In Ruth 3, Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, hatches a plan to secure a future for Ruth. Naomi tells Ruth to approach Boaz, a close relative of her deceased husband, and ask him to fulfill his duty as a kinsman-redeemer. Naomi instructs Ruth to go to the threshing floor where Boaz would be working and wait until he finished eating and drinking. Ruth agrees and follows Naomi’s instructions.
That night, after Boaz has eaten and drunk, he lies down to sleep at the end of a heap of grain. Ruth quietly approaches him, uncovers his feet, and lies down. Startled, Boaz wakes up and asks who is there. Ruth identifies herself and requests that he spread his skirt over her, signifying his willingness to redeem her. Boaz commends Ruth for her virtue and expresses his willingness to fulfill her request, but informs her that there is a closer relative who has the first right of redemption. He promises to resolve the matter in the morning and assures Ruth that if the closer relative refuses, he will redeem her himself.
Ruth spends the night at the threshing floor, and early in the morning, before anyone can recognize her, she leaves to avoid raising suspicion. Boaz gives her six measures of barley to take back to Naomi as a sign of his commitment to redeem her.
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