Rut 3:5-6

3:5 Ruth replied to Naomi, ¹  “I will do everything you have told ²  me ³  to do.” ⁴ 

Ruth Visits Boaz

3:6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do. ⁵ 

Rut 3:16-18

3:16 and she returned to her mother-in-law.

Ruth Returns to Naomi

When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi ⁶  asked, ⁷  “How did things turn out for you, ⁸  my daughter?” Ruth ⁹  told her about all the man had done for her. ¹⁰  3:17 She said, “He gave me these sixty pounds of barley, for he said to me, ¹¹  ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” ¹²  3:18 Then Naomi ¹³  said, “Stay put, ¹⁴  my daughter, until you know how the matter turns out. For the man will not rest until he has taken care of the matter today.”

[3:5]  ¹ tn Heb “she said to her.” The referents (Ruth and Naomi) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:5]  ² tn The Hebrew imperfect is used, even though Naomi’s instructions appear to be concluded. The imperfect can sometimes express actions which although (strictly speaking) are already finished, yet are regarded as still lasting into the present, or continuing to operate in it (GKC 316 §107.h).

[3:5]  ³ tc The MT (Kethib) lacks the preposition אֵלַי (’elay, “to me”) which is attested in the marginal reading (Qere). Many medieval Hebrew mss agree with the marginal reading (Qere) by including the phrase.

[3:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “everything which you are saying I will do.” The Hebrew word order emphasizes Ruth’s intention to follow Naomi’s instructions to the letter.

[3:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “and she did according to all which her mother-in-law commanded her” (NASB similar). Verse 6 is a summary statement, while the following verses (vv. 7-15) give the particulars.

[3:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “she”; the referent (Naomi) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ⁷ tn Heb “said.” Since what follows is a question, the present translation uses “asked” here.

[3:16]  ⁸ tn Heb “Who are you?” In this context Naomi is clearly not asking for Ruth’s identity. Here the question has the semantic force “Are you his wife?” See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 223-24, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 184-85.

[3:16]  ⁹ tn Heb “she”; the referent (Ruth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ¹⁰ sn All that the man had done. This would have included his promise to marry her and his gift of barley.

[3:17]  ¹¹ tc The MT (Kethib) lacks the preposition אֵלַי (’elay, “to me”) which is attested in the marginal reading (Qere).

[3:17]  ¹² sn ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ In addition to being a further gesture of kindness on Boaz’s part, the gift of barley served as a token of his intention to fulfill his responsibility as family guardian. See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 225-26, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 187.

[3:18]  ¹³ tn Heb “she”; the referent (Naomi) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:18]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “sit”; KJV “Sit still”; NAB “Wait here”; NLT “Just be patient.”