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.
After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went to sleep at the end of the grain pile. Ruth quietly approached, uncovered his feet, and lay down there.
Ruth carefully follows Naomi's plan by waiting until Boaz is relaxed and asleep, then positioning herself at his feet as a humble request for protection and marriage.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of Ruth, set during the time of the Judges in ancient Israel around 1100 BC, Ruth is a Moabite widow who has faithfully followed her mother-in-law Naomi back to Bethlehem after losing her husband. Boaz, a relative of Naomi's late husband and a prosperous landowner, has already shown kindness to Ruth by allowing her to glean in his fields, and in this scene, she follows Naomi's advice to approach him at the threshing floor to invoke his role as a potential kinsman-redeemer. This cultural practice of uncovering his feet was a subtle way for Ruth to request marriage and protection, reflecting the ancient Israelite customs of family redemption and levirate marriage.
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