The Book Of Ruth: Secrets Of Loyalty And The Royal Lineage

The Book of Ruth

Chapter 1

א וַיְהִי, בִּימֵי שְׁפֹט הַשֹּׁפְטִים, וַיְהִי רָעָב, בָּאָרֶץ; וַיֵּלֶךְ אִישׁ מִבֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה, לָגוּר בִּשְׂדֵי מוֹאָב--הוּא וְאִשְׁתּוֹ, וּשְׁנֵי בָנָיו. ב וְשֵׁם הָאִישׁ אֱלִימֶלֶךְ וְשֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ נָעֳמִי וְשֵׁם שְׁנֵי-בָנָיו מַחְלוֹן וְכִלְיוֹן, אֶפְרָתִים--מִבֵּית לֶחֶם, יְהוּדָה; וַיָּבֹאוּ שְׂדֵי-מוֹאָב, וַיִּהְיוּ-שָׁם. ג וַיָּמָת אֱלִימֶלֶךְ, אִישׁ נָעֳמִי; וַתִּשָּׁאֵר הִיא, וּשְׁנֵי בָנֶיהָ. ד וַיִּשְׂאוּ לָהֶם, נָשִׁים מֹאֲבִיּוֹת--שֵׁם הָאַחַת עָרְפָּה, וְשֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִית רוּת; וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם, כְּעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים. ה וַיָּמֻתוּ גַם-שְׁנֵיהֶם, מַחְלוֹן וְכִלְיוֹן; וַתִּשָּׁאֵר, הָאִשָּׁה, מִשְּׁנֵי יְלָדֶיהָ, וּמֵאִישָׁהּ. ו וַתָּקָם הִיא וְכַלֹּתֶיהָ, וַתָּשָׁב מִשְּׂדֵי מוֹאָב: כִּי שָׁמְעָה, בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב--כִּי-פָקַד יְהוָה אֶת-עַמּוֹ, לָתֵת לָהֶם לָחֶם. ז וַתֵּצֵא, מִן-הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה-שָּׁמָּה, וּשְׁתֵּי כַלּוֹתֶיהָ, עִמָּהּ; וַתֵּלַכְנָה בַדֶּרֶךְ, לָשׁוּב אֶל-אֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה. ח וַתֹּאמֶר נָעֳמִי, לִשְׁתֵּי כַלֹּתֶיהָ, לֵכְנָה שֹּׁבְנָה, אִשָּׁה לְבֵית אִמָּהּ; יַעַשׂ יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם חֶסֶד, כַּאֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם עִם-הַמֵּתִים וְעִמָּדִי. ט יִתֵּן יְהוָה, לָכֶם, וּמְצֶאןָ מְנוּחָה, אִשָּׁה בֵּית אִישָׁהּ; וַתִּשַּׁק לָהֶן, וַתִּשֶּׂאנָה קוֹלָן וַתִּבְכֶּינָה. י וַתֹּאמַרְנָה-לָּהּ: כִּי-אִתָּךְ נָשׁוּב, לְעַמֵּךְ. יא וַתֹּאמֶר נָעֳמִי שֹׁבְנָה בְנֹתַי, לָמָּה תֵלַכְנָה עִמִּי: הַעוֹד-לִי בָנִים בְּמֵעַי, וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לַאֲנָשִׁים. יב שֹׁבְנָה בְנֹתַי לֵכְןָ, כִּי זָקַנְתִּי מִהְיוֹת לְאִישׁ: כִּי אָמַרְתִּי, יֶשׁ-לִי תִקְוָה--גַּם הָיִיתִי הַלַּיְלָה לְאִישׁ, וְגַם יָלַדְתִּי בָנִים. יג הֲלָהֵן תְּשַׂבֵּרְנָה, עַד אֲשֶׁר יִגְדָּלוּ, הֲלָהֵן תֵּעָגֵנָה, לְבִלְתִּי הֱיוֹת לְאִישׁ; אַל בְּנֹתַי, כִּי-מַר-לִי מְאֹד מִכֶּם--כִּי-יָצְאָה בִי, יַד-יְהוָה. יד וַתִּשֶּׂנָה קוֹלָן, וַתִּבְכֶּינָה עוֹד; וַתִּשַּׁק עָרְפָּה לַחֲמוֹתָהּ, וְרוּת דָּבְקָה בָּהּ. טו וַתֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּה שָׁבָה יְבִמְתֵּךְ, אֶל-עַמָּהּ, וְאֶל-אֱלֹהֶיהָ; שׁוּבִי, אַחֲרֵי יְבִמְתֵּךְ. טז וַתֹּאמֶר רוּת אַל-תִּפְגְּעִי-בִי, לְעָזְבֵךְ לָשׁוּב מֵאַחֲרָיִךְ: כִּי אֶל-אֲשֶׁר תֵּלְכִי אֵלֵךְ, וּבַאֲשֶׁר תָּלִינִי אָלִין--עַמֵּךְ עַמִּי, וֵאלֹהַיִךְ אֱלֹהָי. יז בַּאֲשֶׁר תָּמוּתִי אָמוּת, וְשָׁם אֶקָּבֵר; כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה יְהוָה לִי, וְכֹה יוֹסִיף--כִּי הַמָּוֶת, יַפְרִיד בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵךְ. יח וַתֵּרֶא, כִּי-מִתְאַמֶּצֶת הִיא לָלֶכֶת אִתָּהּ; וַתֶּחְדַּל, לְדַבֵּר אֵלֶיהָ. יט וַתֵּלַכְנָה שְׁתֵּיהֶם, עַד-בּוֹאָנָה בֵּית לָחֶם; וַיְהִי, כְּבוֹאָנָה בֵּית לֶחֶם, וַתֵּהֹם כָּל-הָעִיר עֲלֵיהֶן, וַתֹּאמַרְנָה הֲזֹאת נָעֳמִי. כ וַתֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶן, אַל-תִּקְרֶאנָה לִי נָעֳמִי: קְרֶאןָ לִי מָרָא, כִּי-הֵמַר שַׁדַּי לִי מְאֹד. כא אֲנִי מְלֵאָה הָלַכְתִּי, וְרֵיקָם הֱשִׁיבַנִי יְהוָה; לָמָּה תִקְרֶאנָה לִי, נָעֳמִי, וַיהוָה עָנָה בִי, וְשַׁדַּי הֵרַע לִי. כב וַתָּשָׁב נָעֳמִי, וְרוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה כַלָּתָהּ עִמָּהּ, הַשָּׁבָה, מִשְּׂדֵי מוֹאָב; וְהֵמָּה, בָּאוּ בֵּית לֶחֶם, בִּתְחִלַּת, קְצִיר שְׂעֹרִים.

1. During the days when the judges ruled, a famine struck the land. A man from Bethlehem in Judah set out with his wife and two sons to live as a foreigner in the fields of Moab.

2. The man's name was Elimelech, his wife's name was Naomi, and his two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion — Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They journeyed to the fields of Moab and settled there.

3. Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, leaving her alone with her two sons.

4. The sons took Moabite wives — the first named Orpah and the second named Ruth — and the family dwelt there for about ten years.

5. Both Mahlon and Chilion also died, leaving Naomi bereft of her two children and her husband.

6. Naomi then rose with her daughters-in-law to return from the fields of Moab, having heard while still in Moab that the Lord had visited His people and given them bread.

7. She left the place where she had been living, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and they set out on the road to return to the land of Judah.

8. Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to your mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me."

9. "May the Lord grant that each of you find rest in the house of a husband." She kissed them, and they wept aloud.

10. They said to her, "No — we will return with you to your people."

11. But Naomi replied, "Turn back, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Have I yet sons in my womb who could become your husbands?"

12. "Go back, my daughters, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me — even if I were to have a husband tonight and bear sons —"

13. "— would you wait for them until they were grown? Would you remain unmarried for their sake? No, my daughters, my grief is far greater than yours, for the hand of the Lord has gone out against me."

14. They wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell, but Ruth clung to her.

15. Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Return after your sister-in-law."

16. But Ruth answered, "Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you. For where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God."

17. "Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates us."

18. When Naomi saw that Ruth was firmly resolved to go with her, she said no more.

19. So the two of them journeyed until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women asked, "Is this Naomi?"

20. She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me."

21. "I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?"

22. So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who had come back from the fields of Moab. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Chapter 2

א וּלְנָעֳמִי מוֹדָע לְאִישָׁהּ, אִישׁ גִּבּוֹר חַיִל--מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת, אֱלִימֶלֶךְ: וּשְׁמוֹ, בֹּעַז. ב וַתֹּאמֶר רוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה אֶל-נָעֳמִי, אֵלְכָה-נָּא הַשָּׂדֶה וַאֲלַקֳּטָה בַשִּׁבֳּלִים--אַחַר, אֲשֶׁר אֶמְצָא-חֵן בְּעֵינָיו; וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ, לְכִי בִתִּי. ג וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתָּבוֹא וַתְּלַקֵּט בַּשָּׂדֶה, אַחֲרֵי הַקֹּצְרִים; וַיִּקֶר מִקְרֶהָ--חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה לְבֹעַז, אֲשֶׁר מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת אֱלִימֶלֶךְ. ד וְהִנֵּה-בֹעַז, בָּא מִבֵּית לֶחֶם, וַיֹּאמֶר לַקּוֹצְרִים, יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם; וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ, יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה. ה וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּעַז לְנַעֲרוֹ, הַנִּצָּב עַל-הַקּוֹצְרִים: לְמִי, הַנַּעֲרָה הַזֹּאת. ו וַיַּעַן, הַנַּעַר הַנִּצָּב עַל-הַקּוֹצְרִים--וַיֹּאמַר: נַעֲרָה מוֹאֲבִיָּה הִיא, הַשָּׁבָה עִם-נָעֳמִי מִשְׂדֵי מוֹאָב. ז וַתֹּאמֶר, אֲלַקֳּטָה-נָּא וְאָסַפְתִּי בָעֳמָרִים, אַחֲרֵי, הַקּוֹצְרִים; וַתָּבוֹא וַתַּעֲמוֹד, מֵאָז הַבֹּקֶר וְעַד-עַתָּה--זֶה שִׁבְתָּהּ הַבַּיִת, מְעָט. ח וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּעַז אֶל-רוּת הֲלוֹא שָׁמַעַתְּ בִּתִּי, אַל-תֵּלְכִי לִלְקֹט בְּשָׂדֶה אַחֵר, וְגַם לֹא תַעֲבוּרִי, מִזֶּה; וְכֹה תִדְבָּקִין, עִם-נַעֲרֹתָי. ט עֵינַיִךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר-יִקְצֹרוּן, וְהָלַכְתְּ אַחֲרֵיהֶן--הֲלוֹא צִוִּיתִי אֶת-הַנְּעָרִים, לְבִלְתִּי נָגְעֵךְ; וְצָמִת, וְהָלַכְתְּ אֶל-הַכֵּלִים, וְשָׁתִית, מֵאֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאֲבוּן הַנְּעָרִים. י וַתִּפֹּל, עַל-פָּנֶיהָ, וַתִּשְׁתַּחוּ, אָרְצָה; וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, מַדּוּעַ מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ לְהַכִּירֵנִי--וְאָנֹכִי, נָכְרִיָּה. יא וַיַּעַן בֹּעַז, וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ--הֻגֵּד הֻגַּד לִי כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-עָשִׂית אֶת-חֲמוֹתֵךְ, אַחֲרֵי מוֹת אִישֵׁךְ; וַתַּעַזְבִי אָבִיךְ וְאִמֵּךְ, וְאֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתֵּךְ, וַתֵּלְכִי, אֶל-עַם אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יָדַעַתְּ תְּמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם. יב יְשַׁלֵּם יְהוָה, פָּעֳלֵךְ; וּתְהִי מַשְׂכֻּרְתֵּךְ שְׁלֵמָה, מֵעִם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר-בָּאת, לַחֲסוֹת תַּחַת-כְּנָפָיו. יג וַתֹּאמֶר אֶמְצָא-חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֲדֹנִי, כִּי נִחַמְתָּנִי, וְכִי דִבַּרְתָּ, עַל-לֵב שִׁפְחָתֶךָ; וְאָנֹכִי לֹא אֶהְיֶה, כְּאַחַת שִׁפְחֹתֶיךָ. יד וַיֹּאמֶר לָה בֹעַז לְעֵת הָאֹכֶל, גֹּשִׁי הֲלֹם וְאָכַלְתְּ מִן-הַלֶּחֶם, וְטָבַלְתְּ פִּתֵּךְ, בַּחֹמֶץ; וַתֵּשֶׁב, מִצַּד הַקֹּצְרִים, וַיִּצְבָּט-לָהּ קָלִי, וַתֹּאכַל וַתִּשְׂבַּע וַתֹּתַר. טו וַתָּקָם, לְלַקֵּט; וַיְצַו בֹּעַז אֶת-נְעָרָיו לֵאמֹר, גַּם בֵּין הָעֳמָרִים תְּלַקֵּט--וְלֹא תַכְלִימוּהָ. טז וְגַם שֹׁל-תָּשֹׁלּוּ לָהּ, מִן-הַצְּבָתִים; וַעֲזַבְתֶּם וְלִקְּטָה, וְלֹא תִגְעֲרוּ-בָהּ. יז וַתְּלַקֵּט בַּשָּׂדֶה, עַד-הָעָרֶב; וַתַּחְבֹּט אֵת אֲשֶׁר-לִקֵּטָה, וַיְהִי כְּאֵיפָה שְׂעֹרִים. יח וַתִּשָּׂא וַתָּבוֹא הָעִיר, וַתֵּרֶא חֲמוֹתָהּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר-לִקֵּטָה; וַתּוֹצֵא, וַתִּתֶּן-לָהּ, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-הוֹתִרָה, מִשָּׂבְעָהּ. יט וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ חֲמוֹתָהּ אֵיפֹה לִקַּטְתְּ הַיּוֹם, וְאָנָה עָשִׂית--יְהִי מַכִּירֵךְ, בָּרוּךְ; וַתַּגֵּד לַחֲמוֹתָהּ, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-עָשְׂתָה עִמּוֹ, וַתֹּאמֶר שֵׁם הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי עִמּוֹ הַיּוֹם, בֹּעַז. כ וַתֹּאמֶר נָעֳמִי לְכַלָּתָהּ, בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַיהוָה, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-עָזַב חַסְדּוֹ, אֶת-הַחַיִּים וְאֶת-הַמֵּתִים; וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ נָעֳמִי, קָרוֹב לָנוּ הָאִישׁ--מִגֹּאֲלֵנוּ, הוּא. כא וַתֹּאמֶר, רוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה: גַּם כִּי-אָמַר אֵלַי, עִם-הַנְּעָרִים אֲשֶׁר-לִי תִּדְבָּקִין, עַד אִם-כִּלּוּ, אֵת כָּל-הַקָּצִיר אֲשֶׁר-לִי. כב וַתֹּאמֶר נָעֳמִי, אֶל-רוּת כַּלָּתָהּ: טוֹב בִּתִּי, כִּי תֵצְאִי עִם-נַעֲרוֹתָיו, וְלֹא יִפְגְּעוּ-בָךְ, בְּשָׂדֶה אַחֵר. כג וַתִּדְבַּק בְּנַעֲרוֹת בֹּעַז, לְלַקֵּט--עַד-כְּלוֹת קְצִיר-הַשְּׂעֹרִים, וּקְצִיר הַחִטִּים; וַתֵּשֶׁב, אֶת-חֲמוֹתָהּ.

1. Naomi had a relative on her husband's side — a man of great standing from the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.
2. Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Let me go to the fields and glean among the ears of grain, following whoever will show me favor." Naomi replied, "Go, my daughter."
3. Ruth went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters. As chance would have it, she found herself working in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of Elimelech's family.
4. Just then, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted his harvesters: "The Lord be with you." And they responded, "The Lord bless you."
5. Boaz asked his servant who was overseeing the harvesters, "To whom does this young woman belong?"
6. The servant replied, "She is a Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the fields of Moab."
7. "She asked permission to glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters. She came and has been on her feet since morning, with barely a moment's rest."
8. Boaz said to Ruth, "Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in any other field, and do not leave here. Stay close to my servant women."
9. "Keep your eyes on the field where they are harvesting, and follow along after them. I have instructed the young men not to lay a hand on you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the young men have drawn."
10. Ruth fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?"
11. Boaz answered her, "I have been fully told of all you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband — how you left your father, your mother, and your homeland to come to a people you did not previously know."
12. "May the Lord repay you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."
13. Ruth said, "May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not even worthy to be among your maidservants."
14. At mealtime, Boaz said to her, "Come here and eat some bread, dipping your piece in the vinegar." She sat beside the harvesters, and he handed her roasted grain. She ate her fill and had some left over.
15. When she rose to continue gleaning, Boaz instructed his young men, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not rebuke her."
16. "Also, deliberately pull out stalks from the bundles and leave them for her to glean, and do not reprimand her."
17. Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. When she threshed what she had gathered, it amounted to about an ephah of barley.
18. She carried it back into town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gleaned. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had saved from her own meal.
19. Her mother-in-law asked her, "Where did you glean today, and where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you." Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man she had worked with that day, saying, "The man's name is Boaz."
20. Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed by the Lord, who has not abandoned his kindness toward the living or the dead." Then Naomi added, "The man is a close relative of ours — one of our redeemers."
21. Ruth the Moabite added, "He also told me to stay close to his young men until they had finished all of his harvest."
22. Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, "It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, so that no one in another field will harm you."
23. So Ruth stayed close to the young women of Boaz and gleaned until the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. And she continued to live with her mother-in-law.

Chapter 3

א וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ, נָעֳמִי חֲמוֹתָהּ: בִּתִּי, הֲלֹא אֲבַקֶּשׁ-לָךְ מָנוֹחַ אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב-לָךְ. ב וְעַתָּה, הֲלֹא בֹעַז מוֹדַעְתָּנוּ, אֲשֶׁר הָיִית, אֶת-נַעֲרוֹתָיו; הִנֵּה-הוּא, זֹרֶה אֶת-גֹּרֶן הַשְּׂעֹרִים--הַלָּיְלָה. ג וְרָחַצְתְּ וָסַכְתְּ, וְשַׂמְתְּ שִׂמְלֹתַיִךְ עָלַיִךְ--וְיָרַדְתְּ הַגֹּרֶן; אַל-תִּוָּדְעִי לָאִישׁ, עַד כַּלֹּתוֹ לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת. ד וִיהִי בְשָׁכְבוֹ, וְיָדַעַתְּ אֶת-הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב-שָׁם, וּבָאת וְגִלִּית מַרְגְּלֹתָיו, וְשָׁכָבְתְּ; וְהוּא יַגִּיד לָךְ, אֵת אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשִׂין. ה וַתֹּאמֶר, אֵלֶיהָ: כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-תֹּאמְרִי אֵלַי, אֶעֱשֶׂה. ו וַתֵּרֶד, הַגֹּרֶן; וַתַּעַשׂ, כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-צִוַּתָּה חֲמוֹתָהּ. ז וַיֹּאכַל בֹּעַז וַיֵּשְׁתְּ, וַיִּיטַב לִבּוֹ, וַיָּבֹא, לִשְׁכַּב בִּקְצֵה הָעֲרֵמָה; וַתָּבֹא בַלָּט, וַתְּגַל מַרְגְּלֹתָיו וַתִּשְׁכָּב. ח וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה, וַיֶּחֱרַד הָאִישׁ וַיִּלָּפֵת; וְהִנֵּה אִשָּׁה, שֹׁכֶבֶת מַרְגְּלֹתָיו. ט וַיֹּאמֶר, מִי-אָתּ; וַתֹּאמֶר, אָנֹכִי רוּת אֲמָתֶךָ, וּפָרַשְׂתָּ כְנָפֶךָ עַל-אֲמָתְךָ, כִּי גֹאֵל אָתָּה. י וַיֹּאמֶר, בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ לַיהוָה בִּתִּי--הֵיטַבְתְּ חַסְדֵּךְ הָאַחֲרוֹן, מִן-הָרִאשׁוֹן: לְבִלְתִּי-לֶכֶת, אַחֲרֵי הַבַּחוּרִים--אִם-דַּל, וְאִם-עָשִׁיר. יא וְעַתָּה, בִּתִּי אַל-תִּירְאִי, כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-תֹּאמְרִי, אֶעֱשֶׂה-לָּךְ: כִּי יוֹדֵעַ כָּל-שַׁעַר עַמִּי, כִּי אֵשֶׁת חַיִל אָתְּ. יב וְעַתָּה כִּי אָמְנָם, כִּי אִם גֹאֵל אָנֹכִי; וְגַם יֵשׁ גֹּאֵל, קָרוֹב מִמֶּנִּי. יג לִינִי הַלַּיְלָה, וְהָיָה בַבֹּקֶר אִם-יִגְאָלֵךְ טוֹב יִגְאָל, וְאִם-לֹא יַחְפֹּץ לְגָאֳלֵךְ וּגְאַלְתִּיךְ אָנֹכִי, חַי-יְהוָה; שִׁכְבִי, עַד-הַבֹּקֶר. יד וַתִּשְׁכַּב מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו, עַד-הַבֹּקֶר, וַתָּקָם, בְּטֶרֶם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת-רֵעֵהוּ; וַיֹּאמֶר, אַל-יִוָּדַע, כִּי-בָאָה הָאִשָּׁה, הַגֹּרֶן. טו וַיֹּאמֶר, הָבִי הַמִּטְפַּחַת אֲשֶׁר-עָלַיִךְ וְאֶחֳזִי-בָהּ--וַתֹּאחֶז בָּהּ; וַיָּמָד שֵׁשׁ-שְׂעֹרִים וַיָּשֶׁת עָלֶיהָ, וַיָּבֹא הָעִיר. טז וַתָּבוֹא, אֶל-חֲמוֹתָהּ, וַתֹּאמֶר, מִי-אַתְּ בִּתִּי; וַתַּגֶּד-לָהּ--אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה-לָּהּ, הָאִישׁ. יז וַתֹּאמֶר, שֵׁשׁ-הַשְּׂעֹרִים הָאֵלֶּה נָתַן לִי: כִּי אָמַר אֵלַי, אַל-תָּבוֹאִי רֵיקָם אֶל-חֲמוֹתֵךְ. יח וַתֹּאמֶר, שְׁבִי בִתִּי, עַד אֲשֶׁר תֵּדְעִין, אֵיךְ יִפֹּל דָּבָר: כִּי לֹא יִשְׁקֹט הָאִישׁ, כִּי-אִם-כִּלָּה הַדָּבָר הַיּוֹם.

1. Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, "My daughter, should I not seek a place of rest for you, where you will be well provided for?"

2. "Now, is not Boaz, with whose young women you have been working, our kinsman? Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor."

3. "Wash and anoint yourself, put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking."

4. "When he lies down, note the place where he is lying, then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what you are to do."

5. Ruth replied to her, "All that you say to me, I will do."

6. So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her.

7. Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was merry. He went to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Then Ruth came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

8. In the middle of the night, Boaz was startled and turned over — and there was a woman lying at his feet.

9. He asked, "Who are you?" She answered, "I am Ruth, your servant. Spread the corner of your garment over your servant, for you are a redeemer."

10. Boaz said, "May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. This act of loyalty is greater than the first, in that you have not gone after younger men, whether poor or wealthy."

11. "And now, my daughter, do not be afraid. I will do for you all that you ask, for all the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character."

12. "It is true that I am a redeemer, but there is another redeemer closer than I."

13. "Stay here tonight. In the morning, if he will redeem you, well and good — let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, then, as surely as the Lord lives, I will redeem you myself. Lie here until morning."

14. Ruth lay at his feet until morning, then rose before anyone could recognize another. Boaz said, "It must not be known that a woman came to the threshing floor."

15. He said, "Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out." She held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and laid it on her. Then he went into the town.

16. When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, "How did things go, my daughter?" Ruth told her everything the man had done for her.

17. She added, "He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, 'Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.'"

18. Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, until you find out how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest until the matter is settled today."

Chapter 4

א וּבֹעַז עָלָה הַשַּׁעַר, וַיֵּשֶׁב שָׁם, וְהִנֵּה הַגֹּאֵל עֹבֵר אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר-בֹּעַז, וַיֹּאמֶר סוּרָה שְׁבָה-פֹּה פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי; וַיָּסַר, וַיֵּשֶׁב. ב וַיִּקַּח עֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים, מִזִּקְנֵי הָעִיר--וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁבוּ-פֹה; וַיֵּשְׁבוּ. ג וַיֹּאמֶר, לַגֹּאֵל, חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה, אֲשֶׁר לְאָחִינוּ לֶאֱלִימֶלֶךְ: