Ruth 3, A Night in a Barn

Ruth has been faithfully working in the fields of Boaz, and in that role, been well-treated by him. But the harvest is coming to an end. What will happen to Naomi and Ruth?

Ruth 3: 1-6, Naomi's plan
One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for? Is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been, a kinsman of ours? Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 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 to do." 

"I will do whatever you say," Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

The first verse of this chapter echoes Naomi's prayer in Ruth 1:9.  Naomi hatches a plan to marry Ruth to Boaz.  It involves Ruth dressing for the part, washing, putting on her best clothes and perfume. Given the cultural differences between Moab and Israel, Ruth is told to follow precise instructions.

Once again, we are given the women's point of view.  We hear the conversation between the two women, a conversation that includes details that women would be more likely to appreciate.

It would be easier for Ruth stay hidden on the threshing floor than we might think -- there would be very little lighting at night, maybe none at all. The threshing floor (barn?) would be dark soon after the sun had set. And would stay dark until dawn.

Hubbard says the threshing room floor was often associated with licentiousness and debauchery, with harvest orgies and wild drinking. (See Hosea 9:1 for example.) There is significant risk for Ruth here, either from other men at the threshing floor or because she might be viewed as a prostitute. Both Naomi and Ruth are putting their lives and reputations into Boaz's hands.

Ruth 3: 7-9, Middle of the night
When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man, and he turned and discovered a woman lying at his feet. "Who are you?" he asked. 

"I am your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer."

Note: another interpretation of "something startled the man" is "the man was made to tremble/shiver". It is possible that he awoke because his feet were cold!

Hubbard: The word for "servant" in verse 9 is ama, a higher form than the term used by Ruth in Ruth 2:13. This term denotes an Israelite with enough standing to marry. Ruth also uses a familial term for "you" when she says I am your servant and, unlike chapter 2, she uses her name. Her words here are bolder, much less submissive than those in the previous chapter.

Why is Boaz in good spirits? Hubbard sees him lying in the darkness, full and content. He has a good God, he has had a good harvest, life is wonderful! What more could a man want? Oy, maybe he is a little lonely, yes?

In the previous chapter (Ruth 2: 12), Boaz asks YHWH, "the God of Israel" to bless Ruth, for she has taken refuge under His wings. Ruth's request in verse 9 is that Boaz spread his wings over her. Boaz has a chance to answer his own prayer.

This is the climax of the story, with considerable tension. We now have our hero and heroine together, indeed they are next to each other in the dark! How will Boaz react?

Ruth 3: 10-13, Boaz responds
"The LORD bless you, my daughter," he replied. "This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character. 

"Although it is true that I am near of kin, there is a kinsman-redeemer nearer than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to redeem, good; let him redeem. But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives I will do it. Lie here until morning."

Boaz responds like the good man of character he is. The audience, listening to this story, sighs with happiness.  Yes, Boaz reacts with integrity and compassion.  He demonstrates hesed (loyal compassion.) And he compliments Ruth for her kindness, for her demonstrations of hesed.

But, just as the Storyteller's audience sighs with happiness, one last conflict is introduced into the story. There is a closer kinsman! Boaz assures Ruth that one of them will take care of her.  But this is not good news! By this time our audience is rooting for a Ruth-Boaz couple and so this second man is a problem. (Three thousand years later, Hallmark movies use a similar dramatic technique -- for two-thirds of the movie, the audience yearns for the hero and heroine to discover each other. Then, finally, when they meet, suddenly a crisis occurs and the perfect match is suspended by a thread, to be resolved in the last minutes of the movie.)

Boaz promises to resolve everything in the morning.  Until then, Ruth is to stay with him in the dark, where she is safe.

Ruth 3: 14-15, Return to town
So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, "Don't let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor." 

He also said, "Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out." When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and put it on her. Then he went back to town.

Boaz doesn't want Ruth to be seen in the dawn light. Otherwise people would make an obvious assumption about a woman leaving the threshing floor in the morning.

The Old Testament audience would recognize fertility symbols in the gift of six measures of barley.  YHWH has been gracious to Boaz, with a fertile harvest, and Boaz is passing on these gifts to Ruth and Naomi.

Ruth 3: 16-18, Unfinished business
When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, "How did it go, my daughter?" 

Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her and added, "He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, `Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.'" 

Then Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today."

Ruth has been gone all night. Naomi has probably been anxious the entire time -- both her future and that of Ruth depend on a man stepping up and taking care of them.  Ruth, returning with six measures of barley and a promise of marriage, is the best she could hope for, even if we do not yet know the identity of the husband-to-be.

From Ruth's story, Naomi knows that Boaz will resolve the kinsman-redeemer issue and provide a husband to Ruth.  Her suggestions to Ruth have a hint of optimism, as she sees considerable evidence that Boaz plans to be the one to marry Ruth.