Ruth 3:1

The Bible says in Ruth 3:1, “Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?” Older adults often have more practical wisdom than younger adults. That is one of the benefits of listening respectfully to an older person’s advice before a younger person gets married. There is a spiritual side to seeking a spouse such as prayer and seeking someone who loves Jesus. You may not want to marry someone who is lazy. You may not want to marry someone if there are indications that they will not help to pay the bills. Naomi is thinking about Ruth’s future. They are poor. Naomi is thinking about how things can be fixed from a financial and material standpoint. Poverty is no picknick. That is why Naomi says to Ruth, “shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?”

The Bible says in Ruth 3:2-6, “And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.[3] Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.[4] And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.[5] And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.[6] And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.” Naomi has a plan. Her plan centers around the idea that Boaz is of their “kindred.” In the Old Testament widows were taken care of by the means of a principle of their culture called the duty of the kinsman redeemer. When a man died, his nearest relative had the right to “redeem” the situation that the deceased had left behind. This could refer to paying for property, buying out of slavery, raising up the children, or even marrying the widow. For example, it says in Deuteronomy 25:5, “If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.” If the nearest relative cannot perform this duty of redeemer kinsman, then the next nearest relative could do so. For example, it says in Leviticus 25:48-49 talking about the situation where an individual had been sold into slavery, “After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him:[49] Either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself.” The nearest relative had the first opportunity to perform the duty of a kinsman redeemer, and if he did not want to do so or if he could not, then the next relative was given the opportunity.

Naomi is telling Ruth that Boaz is a near kinsman. And so Naomi’s plan is to have Ruth present herself to Boaz, letting Boaz know that Ruth is interested in Boaz and that Ruth hopes Boaz will seek to perform the duty of kinsman redeemer and take her for his wife. Here are Naomi’s instructions to Ruth: 1. Get cleaned up and put on better clothes. 2. Go to the threshing floor where everyone has gathered. 3. Wait until the meal is over and Boaz has gone to sleep. 4. Uncover his feet so that he will be uncomfortable later and wake up in the middle of the night. 5. Lie down at his feet so that when he wakes up, he will see you. 6. He will know that you are hoping that he will perform the duty of kinsman redeemer, and then he will tell you what to do next.

The Bible says in Ruth 3:7-12, “And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.[8] And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.[9] And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.[10] And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.[11] And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.[12] And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.” Naomi’s plan worked perfectly. Boaz does wake up in the middle of the night. He does see Ruth. They talk. Ruth is humble. In verse nine she calls herself a “handmaid:” a servant. In this age of women’s empowerment, how many would call themselves servants to their prospective husbands? When Ruth asks Boaz to put part of his garment over her, that is obviously symbolic that he will pursue taking on the responsibility of kinsman redeemer. Ruth tells him that she knows Boaz is “a near kinsman.” Boaz tells Ruth several things. First, he says to her in verse ten, “Blessed be thou of the LORD.” Boaz has seen the evidence of God in Ruth’s life. Not only has she been faithful to help her mother-in-law, but also Boaz has noticed her “virtuous” character. But there is one problem: Boaz tells Ruth that someone else “is a kinsman nearer than I.” Boaz will have to find a means to resolve this issue before the marriage can take place.

The Bible says in Ruth 3:13-18, “Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.[14] And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.[15] Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.[16] And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.[17] And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.[18] Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.” In verse thirteen Boaz tells Ruth not to worry about anything. He is going to do what he can to become the kinsman redeemer for her “as the LORD liveth.” Once again Boaz is thinking and speaking of the Lord. Boaz relies upon the Lord. Boaz knows that God has to work things out for them, and so things are really up to God. They go back to sleep, and in the morning Boaz sends her home to her mother in law with an extra amount of barley. Naomi knew men in general, and she evidently knew Boaz in particular. Boaz has a goal to have Ruth for his wife, and Naomi knows that Boaz will not rest “until he have finished the thing this day.” The issue will be solved quickly. Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

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