When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!
“Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”
- Ruth 3:7-9
In the section before this, Naomi had given Ruth specific instructions of what to do when she goes to see Boaz. Ruth trusted Naomi and promised to do exactly what she instructed (verse 6). To modern readers, Ruth’s actions might appear bold, inappropriate, or just plain odd, but within the ancient Israelite context, they were a profound statement of faith and submission.
The threshing floor was a significant site in agrarian societies, where harvested grain was separated from the chaff. After the hard labor of threshing, landowners like Boaz would sleep near their grain to protect it from thieves. This was their livelihood, after all – not just financially but also their food to survive. The setting of Ruth’s approach is important because it reflects a moment of vulnerability and trust between her and Boaz.
While the exact meaning of Ruth uncovering Boaz’s feet (verse 7) isn’t explicitly stated, there are several interpretations that help us understand its cultural and theological significance.
In ancient Israelite culture, placing oneself at someone's feet was often an act of humility, submission, and supplication. By uncovering Boaz’s feet and lying down, Ruth was symbolically placing herself under his authority, signaling her request for his protection and provision as a guardian-redeemer. This echoes other biblical moments where people fall at the feet of someone in a position of power or grace.
The uncovering of feet may have been a marriage custom in the ancient Near East. Ruth’s act could be interpreted as a discreet but formal way of asking Boaz to marry her under the levirate marriage tradition, which aimed to preserve a deceased man’s family line. The request to “spread the corner of your garment” (verse 9) further reinforces this idea, symbolizing God's protective covering over His people. The Hebrew word for "corner" can also mean "wing," which has connotations of protection and covenant love (Ezekiel 16:8). This act parallels God's care for Israel (Psalm 91:4) and signifies Ruth’s desire for Boaz to take her as his wife under the guardian-redeemer tradition.
In some biblical passages, feet are associated with authority and possession, such as Joshua 10:24, where placing feet on a conquered king's neck symbolizes dominance. By uncovering Boaz’s feet, Ruth may have been invoking his role as her potential redeemer, asking him to take responsibility for her and Naomi in accordance with Israelite customs.
Ruth’s actions placed her in a vulnerable position, both socially and physically. Some scholars suggest that her approach was a test of Boaz’s character—whether he would act righteously or take advantage of the situation. Boaz’s response (offering protection and ensuring the legal process was followed) demonstrates his integrity and commitment to honoring Ruth in a godly manner.
Some theologians see deeper spiritual symbolism in Ruth’s act, drawing a parallel between her seeking Boaz’s covering and believers seeking refuge under God’s wings. Just as Ruth sought Boaz’s redemption, we are called to seek Christ’s covering and redemption in our own lives.
But regardless of the deeper meaning, naturally, this woke Boaz up at some point during the night (verse 8). Boaz’s reaction further highlights his integrity and righteousness. Boaz does not react with anger or reject her. Instead, he seeks to understand what’s going on in this situation. First, he simply asks who she is (verse 9). While they had interacted while she was gleaning, the more likely reason for this question is simply that it was dark, and Boaz had just woken up, so he did not know who this person was who had uncovered his feet.
Ruth explains who she is and makes her request for Boaz to be her guardian-redeemer. In Israelite society, a guardian-redeemer was responsible for protecting family members and ensuring their welfare. This role could include redeeming a relative from slavery (Leviticus 25:47-49), repurchasing family land that had been sold (Leviticus 25:25), and marrying a deceased relative’s widow to preserve his lineage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10).
Boaz, as a relative of Naomi’s deceased husband Elimelech, had the potential to fulfill this duty, though there was another closer relative with the first right of refusal, as we will discover in the next chapter. But since Ruth and Boaz had interaction while she was gleaning in his field, it makes sense that she approached him first. Ruth’s request was thus both bold and lawful, appealing to Boaz’s role within their family’s legal framework.
But even still, Ruth’s approach to Boaz was an extraordinary act of faith. As a Moabite woman, she was stepping into a foreign culture and placing herself at the mercy of Boaz’s response. Her actions reflect courage, loyalty, and trust. Ruth defies social norms, risking misinterpretation and rejection, especially since she was still a foreigner in this land. Ruth remains faithful and loyal to Naomi, doing what she needed to do to secure a future for them both. Ruth trusted both in what Naomi was telling her to do and in the God of Naomi’s people, who Ruth was accepting as her own.
God was working in this situation, both in Ruth carrying out Naomi’s instructions and in Boaz’s reaction to Ruth. In the next section, we’ll see more about how Boaz handled the situation.
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