Ruth 3:8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned--and there was a woman lying at his feet!

◄ Ruth 3:8 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned--and there was a woman lying at his feet!

English Standard Version
At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet!

New American Standard Bible
It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet.

King James Bible
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman!

International Standard Version
In the middle of the night, Boaz was startled awake and turned over in surprise to see a woman lying at his feet.

American Standard Version
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And behold, when it was now midnight the man was afraid, and troubled: and he saw a woman lying at his feet,

Darby Bible Translation
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembleth, and turneth himself, and lo, a woman is lying at his feet.

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

3:6-13 What in one age or nation would be improper, is not always so in another age or another nation. Being a judge of Israel, Boaz would tell Ruth what she should do; also whether he had the right of redemption, and what methods must be taken, and what rites used, in order to accomplishing her marriage with him or another person. The conduct of Boaz calls for the highest praise. He attempted not to take advantage of Ruth; he did not disdain her as a poor, destitute stranger, nor suspect her of any ill intentions. He spoke honourably of her as a virtuous woman, made her a promise, and as soon as the morning arrived, sent her away with a present to her mother-in-law. Boaz made his promise conditional, for there was a kinsman nearer than he, to whom the right of redemption belonged.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

4. 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. In ordinary circumstances these would have seemed indecorous to the world; but in the case of Ruth, it was a method, doubtless conformable to prevailing usage, of reminding Boaz of the duty which devolved on him as the kinsman of her deceased husband. Boaz probably slept upon a mat or skin; Ruth lay crosswise at his feet—a position in which Eastern servants frequently sleep in the same chamber or tent with their master; and if they want a covering, custom allows them that benefit from part of the covering on their master's bed. Resting, as the Orientals do at night, in the same clothes they wear during the day, there was no indelicacy in a stranger, or even a woman, putting the extremity of this cover over her.