnight, the man was startled and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet. 9He 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.”
10He said, “You are blessed by Yahweh, 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. 11Now, 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. 12Now it is true that I am a near kinsman. However, there is a kinsman nearer than I. 13Stay 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 Yahweh lives. Lie down until the morning.”
14She 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.” 15He 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.
16When 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. 17She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said, ‘Don’t go empty to your mother-in-law.’”
18Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know what will happen; for the man will not rest until he has settled this today.”
This chapter could be summed up in the Bethlehem Telegraph women seeking men column like this, “Single attractive widow would like to meet single attractive male. Marriage desired. Must get on with mother-in-law.
In this chapter Naomi got impatient and decided to give God a helping hand. The are some important spiritual principles that come to light.
1) Godly character is evident in ungodly settings. We bemoan the fact that we live in dark days, but it is during such times that personal righteousness should shine ever more brightly in our lives.
2) Men are called to be moral leaders in their relationship with the opposite sex. Men should protect the purity and reputation women that they date. Boaz was a “mighty man of valour.”
He showed it on the battlefield, but he won the battle against sexual temptation at the threshing floor.
3) Watch out for ungodly counsel. Naomi, by her own admission was bitter. If you need spiritual counsel find it in someone who is walking close with God.
4) God can work things out for our good. He doesn’t need our help. Boaz and Ruth maintained their integrity in the dark. What they were in the dark, revealed what they truly were: a man and woman of genuine character.
But there is a spanner in the works – read 3:12