Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? (Ruth 3:1)
Naomi was not able to help with the physical work of gleaning, but that does not mean that Naomi hadn’t been busy planning. She developed a plan that would benefit both Ruth and her as well.
In Jewish law, a provision covered the case of a widow without an heir. Naomi’s plan would take advantage of this provision: The closest in kin had an obligation to redeem a widow by taking her as a wife and raising children that would benefit and continue the widow’s family line (rather than their own). This provision would allow the widow’s land to remain in her family.
In Genesis 38, we read the account of Tamar and her experience with this provision of a “kinsman redeemer.” In the account, Tamar’s husband Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in God’s sight, so God killed him.
Because Tamar had not yet borne an heir, she became the wife of Judah’s next son, Onan. This passage shows the tradition of the kinsman redeemer, with the next closest male relative taking Tamar as his wife.
It also shows that Onan knew that the first male offspring that came from this union would not be counted as his but as his brother Er’s. Onan purposefully ensured that Tamar would not conceive. The Lord was displeased by his act because it was selfish on multiple fronts.
The above account is given to help explain why Naomi introduces the plan as a means to “seek rest,” or security, for Ruth. Having a husband would give Ruth immediate security and having an heir would provide an inheritance for her family line.
And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor. (3:2)
Naomi knew that Boaz was a near kinsman (Ruth 2:20). Her plan was for Boaz to be Ruth’s kinsman redeemer. She even knew where he would be that night, winnowing his barley on the threshing floor.
Winnowing was a step in the harvest where the grain was gathered into one place then pitched into the air to separate the grain from the chaff. The heavier grain would fall to the ground to be gathered. The lighter chaff would blow away in the wind. The process involved many days of hard work. Typically, the workers would sleep on the threshing floor to remain in close proximity for the next day’s work.
Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. (3:3)
Naomi told Ruth to wash, put on perfume, and dress in her nicest clothes. It’s obvious that she wanted Ruth to look as attractive as possible. Then she told Ruth to go down to the threshing floor but not to immediately reveal herself to him. Naomi told Ruth to watch and wait until Boaz finished his evening meal.
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. (3:4)
Naomi then told Ruth to follow Boaz to where he lay down to sleep. Once he was asleep, Ruth was to go in, uncover his feet, and lay down. Naomi knew that once Boaz realized that Ruth was there, he would know what to do next.
And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do. And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her. (3:5-6)
Again, Ruth showed her humility and her respect for her mother-in-law. She didn’t question Naomi’s plan even though she knew that she would be taking a great risk by doing as Naomi instructed.
If there was potential danger for Ruth in her gleaning during the daytime, imagine the danger she could face showing up at a very male-dominant threshing floor after dark. Yet Ruth doesn’t question Naomi, nor does she doubt Boaz’s integrity. She simply obeys.
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. (3:7-8)
It seems that Boaz was sound asleep when Ruth lay down. He didn’t notice her until the middle of the night. Ruth may have been lying there for several hours before Boaz was startled awake.
And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman. (3:9)
When Ruth asked Boaz to spread his skirt over her, she was asking for his protection and care. To put it in our modern context, she proposed to him. Ruth made it very clear that she wanted Boaz to take her as his wife under the kinsman redeemer custom.