MPV Commentary

By Naomi's Instructions, Ruth Lies at Boaz's Feet, Who Acknowledges the Duty of a Kinsman.

Boaz was winnowing barley on the threshing-floor that evening. This process involved throwing up the grain against the wind with a shovel to separate it from the chaff. The threshing-floor was carefully leveled and prepared for the task. Boaz remained on the floor all night, not only to protect his valuable grain but also to continue winnowing under the cooler breezes that blew after sunset.

The next morning, Naomi instructed Ruth to go to the threshing-floor where Boaz lay sleeping at the end of a heap of barley. She was to uncover his feet and lie down beside him. Although this may seem unusual to us today, it was an acceptable practice in rural Bethlehem, where people often slept on mats or skins on the floor.

Ruth's position at Boaz's feet was not uncommon in Eastern households, where servants would often sleep in the same room as their masters. If they needed a covering, custom allowed them to use part of the master's bedspread. In this case, Ruth had already drawn part of Boaz's mantle over her, and now she asked him to spread it further over her, so that his act would be a deliberate gesture of protection.

To spread one's skirt over another person in the East was a symbolic action signifying protection or guardianship. This custom is still observed today in some parts of the world, where it is equivalent to saying "I will marry you." Ruth was essentially asking Boaz to acknowledge his responsibility as her kinsman and protector.

Later that day, Naomi instructed Ruth to go back to the threshing-floor and ask Boaz for six measures of barley. This amount, known as six seahs, would have been a substantial load for a woman to carry.