Ruth 3:9
What does Ruth 3:9 mean?
A plain-English look at Ruth 3:9 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ruth 3:9 means
Ruth identifies herself as Boaz’s handmaid and asks him to “spread therefore thy skirt” over her because he is a near kinsman. The word for “skirt” can mean “wing,” echoing Boaz’s earlier blessing that Ruth had taken refuge under Jehovah’s wings. Now she asks Boaz to be the human agent of that protection through the kinsman-redeemer role. Her request is direct and lawful—a marriage proposal bound up with family redemption, not a grasp at romance. Here Ruth entrusts her future to Boaz’s integrity. In the larger biblical story, such redemption anticipates how Christ, our true Redeemer, covers and claims His people in covenant love.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thy handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thy handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And he said, Who are you? And she answering said, I am your servant Ruth: take your servant as wife, for you are a near relation.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And he saith, `Who <FI>art<Fi> thou?' and she saith, `I <FI>am<Fi> Ruth thy handmaid, and thou hast spread thy skirt over thy handmaid, for thou <FI>art<Fi> a redeemer.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And he said to her: Who art thou ? And she answered: I am Ruth, thy handmaid: spread thy coverlet over thy servant, for thou art a near kinsman.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth, thy handmaid: spread thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou hast the right of redemption.
Context
Ruth moves from symbol to speech, naming her relationship to Boaz and invoking the goel obligation. This is the chapter’s center: a clear, courageous appeal for redemption. The next verse records Boaz’s blessing and interpretation, confirming that he reads Ruth’s act as loyal kindness, not impropriety. From this point, the dialogue will unfold the conditions and the path toward a righteous resolution.
v.8And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
v.9This passage
v.10And he said, Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter: thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ruth 2:20
And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Jehovah, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen.
- Ruth 3:12
And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
- Ruth 2:10
Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found favor in thy sight, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a foreigner?
- Luke 14:11
For every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
- 1 Samuel 25:41
And she arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, Behold, thy handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.
- Ezekiel 16:8
Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord Jehovah, and thou becamest mine.
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