Quite a few years, I was reading straight through the Bible when I ran across the story of Ruth.  My wife and I chose a verse from the book of Ruth for our wedding.  I’ve been fond of the book ever since.  It is told from the point of view of Ruth.  Ruth was a Moabite woman who married one of Naomi, an Israelite’s, two sons.  When both sons died, Naomi released the daughters-in-law to return to their home countries.  Naomi was a widow and would be left alone, and so Ruth pledged to stay to care for her.  When they returned to Bethlehem during barley season, Ruth worked the fields of a man named Boaz.  When he saw that she was taking care of his cousin Naomi, he admired her.  Naomi, seeing an opportunity, sent Ruth to Boaz late at night with a plan.  This is where Boaz’s part of the story begins.  SPOILER ALERT: they later bore a son named  Obed who became the grandfather of none other than King David, and you know who came from the lineage of David in Bethlehem  (ok, it’s Jesus if you haven’t guessed).  I’ve rewritten this part of the story from the point of view of Boaz using excerpts from the English Standard Version Bible.  I’ve done my best to keep in the style of ESV’s translation while shifting to Boaz’s first person narrative.

On The Threshing Floor

It had been a long day of winnowing barley.  I was well pleased with the harvest, well-fed, and had had my fill of wine from my vineyard.  I drifted to sleep with thoughts of the woman I’d met in the fields.   What a noble woman she was, and lovely.  She had done such a kindness for my kinswoman Naomi.  Rarely had I witnessed such faithfulness, and in a Moabite woman no less!  I couldn’t help to think that she would certainly make as faithful a wife.

Deep in the night, I was awoken.  During winnowing time, I sleep on the threshing room floor along with my servants.  But this was not one of my servants.   I was awoken by a sweet fragrance, something sweeter than the barley grain.  Sleeping at my feet was a woman wrapped in my cloak.  I sat up and touched her softly and whispered, “Who are you?”

My heart raced when the woman replied, “I am Ruth, your servant.”

It was the Moabite woman.  She had come to me in my slumber to lay herself before my feet!

She continued on; her words as sweet as the honey I had supped on the evening before!

“Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”

Though it was true, being very closely related to her mother-in-law, Naomi, but I was not the closest redeemer.  So I spoke words to honor her and let her know how I felt about her, and made also a proposition that was good and proper.

“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.”  Her eyes, which shown in the harvest moonlight, met mine for just a moment, but being a modest woman she bowed them quickly.  “And now, my daughter,” I continued, “do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my 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.”

This astonishing woman nodded her consent and lay back down at my feet.  And I, taken with love and compassion for her, could hardly sleep,  for she had redeemed our dear Naomi.  She, a Moabite, chose to live here in Bethlehem to care for an Israelite out of no legal obligation.  She must truly be a good woman, a woman of God.   And I prayed to the Lord until morning that my cousin, the closest possible redeemer, would pass her to me, if it be the Lord’s will.

Oh my sweet Ruth!  Let it be that I would redeem you and your husband’s line.  It is certain to be a noble one!