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Ruth 3:13

in Ruth 3

Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good. Let him redeem you. But if he does not want to redeem you, as surely as the LORD lives, I will. Now lie here until morning.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as Jehovah liveth: lie down until the morning.

KJV

Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth: lie down until the morning.

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This verse in Ruth 3

Commentary

5 notes on this verse
Tarry this day,.... Or lodge here tonight, where she was; this he said not from any design upon her, but for her own safety and honour, that she might not be exposed to danger or disgrace, by returning home at such an unseasonable time of night.

This site's exposition

Yes, it is true that I am a kinsman-redeemer

on Ruth 3:12-13

Boaz answers with an oath, "as surely as the LORD lives", the second in the book after Ruth's at 1:17. Her request joins the brother's duty of Deuteronomy 25:5 and the kinsman's right over land at Leviticus 25:25, which no statute joins. Boaz takes both as one obligation.

This site's exposition

as surely as the LORD lives, I will

John Gill reads the command to stay here tonight as care for her safety on the road in the dark. Boaz swears as surely as the LORD lives that if the nearer relative will not redeem her, he will redeem her. Either way, Ruth will be redeemed.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Thus keeping the matter in suspense, he bade her wait till morning. Bishop Hall thus sums up this matter in his contemplations:--"Boaz, instead of touching her as a wanton, blesseth her as a father, encourageth her as a friend, promiseth her as a kinsman, rewards her as a patron, and sends her away laden with hopes and gifts, no less chaste, more happy, than she came.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

As the Lord liveth - Thus he bound himself by an oath to take her to wife if the other should refuse.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

Stay the night. Stay over [one more night] without a husband.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Ruth 3:13:1, via Sefaria, The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Now, though it is true that. אִם [=if] is written but not read, i.e., it conveys uncertainty [who will be the actual redeemer], for there is surely a redeemer closer than I. 13 The kinsman was Elimelech’s brother whereas Bo’az was only his nephew.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Ruth 3:12:1, via Sefaria, The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001
For he said, “It must not be known. ” This refers back to “and she arose before one could recognize [another].
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Ruth 3:14:1, via Sefaria, The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001

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

19 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • לִ֣ינִי׀stay

    liniH3885 →84 times

  • הַלַּ֗יְלָהthis night

    halaylahH3915 →233 times

  • וְהָיָ֤הand it will be

    vehayahH1961 →3559 times

  • בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙in the morning

    vabokerH1242 →214 times

  • אִם־if

    ʾim-H518 →1069 times

  • יִגְאָלֵ֥ךְhe will redeem you

    yigalekhH1350 →104 times

  • טוֹב֙good

    tovH2896 →538 times

  • יִגְאָ֔לlet him redeem

    yigalH1350 →104 times

  • וְאִם־and if

    veim-H518 →1069 times

  • לֹ֨אnot

    lo'H3808 →5168 times

  • יַחְפֹּ֧ץhe will be willing

    yachpotzH2654 →

  • לְגָֽאֳלֵ֛ךְto redeem you

    legoolekhH1350 →104 times

  • וּגְאַלְתִּ֥יךְand I will redeem you

    ugealtikhH1350 →104 times

  • אָנֹ֖כִיI

    ʾanokhiH595 →359 times

  • חַי־[by] [the] life

    chai-H2416 →

  • יְהוָ֑הof Yahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • שִׁכְבִ֖יlie down

    shikhviH7901 →212 times

  • עַד־until

    ʾad-H5704 →1261 times

  • הַבֹּֽקֶר׃the morning

    habokerH1242 →214 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

10 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Jeremiah 4:2and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”7 worksRuth 4:5Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi and also from Ruth the Moabitess, you must also acquire the widow of the deceased in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.”7 worksRuth 2:20Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the LORD, who has not withdrawn His kindness from the living or the dead.” Naomi continued, “The man is a close relative. He is one of our kinsman-redeemers.”6 worksDeuteronomy 25:5–9When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her.5 worksMatthew 22:24–27“Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.4 worksHebrews 6:16Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.4 works
The other 4 cross-references, with their words ▾
Judges 8:19“They were my brothers,” Gideon replied, “the sons of my mother! As surely as the LORD lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”4 works2 Corinthians 1:23I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.3 worksJob 27:2“As surely as God lives, who has deprived me of justice—the Almighty, who has embittered my soul—2 worksRuth 4:6The kinsman-redeemer replied, “I cannot redeem it myself, or I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it.”2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Jeremiah 4:2

    and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 65:16

      Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth, and whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the former troubles…

    • Jeremiah 9:24

      But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth—for I delight in these things,”…

    • Genesis 22:18

      And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

  • Through

    Ruth 2:20

    Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the LORD, who has not withdrawn His kindness from the living or the dead.” Naomi continued, “The man is a close relative. He…

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 2:5

      So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.

    • Ruth 3:9–10

      “Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.”

    • Deuteronomy 25:5–7

      When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty…

  • Through

    Ruth 4:5

    Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi and also from Ruth the Moabitess, you must also acquire the widow of the deceased in order to raise up the name…

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 25:5–6

      When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty…

    • Matthew 22:24

      “Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.

Where this verse is studied

About Ruth

Summer, or Ruth and Boaz, Nicolas Poussin, 1660 to 1664. Public domain.
Summer, or Ruth and Boaz, Nicolas Poussin, 1660 to 1664. Public domain.
Ruth: the study guide →Read Ruth 3 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Ruth 3 →