Alan J. Huth provides insightful commentary on Ruth chapter 3, revealing the cultural significance of the kinsman-redeemer and how Naomi and Ruth’s actions depict faith in divine timing. As Ruth approaches Boaz with a bold marriage proposal, we see God’s hand at work, transitioning Naomi’s bitterness into enduring hope. Discover practical applications for today’s challenges in this deeply reflective episode.
00:00:09 Introduction to Add Bible and Today’s Episode
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. We join Alan J. Huth as he shares Bible passages and comments from over 30 years of his personal Bible reading journals.
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Today we are in Ruth chapter 3. We’ll listen to our guest reader, Terry Huth, my wife of 42 years, read the 18 verses of Ruth 3.
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Ruth chapter 3. Then Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, My daughter, should I not seek rest for you? that it may be well with you? Is not Boaz a relative and whose young woman you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Wash therefore and anoint yourself and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor. But do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do. And she said, All that you say I will do. So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. and when boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down at midnight the man was startled and turned over and behold a woman lay at his feet He said, Who are you? And she answered, I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer. And he said, May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first, in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for your fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. And now it is true that I am a redeemer, yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good, let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning. So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor. And he said, bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out. So she held it. and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city, and when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, How did you fare, daughter? Then she told her all that the man had done for her, saying, These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law. She replied, Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.
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In 1983, when I read Ruth chapter 3 at 28 years old, I wrote a woman of excellence, and I was referring to verse 11. And then also verse 10, Ruth continues to show kindness to Boaz. The other two journals that I had selected, 1997 and 2011, I read all of Ruth in one day in each of those years, and I’ve already referred to those in my other recordings of Ruth chapter 1 and 2. In Ruth chapter 3, Naomi… The lady who came to Bethlehem in bitterness may be beginning to see God’s sovereignty in what is going on with Ruth and Boaz. She says in verse 1, My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? In other words, maybe my bitterness is going to turn into something really good here. She’s understanding that Boaz is a relative and therefore he is a kinsman redeemer. What does that mean? That means that when a woman was left without a husband, someone was supposed to fulfill the obligation to make sure that they had offspring. The order of redemption was first a brother, then an uncle or a cousin or a close clan relative. Boaz qualifies as a close clan relative. Naomi instructs Ruth to take quite a risk here. She says to her daughter-in-law, clean up, take a bath, make yourself attractive, and go down to the threshing floor with a bunch of guys for the night. Find where Boaz is going to take his nap and go lie at his feet. Surely, worthy women or excellent women do not go down to the threshing floor at night with a bunch of guys. But Naomi may be getting a glimpse of God’s sovereignty. She says so in verses 4 and 5. Go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do. And Ruth replies, all that you say I will do. There’s another beautiful characteristic of Ruth, obedience to a mother-in-law. Naomi offers much trust here in Boaz. Go lie at his feet. He won’t abuse you. He will tell you what to do. Ruth goes as instructed by mother-in-law. At midnight, Boaz goes to take his nap and Ruth lies at his feet. My ESV footnote on verse 4 is very valuable here. It says, to uncover his feet and lie down there will demonstrate her dependence on him in view of her bold marriage proposal. It is sometimes suggested that his feet, or place of his feet, is a euphemism for sexual contact. But there is no evidence for this, and it would be out of place in this story. So in case you were wondering about that, that’s why I wanted to refer to the footnote. Boaz wakes up from his sleep and is startled that there’s a woman laying at his feet. In the pitch dark, he says, who are you? And she says it’s Ruth. And she makes a marriage proposal to Boaz. Now, I don’t know how old Boaz was, nor do I know how old Ruth is. But in chapter 1, when it talks about her husband’s death, it said they lived there about 10 years. So she may have been married already 10 years when her husband died. But Boaz is impressed that Ruth has not gone after the young men. Ruth has quite the reputation, as already described earlier. But here, even Boaz says, For all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. I referred to her in my journal in 1983 as a woman of excellence. Both are accurate, depending on which translation you may be reading. Boaz must have also been doing a little homework about Ruth because he knows that he is a redeemer. But he’s not the first one in line. But I think based on this story, he wants to redeem Ruth. But he has to play by the rules. In verse 13, it says, Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good. Let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Ruth’s mission is successful, so she sneaks out before the light of day. I think this again shows her character. I think she got in there that night and laid down by Boaz’s feet and got out before anybody ever knew that she went to this threshing floor with a bunch of men. But before she left… Boaz gives her six measures of barley. Not only was he providing for Ruth and Naomi for food, but that measure of barley indicated his intentions to redeem Ruth as a wife. Ruth gets back to mother-in-law Naomi with the barley and reports in. How did it go, Naomi asks. Ruth tells her everything that happened. Naomi responds, Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today. God is at work, and Naomi sees it. Can you just see her bitterness is changing into hope? So how does this apply to us today? Throughout the book of Ruth, we don’t see Ruth or Naomi looking for a handout. We see them take some incredible risks, and we see God’s hand at work as they do. What I see as an application is when the chips are down, Don’t wallow around. Don’t get a poor me attitude. Look around and see what you can do to improve your situation. Take some risks like Naomi and Ruth have done here. All the time watching for God to work in the circumstances. I can’t wait for chapter 4 to see how this is all going to turn out. Until then, Lord, help us see our circumstances through your eyes. Help us keep moving forward. Keep us from a poor me attitude. Help us be willing to stretch a little bit to see your hand at work in our own lives. And may you bless us as we do. Blessed be the name of the Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen. Speaking of risks, I sure took a risk 16 years ago when I started the Ezra Project, and I took another risk a couple of years ago when we started AdBible. Terry and I took a step of faith, and God has rewarded our step for 16 years. He has provided for us through people like you. If you’re being touched, if you’re being blessed by AdBible, would you consider becoming a financial partner with the Ezra Project? That’s the only way these podcasts continue. So visit EzraProject.net, find the Donate Now button, and maybe you’d give a one-time gift or maybe you’ll become a monthly partner with us. The mission God has given us is to record something about every chapter of the Bible. Quite a calling, but with your help, we will finish the task. May God bless you as you consider maybe taking a risk to support the Ezra Project financially. And God’s richest blessings as you do.
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The ESV Bible, the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, ESV, text edition 2007, all rights reserved. English Standard Version, ESV, and the ESV logo are registered trademarks of Good News Publishers, used by permission.
