Chapter 3

Drafted by Grok 4.7 on 8 October 2026. First draft. Not independently reviewed. Hebrew. The continuous copy is the Leningrad Codex, through the Open Scriptures diplomatic text. Dead Sea fragments of Ruth were not used to replace any line, because they do not supply a continuous earlier text for this draft.

1Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I look for a settled home for you, one that will be good for you?

2Now, Boaz is our relative, the man whose young women you have been with. Look, he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight.

3Wash, put on scented oil, put your cloak on, and I will go down to the threshing floor. Don’t let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.

Notes (1)

Text
Leningrad writes “your cloak” in the singular. The Masoretic reading says “your cloaks.” The singular is printed. The same verse writes “and I will go down.” The reading tradition says “and you will go down.” The written letters are printed. Verse 6 shows Ruth going down, not Naomi with her. No earlier copy of these words was available for this draft, so the written form is not emended.

4When he lies down, notice the place where he lies. Then go in, uncover his feet, and I will lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

Notes (2)

Text
Leningrad writes “and I will lie down.” The Masoretic reading says “and you will lie down.” The written letters are printed, as in the previous verse.
Translation
Margelotaw is “his feet,” or the place at his feet. The word can carry a sexual overtone, and this draft does not treat that as the printed sense. “His feet” is what the word says. The further overtone is the live alternative and is not printed as fact.

5Ruth said to her, “I will do everything you say.”

Notes (1)

Text
The Masoretic reading adds “to me,” which is not in the written consonants. The English follows what is written.

6She went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had told her.

7Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was glad. He went to lie down at the end of the grain pile. She came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

8In the middle of the night the man startled awake, turned, and there was a woman lying at his feet.

9He said, “Who are you?” She said, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wing over your servant. You are a redeemer.”

Notes (1)

Translation
Kanaf is “wing,” the same word as the wings in 2:12. It can also be the edge of a cloak. “Wing” is printed so the echo stays. “The edge of your cloak” is the live alternative and is not printed. Asking him to spread it is a request for his protection in marriage.

10He said, “May you be blessed by Yahweh, my daughter. This later loyalty of yours is better than the earlier one. You did not go after the young men, poor or rich.

Notes (1)

Translation
Hesed again: “loyalty.” The earlier loyalty is what she did for Naomi. The later one is this approach to Boaz rather than to a younger man outside the family.

11Now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you everything you ask. Everyone in the gate of my people knows that you are a woman of real worth.

Notes (1)

Translation
The gate is the public place where the town does its legal business. Eshet hayil uses the same hayil as Boaz in 2:1. “A woman of real worth” is printed. See the glossary.

12And now, it is true that I am a redeemer. But there is a redeemer closer than I am.

Notes (1)

Text
Leningrad writes an extra im, “if,” in this sentence, and the Masoretic reading says not to pronounce it. Left in, the sentence stumbles, and the next verse begins with “if.” The extra word looks like a copyist’s slip. It is not translated. That is a departure from the written consonants, and it is noted here.

13Stay the night. In the morning, if he will redeem you, good, let him redeem. If he does not want to redeem you, then I will redeem you myself. As Yahweh lives, lie here until morning.”

14She lay at his foot until morning. She got up before one person could recognize another. He said, “It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”

Notes (1)

Text
Leningrad writes “his foot,” singular. The Masoretic reading says “his feet.” The written singular is printed. A second small difference on “before” is spelling only. The open diplomatic text does not treat it as a change of sense.

15He said, “Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” She held it. He measured six measures of barley, set them on her, and he went into the town.

Notes (1)

Text
This open copy of Leningrad reads “and he went into the town.” It does not mark a Masoretic reading “and she went.” The English follows the written verb. What the six measures were, beyond barley, is not defined in the verse. No modern weight is added.

16She came to her mother-in-law, who said, “Who are you, my daughter?” Ruth told her everything the man had done for her.

Notes (1)

Translation
The Hebrew is “Who are you, my daughter?” That may be an idiom for “How did it go?” or a real question about whether she is now his. The sense is uncertain. The words are printed as they stand.

17She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley. He said, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

Notes (1)

Text
The Masoretic reading adds “to me” after “he said.” Those letters are not written. The English follows the written text.

18Naomi said, “Sit tight, my daughter, until you see how the matter falls out. The man will not rest until he has settled it today.”

Chapter 3

1Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I look for a settled home for you, one that will be good for you?

2Now, Boaz is our relative, the man whose young women you have been with. Look, he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight.

3Wash, put on scented oil, put your cloak on, and I will go down to the threshing floor. Don’t let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.

Notes (1)

Text
Leningrad writes “your cloak” in the singular. The Masoretic reading says “your cloaks.” The singular is printed. The same verse writes “and I will go down.” The reading tradition says “and you will go down.” The written letters are printed. Verse 6 shows Ruth going down, not Naomi with her. No earlier copy of these words was available for this draft, so the written form is not emended.

4When he lies down, notice the place where he lies. Then go in, uncover his feet, and I will lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

Notes (2)

Text
Leningrad writes “and I will lie down.” The Masoretic reading says “and you will lie down.” The written letters are printed, as in the previous verse.
Translation
Margelotaw is “his feet,” or the place at his feet. The word can carry a sexual overtone, and this draft does not treat that as the printed sense. “His feet” is what the word says. The further overtone is the live alternative and is not printed as fact.

5Ruth said to her, “I will do everything you say.”

Notes (1)

Text
The Masoretic reading adds “to me,” which is not in the written consonants. The English follows what is written.

6She went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had told her.

7Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was glad. He went to lie down at the end of the grain pile. She came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

8In the middle of the night the man startled awake, turned, and there was a woman lying at his feet.

9He said, “Who are you?” She said, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wing over your servant. You are a redeemer.”

Notes (1)

Translation
Kanaf is “wing,” the same word as the wings in 2:12. It can also be the edge of a cloak. “Wing” is printed so the echo stays. “The edge of your cloak” is the live alternative and is not printed. Asking him to spread it is a request for his protection in marriage.

10He said, “May you be blessed by Yahweh, my daughter. This later loyalty of yours is better than the earlier one. You did not go after the young men, poor or rich.

Notes (1)

Translation
Hesed again: “loyalty.” The earlier loyalty is what she did for Naomi. The later one is this approach to Boaz rather than to a younger man outside the family.

11Now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you everything you ask. Everyone in the gate of my people knows that you are a woman of real worth.

Notes (1)

Translation
The gate is the public place where the town does its legal business. Eshet hayil uses the same hayil as Boaz in 2:1. “A woman of real worth” is printed. See the glossary.

12And now, it is true that I am a redeemer. But there is a redeemer closer than I am.

Notes (1)

Text
Leningrad writes an extra im, “if,” in this sentence, and the Masoretic reading says not to pronounce it. Left in, the sentence stumbles, and the next verse begins with “if.” The extra word looks like a copyist’s slip. It is not translated. That is a departure from the written consonants, and it is noted here.

13Stay the night. In the morning, if he will redeem you, good, let him redeem. If he does not want to redeem you, then I will redeem you myself. As Yahweh lives, lie here until morning.”

14She lay at his foot until morning. She got up before one person could recognize another. He said, “It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”

Notes (1)

Text
Leningrad writes “his foot,” singular. The Masoretic reading says “his feet.” The written singular is printed. A second small difference on “before” is spelling only. The open diplomatic text does not treat it as a change of sense.

15He said, “Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” She held it. He measured six measures of barley, set them on her, and he went into the town.

Notes (1)

Text
This open copy of Leningrad reads “and he went into the town.” It does not mark a Masoretic reading “and she went.” The English follows the written verb. What the six measures were, beyond barley, is not defined in the verse. No modern weight is added.

16She came to her mother-in-law, who said, “Who are you, my daughter?” Ruth told her everything the man had done for her.

Notes (1)

Translation
The Hebrew is “Who are you, my daughter?” That may be an idiom for “How did it go?” or a real question about whether she is now his. The sense is uncertain. The words are printed as they stand.

17She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley. He said, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

Notes (1)

Text
The Masoretic reading adds “to me” after “he said.” Those letters are not written. The English follows the written text.

18Naomi said, “Sit tight, my daughter, until you see how the matter falls out. The man will not rest until he has settled it today.”