Ruth 3:14
in Ruth 3So she lay down at his feet until morning, but she got up before anyone else could recognize her. Then Boaz said, “Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could discern another. For he said, Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Ruth 3
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
So she lay down at his feet until morning
on Ruth 3:14-16
She leaves before anyone could recognize her, and Boaz orders that no one know "a woman came to the threshing floor", guarding the name verse 11 says the town honors. The text never names the unit of the "six measures", and readings run from six omers to six seahs, Albert Barnes reckoning the larger a load Boaz lifted onto her. At verse 16 Ruth tells Naomi everything.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And she lay at his feet until the morning,....
Note, We must always take care, not only to keep a good conscience, but to keep a good name: either we must not do that which, though innocent, is liable to be misinterpreted, or, if we do, we must not let it be known. We must avoid not only sin, but scandal. There was likewise a particular reason for concealment here.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
For he said, “It must not be known. ” This refers back to “and she arose before one could recognize [another].
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Stay the night. Stay over [one more night] without a husband.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתִּשְׁכַּ֤ב | vatishkav | and she lay down | H7901 → | 212 times |
| מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו֙ | margelatav | feet his | H4772 → | 5 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| הַבֹּ֔קֶר | haboker | the morning | H1242 → | 214 times |
| וַתָּ֕קָם | vatakom | and she arose | H6965 → | 628 times |
| בְּטֶ֛רֶם | bitrom | <in> before | H2962 → | |
| יַכִּ֥יר | yakir | he recognized | H5234 → | 49 times |
| אִ֖ישׁ | ʾish | anyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רֵעֵ֑הוּ | reehu | neighbor his | H7453 → | |
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| יִוָּדַ֔ע | yivada' | it be known | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בָ֥אָה | vaah | she came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| הָאִשָּׁ֖ה | haishah | the woman | H802 → | 781 times |
| הַגֹּֽרֶן׃ | hagoren | the threshing floor | H1637 → | 36 times |
וַתִּשְׁכַּ֤בand she lay down
vatishkavH7901 →212 times
מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו֙feet his
margelatavH4772 →5 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
הַבֹּ֔קֶרthe morning
habokerH1242 →214 times
וַתָּ֕קָםand she arose
vatakomH6965 →628 times
בְּטֶ֛רֶם<in> before
bitromH2962 →
יַכִּ֥ירhe recognized
yakirH5234 →49 times
אִ֖ישׁanyone
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רֵעֵ֑הוּneighbor his
reehuH7453 →
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙and he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
יִוָּדַ֔עit be known
yivada'H3045 →945 times
כִּי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
בָ֥אָהshe came
vaahH935 →2568 times
הָאִשָּׁ֖הthe woman
haishahH802 →781 times
הַגֹּֽרֶן׃the threshing floor
hagorenH1637 →36 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 2:12Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 3:16
keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
- Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Titus 2:7–8
In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
- Philippians 2:15–16
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
- 2 Corinthians 8:21
For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.
- 1 Peter 3:16
Through
Romans 12:17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
it leads to
- Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:15
Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.
- 1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
- Proverbs 20:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ruth
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.