Ruth 3:4
in Ruth 3When he lies down, note the place where he lies. Then go in and uncover his feet, and lie down, and he will explain to you what you should do.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
KJV
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
⋯
This verse in Ruth 3
Commentary
7 notes on this verseUncover his feet, and lay thee down - It is said that women in the East, when going to the bed of their lawful husbands, through modesty, and in token of subjection, go to the bed’s foot, and gently raising the clothes, creep under them up to their place. See Calmet. On the whole, we must say, had not Boaz been a person of extraordinary piety, prudence, and continence, this experiment might have been fatal to Ruth. We cannot easily account for this transaction, probably Naomi knew more than she revealed to her daughter-in-law.
This site's exposition
Therefore wash yourself, put on perfume, and wear your best clothes
on Ruth 3:3-5
Washing, anointing and a change of clothes mark the end of mourning at 2 Samuel 12:20, so Ruth lays down the widow before asking to stop being one. Naomi times every step around Boaz: after he eats and drinks, where he lies, out of his sight until then. Ruth replies only "I will do everything you say", with no question about a plan that puts her alone there at night.
This site's exposition
uncover his feet, and lie down
Adam Clarke says plainly that the plan could have ruined Ruth had Boaz been a lesser man. He suspects Naomi knew more than she told. The verse puts the next move in the hands of Boaz, who will explain what she should do.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
What does Naomi suggest to her daughter-in-law? When Ruth heard her mother-in-law saying, "Our neighbor is a true man," she was reminded of his great kindness and thought to want him [to be] married to her in law, so that she might keep up the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And it shall be, when he lieth down,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
go in, and uncover his feet and lay thee down--Singular as these directions may appear to us, there was no impropriety in them, according to the simplicity of rural manners in Beth-lehem.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Uncover his feet - Rather, “the place of his feet;” the foot of his bed, as we should say. So also Rth 3:7-8.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וִיהִ֣י | vihi | and let it be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְשָׁכְב֗וֹ | veshakhevo | when lies down he | H7901 → | 212 times |
| וְיָדַ֙עַתְּ֙ | veyadaat | and you will take note of | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמָּקוֹם֙ | hamakom | the place | H4725 → | 401 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִשְׁכַּב־ | yishkav- | he will lie down | H7901 → | 212 times |
| שָׁ֔ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| וּבָ֛את | uvat | and you will go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| וְגִלִּ֥ית | vegilit | and you will uncover | H1540 → | 186 times |
| מַרְגְּלֹתָ֖יו | margelotav | feet his | H4772 → | 5 times |
| וְשָׁכָ֑בְתְּ | veshakhaveti | and you will lie down | H7901 → | 212 times |
| וְהוּא֙ | vehu' | and he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| יַגִּ֣יד | yagid | he will tell | H5046 → | 370 times |
| לָ֔ךְ | lakh | to <the> you | ||
| אֵ֖ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| תַּעַשִֽׂין׃ | taasin | you will do ! | H6213 → | 2628 times |
וִיהִ֣יand let it be
vihiH1961 →3559 times
בְשָׁכְב֗וֹwhen lies down he
veshakhevoH7901 →212 times
וְיָדַ֙עַתְּ֙and you will take note of
veyadaatH3045 →945 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמָּקוֹם֙the place
hamakomH4725 →401 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhere
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יִשְׁכַּב־he will lie down
yishkav-H7901 →212 times
שָׁ֔םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
וּבָ֛אתand you will go
uvatH935 →2568 times
וְגִלִּ֥יתand you will uncover
vegilitH1540 →186 times
מַרְגְּלֹתָ֖יוfeet his
margelotavH4772 →5 times
וְשָׁכָ֑בְתְּand you will lie down
veshakhavetiH7901 →212 times
וְהוּא֙and he
vehu'H1931 →1879 times
יַגִּ֣ידhe will tell
yagidH5046 →370 times
לָ֔ךְto <the> you
lakh
אֵ֖ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁ֥ר[that] which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
תַּעַשִֽׂין׃you will do !
taasinH6213 →2628 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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 Thessalonians 5:22Abstain from every form of evil.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 6:3
We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.
- Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
- 2 Corinthians 8:20–21
We hope to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31–33
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
- Romans 12:17
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
- 2 Corinthians 6:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ruth
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Theodoret of Cyrus, QUESTIONS ON RUTH.