Ruth 3 - Prayer Tents

3One day her mother-in-law Naomi said to Ruth, "My dear daughter, isn't it about time I arranged a good home for you so you can have a happy life?H5281H2545H559H1323H1245H4494H3190 2And isn't Boaz our close relative, the one with whose young women you've been working? Maybe it's time to make our move. Tonight is the night of Boaz's barley harvest at the threshing floor.H1162H4130H5291H2219H8184H3915H1637 3"Take a bath. Put on some perfume. Get all dressed up and go to the threshing floor. But don't let him know you're there until the party is well under way and he's had plenty of food and drink.H7364H5480H7760H8071H3381H1637H3045H376H3615H398H8354 4When you see him slipping off to sleep, watch where he lies down and then go there. Lie at his feet to let him know that you are available to him for marriage. Then wait and see what he says. He'll tell you what to do."H7901H3045H4725H7901H935H1540H4772H7901H5046H6213 5Ruth said, "If you say so, I'll do it, just as you've told me."H559H559H6213 6She went down to the threshing floor and put her mother-in-law's plan into action.H3381H1637H6213H2545H6680 7Boaz had a good time, eating and drinking his fill—he felt great. Then he went off to get some sleep, lying down at the end of a stack of barley. Ruth quietly followed; she lay down to signal her availability for marriage.H1162H398H8354H3820H3190H935H7901H7097H6194H935H3909H1540H4772H7901 8In the middle of the night the man was suddenly startled and sat up. Surprise! This woman asleep at his feet!H2677H3915H376H2729H3943H802H7901H4772 9He said, "And who are you?" She said, "I am Ruth, your maiden; take me under your protecting wing. You're my close relative, you know, in the circle of covenant redeemers—you do have the right to marry me."H559H559H7327H519H6566H3671H519H1350 10He said, "GOD bless you, my dear daughter! What a splendid expression of love! And when you could have had your pick of any of the young men around.H559H1288H3068H1323H3190H2617H314H7223H3212H310H1115H970H1800H6223 11And now, my dear daughter, don't you worry about a thing; I'll do all you could want or ask. Everybody in town knows what a courageous woman you are—a real prize!H1323H3372H6213H559H8179H5971H3045H2428H802 12You're right, I am a close relative to you, but there is one even closer than I am.H551H1350H3426H1350H7138 13So stay the rest of the night. In the morning, if he wants to exercise his customary rights and responsibilities as the closest covenant redeemer, he'll have his chance; but if he isn't interested, as GOD lives, I'll do it. Now go back to sleep until morning."H3885H3915H1242H1350H2896H1350H2654H1350H1350H3068H2416H7901H1242 14Ruth slept at his feet until dawn, but she got up while it was still dark and wouldn't be recognized. Then Boaz said to himself, "No one must know that Ruth came to the threshing floor."H7901H4772H1242H6965H2958H376H5234H7453H559H3045H802H935H1637 15So Boaz said, "Bring the shawl you're wearing and spread it out." She spread it out and he poured it full of barley, six measures, and put it on her shoulders. Then she went back to town.H559H3051H4304H270H270H4058H8337H8184H7896H935H5892 16When she came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, "And how did things go, my dear daughter?"H935H2545H559H1323H5046H376H6213 17Ruth told her everything that the man had done for her, adding, "And he gave me all this barley besides—six quarts! He told me, 'You can't go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law!'"H559H8337H8184H5414H559H935H7387H2545 18Naomi said, "Sit back and relax, my dear daughter, until we find out how things turn out; that man isn't going to fool around. Mark my words, he's going to get everything wrapped up today."H559H3427H1323H3045H1697H5307H376H8252H518H3615H1697H3117