a. Naomi’s plan (3:1–5)
a. Naomi’s plan (3:1–5)
We have very little knowledge of the customs prevalent in Israel in antiquity and the arrangements for marriage here outlined are not elsewhere attested. But then we have no other example of a situation quite like this. What was to be done where two widows were left to their own devices? This story gives us an answer as to what might happen, though we have no means of knowing just how common the practice described was. Apparently it was an Israelite but not a Moabite procedure, for Naomi had to explain to Ruth what she must do to show Boaz that she was interested in marriage with him. Though Ruth carried out the plan readily enough there is no indication that she knew anything about the custom until Naomi outlined it.
1. Naomi sets matters moving by asking whether she should seek rest (AV, RV) for Ruth. RSV renders seek a home, which may well be the sense of it, but the idea in the word mānôaḥ is not ‘home’. It has to do with rest (cf. 1:9; mĕnûḥâ there is cognate with mānôaḥ here, and there does not appear to be any real difference of meaning). Moffatt does better with I must see you settled in life. Naomi is thinking of the precarious livelihood shared by the two widows and she looks for something better for Ruth. This is reinforced with that it may be well with thee (AV, RV). The lot of an unprotected widow in the ancient world could not but be a hard one. Marriage would alter that and so it would be well with Ruth.
2. Now introduces the next logical step. Boaz is described as our kinsman (RV, RSV), though when the cognate term was used previously he was connected with Naomi only. He was called a kinsman of her husband’s, and this was further explained by saying that he was ‘of the family of Elimelech’ (2:1). When precision is required this is the way to state it. But in the present passage the important point is the position of Ruth. Since her marriage to Mahlon she too has a family connection with Boaz and thus he is described as our kinsman. Next comes the reminder that he is not an unknown quantity. Ruth has been with his maidens (and has received marks of special favour). Naomi tells Ruth that that night Boaz will be winnowing barley at the threshing-floor. In this process grain was separated from the husks by being trodden out by animals. Then the mixture was thrown into the air against a stiff breeze, so that the wind blew the chaff away while the heavier grain fell more or less straight down. Threshing-floors were usually situated in exposed positions, so that they could catch the breeze (it was the measure of Gideon’s fear and desperation that he chose to beat out his wheat in a winepress, a most unsuitable location, Judg. 6:11). It seems curious that Boaz should engage in this work at night. Perhaps there were unusual weather conditions with a brisk night breeze. More probably we should understand hallāylâ as ‘the evening’ rather than ‘the night’. (Hertzberg thinks the term here means the whole afternoon.) It is possible that the wind in the daytime was very strong or very gusty, which would make winnowing difficult. If these were the conditions, then work at night might well be preferable. L. P. Smith says that in summer the wind blows from about four or five o’clock until a little after sunset. But after work ceased the grain must be guarded. Perhaps Boaz did not do this in person every night, and this may be the force of Naomi’s tonight. This would then be one of the nights when Boaz was on duty.
3. Naomi instructs Ruth to look her best. She is to wash (the word may signify ‘bath oneself’, and this is surely the meaning here) and anoint herself. The ancients made a good deal of use of unguents, especially on festive occasion, this being much the same as our use of scents. The word for raiment (AV, RV) does not denote any special type of garment. Many think that in the context your best clothes (RSV) gives the sense of it. Joüon, however, points out that Ruth is not told to change her clothing and he asks whether in her poverty she would be able to. He reads the word as a singular, with good MS and LXX support, and understands it to refer to a large mantle which would completely cover Ruth so that she would not be recognized. Lattey takes a similar point of view thinking it unlikely ‘that Ruth in her poverty would possess “best clothes,” which indeed the Hebrew does not here indicate’. Rust thinks that Ruth was ‘to prepare herself as a bride’, but the evidence scarcely supports this. The large mantle is probably right. Having prepared herself in this way Ruth is to go down to the threshing-floor but not to make herself known to Boaz. Let him finish his meal before she does anything. ‘Go down’ is rather curious: one would have expected a threshing-floor to be on a height (LXX actually reads ‘go up’). The explanation is probably that Bethlehem itself is on a high ridge so that one would ‘go down’ to any place in the surrounding countryside.1
4. Now comes the critical (and most interesting) part of the instructions. When Boaz lies down to go to sleep Ruth is instructed to mark (lit. ‘know’) the place where he lies. Then (i.e. ‘some time later’, not ‘thereupon’) she is to come and uncover his feet and lie down (the Syriac has ‘lie down at his feet’ which is almost certainly not the correct text, but which gives the meaning). The point of this perhaps was to awaken the man as his feet became cold. The position was also a lowly one, and perhaps represented Ruth as a petitioner. It is also possible that feet here is a euphemism for pudenda (as Exod. 4:25, etc.). Moffatt appears to adopt this meaning with his translation uncover his waist.
That represented the completion of Ruth’s task (except for her invitation to Boaz to throw his skirt over her, 3:9). The rest was up to Boaz. The context makes it clear that this describes a way whereby Ruth signified to Boaz her desire to marry him. Ordinary methods of approach were no doubt difficult and this provided a suitable medium. But why it should be done in this way we do not know. Nor do we know whether this was a widely practised custom or not. It is not attested other than here. Lattey thinks that ‘the action in itself is symbolic, suggesting that the mantle should cover Ruth as well, and thus preparing the way for her words in 3:9. To throw the mantle over a woman would be to claim her for wife.’ In view of the widespread use of garments in a symbolic fashion now known to have been common at the time, this may well be the explanation. The narrator uses the utmost delicacy, but it is clear that Naomi’s plan was not without its dangers. The fact that she was prepared to urge this course on Ruth is the measure of her trust in both the participants. All the more is this the case since in the Ancient Near East immoral practices at harvest-times were by no means uncommon, and, indeed, appear to have been encouraged by the fertility rites practised in some religions.
The opening words of this verse And it shall be (AV, RV) are rather unusual. The Hebrew is wîhî where we would have expected wĕhāyâ. This in strictness means ‘and let it be …’ It is probably a way of continuing the imperative when Naomi changes from Ruth’s to Boaz’ part in the affair.
5. Ruth’s reply is simple, but comprehensive. She goes beyond a readiness to do what Naomi has just said and says she will do anything her mother-in-law requires, leaving it perfectly general.