A Study of Ruth 3:1-5

“Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” And she replied, “All that you say I will do.””

Ruth 3:1–5 ESV

Observation/Summary (short explanation of what the passage says in your own words):

Naomi tells her young, widowed daughter in law Ruth that she wants to “seek rest” for her so that it may “be well with her.” By this Naomi meant she wanted to seek out a husband for Ruth. Naomi then pointed out that Boaz was a relative of theirs (a relative of Ruth’s because of her previous marriage to Naomi’s now deceased son), and that he would be winnowing barley that same night at the threshing floor. So, she told Ruth to wash and anoint herself, and go to the threshing floor, but also to not make herself known until after Boaz had finished eating and drinking after the evening’s work. After he had finished and laid down to sleep, Naomi told Ruth to uncover his feet, lay down and then do what Boaz would tell her to do. Ruth then told Naomi she would do as she said.

Implication (what does this mean to us):

In the chapters leading up to this we read of how Naomi’s husband took her and their two sons from Bethlehem in Israel to the country of Moab to escape a famine. While they were there, their two sons married Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah, but Naomi’s husband died, along with her two sons, leaving Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth as childless widows. Childless widows in this culture and time were among some of the most vulnerable and destitute people on the socio-economic ladder, so their situation was quite desperate. Around this time Naomi also heard the famine had ended in Israel, so she decided to go back, but she urged Ruth and Orpah to stay in Moab with their families and their gods, where they would find new husbands. Naomi said this because she was too old to hope for another husband, and Ruth and Orpah might struggle to find husbands as foreigners in Israel.

Naomi also correctly acknowledged it was the hand of Yahweh, the one true God, who had orchestrated these calamitous events, but as she understandably struggled with bitterness and grief, she also incorrectly told Orpah and Ruth to return to their land and their false gods to avoid the calamities Yahweh had brought upon her. In a tearful goodbye, Orpah decided to return to her land, family, and gods, but Ruth loyally declared she would stay with Naomi no matter what, and that she would go to Israel and Yahweh would be her God. Evidently, in the years Ruth had lived with Naomi, she had learned much of Yahweh and His covenant people Israel, and she wanted to leave her old gods behind to follow Him, even if it meant severe hardship as a widow in a foreign land.

When Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem, the people remembered Naomi and also took note of Ruth’s admirable character and loyalty to Naomi, because Ruth stayed and went to work gleaning grain in the fields, conducting herself with honor and humility. Yahweh also orchestrated events so that Ruth gleaned in the field of Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s deceased husband who was well known as an honorable man, and he took notice of Ruth’s hard work and honorable character. To this point there had been no romantic advances, but Boaz had invited her to glean with his young women workers where Ruth would be safe and protected, and he also made sure his servants provided her with far more grain than one could usually expect from gleaning.

As chapter 3 begins we find it is the end of the harvest, and Naomi expresses her desire to help Ruth find a husband by saying, “should I not seek rest for you..?”. “Rest” could also be translated as “security.” Unmarried women at this time had little to no hope of security and comfort, so Naomi was rightly concerned, but she also saw a possibility for an excellent match because Boaz, the wealthy, honorable man whose fields Ruth had been working in, was also a relative of Naomi’s deceased husband Elimelech.

Over the weeks and months which covered the time of the barley and wheat harvest, Ruth and Boaz no doubt had plenty of time to get to know each other better. This could not be described as dating in the sense of the word today, but rather, they were able to get to know each other in the communal setting of the harvest context. This is an excellent way to get to know someone before entering into a romantic relationship. The way a person conducts themselves around others and while doing hard work reveals a lot about their character that could otherwise be masked in a one on one setting. If someone treats others badly, then in time, they will treat you the same way. And if someone is lazy and careless in their work, they will act the same way if you share a household. But I digress.

Naomi knew that for Ruth to be cared for and protected, she needed a husband, and she pointed out Boaz as the obvious choice. In this time and place a woman had far more protection from oppression, exploitation and poverty if she was married. Interestingly though, Naomi said this not only because Boaz was a wealthy, honorable man, but because he was also a relative of theirs (first part of verse 2). Because of a concept sometimes referred to as “Levirate Marriage,” if Ruth, the widow of one of Elimielch’s sons, married Boaz (a relative of Elimelech), then one of their sons would be given Elimielch’s name and carry on the lineage of Elimelech. Through such a marriage Boaz would also buy back Elimelech’s family land. This was a compassionate system in the law given to the people by Yahweh as a way to provide for widows and to stop family lines from being wiped out due to various calamities.

The Hebrew term for the man who married a widow in this situation is “goel,” which is often translated in English as “Kinsman Redeemer.” The role of kinsman redeemer served multiple functions in addition to carrying on the family name by marrying a childless widow and buying back family land. He was also obligated to buy back family members from slavery and ensure justice was done for murdered family members. This was a clearly defined family role within the law and society of ancient Israel. So, at this point Naomi identified Boaz not only as a man who was capable of fulfilling this role, but also as an honorable man who was likely to be willing to fulfill this role.

In verse 2 Naomi told Ruth that Boaz was winnowing barley that very night at the threshing floor. Winnowing is the process of separating grain from the inedible stalks (chaff), and a threshing floor was an open area outside of town where the winnowing took place. This was the ideal place because in the process of winnowing they would crush the grain and throw it up in the air so the heavier grain would fall back down and the lighter chaff would be blown away by the wind. The reason Boaz winnowed in the evening is likely because the winds were stronger at that time than they were earlier in the day. And He and his servants spent the night out there to guard the grain from theft or wild animals.

In verses 3-4 Naomi first told Ruth to “wash and anoint” herself, as well as to put on her cloak before going to the threshing floor. This describes preparing one’s self for an important event. Then things get more peculiar. Naomi next told Ruth not to make her presence known to Boaz until after he finished eating and drinking, and had laid down to sleep; at which point Ruth was to uncover Boaz’s feet, lie down and listen to what he told her to do. Then, in verse 5, Ruth told Naomi she would do all she had told her to do.

Before we begin to study the cultural implications of this action we should first consider what we know of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz’s character up to this point in the story. All three of these people have shown themselves to be honorable, loyal followers of Yahweh who hold His law and people in high regard. So, it is incredibly unlikely Naomi is telling Ruth to offer herself to Boaz in an immoral way to escape poverty. Additionally, given Ruth’s decision to live as a destitute widow to follow Yahweh and care for Naomi, it is clear she would not agree to an immoral means of obtaining rescue from her poverty. And Boaz, who has shown such compassionate care for Ruth, and is loved by his servants (Ruth 2) has proven himself to be an honorable man who does not take advantage of those under his power. So with that said, what is going on here?

Ruth may have washed and anointed herself not only as a means to prepare for going to Boaz, but also as a way of removing her widow’s clothing to signal the hoped for imminent ending of her widowhood. And Naomi also told Ruth to wait until after Boaz had finished eating and drinking, and had laid down to sleep so that Ruth could go to him when he was in a good mood and away from the group gathered around the evening meal. This makes sense. Typically when giving or receiving a marriage proposal of some kind, people prefer not to have a crowd of people around.

The next part is where things get strange though. Ruth agreed to uncover Boaz’s feet and lie down and wait to do what he would tell her to do. Now, there is undoubtedly some tension built into this story by the words the writer of Ruth used. The word for “foot” in Hebrew was also used at times as a euphemism for the male sexual organ (Exodus 4:25, Isaiah 7:20), and the phrase “lie down” in Hebrew was also used as a euphemism for intercourse (Genesis 30:15-16, 1 Samuel 11:4, 13:14). To be clear, these words do not always mean those things, but they do sometimes. Given the context of this story, upon first hearing it, the reader or hearer is meant to feel the tension of the story and wonder exactly what Naomi means and what will happen next.

There is also some more cultural context that adds to the uncertainty at this point in the story. In this time and culture it was understood to be a humble act of submission to lay at someone’s feet. So by uncovering Boaz’s feet and lying down, Ruth was coming to Boaz in a submissive way. In doing this Ruth was admitting her helpless state and her need for a husband and provider. She also had every right to demand Boaz fulfill his role as kinsman redeemer as defined under the law. But just like Ruth had every right to glean in Boaz’s field under the law of Israel yet still humbly requested permission to do so (Ruth 2:6-7), here she is humbly requesting that Boaz fulfill his role of kinsman redeemer and marry her. She is no doubt putting herself in a vulnerable position, and Boaz would have had the opportunity to take advantage of her had he chosen to do so. This is the tension we should feel when reading this part of the story, but of course, as we read on we can see that Boaz is indeed an honorable man and does no such thing.

In the study of the verses that come next we will look at exactly what Boaz and Ruth discuss, but as we finish this study of verses 1-5 we see a couple things. While this was a situation with the potential for disaster, Naomi and Ruth had experienced and observed Boaz’s character for some time now, and they believed he would act honorably toward them. Up to this point we have seen Boaz’s leadership, protection and generous provision of grain for Ruth and Naomi, as well as Ruth’s hard work, humble heart, and fierce loyalty. Also, not for the first time, Ruth humbly accepted and carried out the advice/commands of Naomi, her mother-in-law. So, it is not the precise events we should be seeking to emulate in this story, but rather, the honorable character traits of these individuals in ways that are appropriate for our cultural context.

In addition to this, in literary terms Boaz is a “type” of Christ figure. To be clear he is not the Christ. He is a fallible man, but we can see shades of Jesus in his character and in how Ruth approaches him. Boaz has welcomed Ruth, a foreigner, into his field to work among his people and he has provided for her generously. Now, Naomi and Ruth had identified him as a trustworthy man, and as the only means by which they can be lifted up out of their poverty. But Naomi and Ruth do not approach Boaz and make demands of him. They do not presume upon his good will. Instead, Ruth and Naomi devise a plan for Ruth to go to Boaz with sincere humility, trusting that he will deal kindly with them.

How much more so should we come to Jesus, who is our only hope to be lifted up out of our spiritual poverty and hopelessness, with humility and trust? Jesus the Christ, has paid the price of redemption for all of mankind’s sin with His own life. He is our one and only Redeemer who is willing and able to buy us back from eternal slavery to sin and death. He is our only hope and this is good news. Jesus is infinitely more honorable, kind, loving and generous than Boaz. Jesus is both fully God and human, and when we come to Him, no matter where we come from, He welcomes us in and brings us into His heavenly family.

Response (How does this change how I think, act and pray?):

This passage shows us a picture of how we should respond to our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. We, like Ruth, need to come to Jesus humbly admitting our fallen, destitute state of existence, and ask Him to restore and redeem us. Jesus is the God of the universe who has drawn near to us and desires to have a loving, personal relationship with us that is closer and more intimate than even the best marriage. A happy marriage is a beautiful thing, but it is only a tiny picture of the infinite fulfillment and joy that comes from a relationship with our Creator God and Savior Jesus Christ.

There is nothing we can do or bring to have this restored relationship with Jesus, and salvation from the condemnation we rightly deserve for our sin. Jesus is loving, gracious and kind and He has fully paid our debt. All that is now required of us to receive this freely offered gift is to confess our sin, and believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior who died and rose again. Our great Kinsman Redeemer Jesus has drawn near to us and He can and will redeem and restore all who come to Him.

Self Reflection:

1. What sort of comparisons can I see between this concept of a “Kinsman Redeemer” and the Lord Jesus Christ?

2. What does the institution of a “Kinsman Redeemer” in the law given to Israel by Yahweh tell me about His compassionate heart for me and all humanity? (Remember, Jesus is Yahweh incarnate)

3. How am I responding to my Redeemer? Do I come to Jesus with the kind of humble submission and admittance of my helplessness and dire need that Ruth came to Boaz with?

Definitions of the original language in the context of this passage:

-Naomi: “נָעֳמִ֣י”, “nǒ·ʿǒmîʹ”; noun, proper, feminine, singular, absolute – Naomi = “my delight” or “pleasant”; wife of Elimelech, mother of Mahlon and Chilion, and mother-in-law of Ruth and Orpah.

-Rest: “מָנ֖וֹחַ”, “mā·nôaḥʹ”; noun, common, singular, absolute – resting place, settled spot, home; condition of rest and security obtained by marriage.

-It May Be Well: “יִֽיטַב”, “yîʹ·ṭǎḇ”; verb, Qal, yiqtōl (imperfect), third person, masculine, singular – to be well for you, or go well with you.

-Boaz: “בֹ֙עַז֙”, “ḇōʹ·ʿǎz”; noun, proper, masculine, singular, absolute – Boaz = “fleetness”; ancestor of David, kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, daughter-in-law of Naomi.

-Relative: “מֹֽדַעְתּ”, “mō·ḏǎʿt”; noun, common, feminine, singular, construct – (distant) relative, kinsman. Ruth is related to Boaz through Naomi, her mother-in-law.

-Young Women: “נַעֲרוֹתָ֑י”, “nǎ·ʿǎrô·ṯāyʹ”; noun, common, feminine, plural, construct – young unmarried girls, young marriageable women.

-Winnowing: “זֹרֶ֛ה”, “zō·rě(h)ʹ”; verb, Qal, participle, masculine, singular, absolute – scatter, winnow; to separate the chaff from the grain.

-Wash Yourself: “רָחַ֣צְתְּ׀”, “rā·ḥǎṣtʹ”; verb, Qal, wᵊqātal (waw + perfect), second person, feminine, singular – to wash, bathe.

-Anoint: “סַ֗כְתְּ”, “sǎḵtʹ”; verb, Qal, wᵊqātal (waw + perfect), second person, feminine, singular – anoint, smear (self).

-Threshing Floor: “גֹּ֑רֶן”, “gōʹ·rěn”; noun, common, singular, absolute – threshing floor; a smooth flat surface used in ancient agricultural practices to separate grain from chaff.

-Do [Not] Make Yourself Known: “תִּוָּדְעִ֣י”, “tiw·wǒḏ·ʿîʹ”; verb, Nifʿal, yiqtōl (imperfect), second person, feminine, singular, jussive – known, seen, observed, noticed.

-Uncover: “גִלִּ֥ית”, “ḡil·lîṯʹ”; verb, Piʿʿēl, wᵊqātal (waw + perfect), second person, feminine, singular – to uncover.
-Lie Down: “שָׁכָבְתִּי”, “šā·ḵāḇ·tî”; verb, Qal, wᵊqātal (waw + perfect), first person, singular – to lie down.