Ruth 3:6-9 – Did Ruth seduce Boaz?
Ruth 3:6 [Ruth] went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do. 3:7 When Boaz had finished his meal and was feeling satisfied, he lay down to sleep at the far end of the grain heap. Then Ruth crept up quietly, uncovered his legs, and lay down beside him. 3:8 In the middle of the night he was startled and turned over. Now he saw a woman lying beside him! 3:9 He said, “Who are you?” She replied, “I am Ruth, your servant. Marry your servant, for you are a guardian of the family interests.”
Modern readers (and commentators) often assume that Ruth seduced Boaz. The line of reasoning might be:
- It was harvest time – widely regarded as a time of fertility rites.
- Boaz drunk so much wine that he was inebriated, or, at least, vulnerable to temptation.
- Ruth took advantage of this to seduce him, and force him into marriage.
- The reference to Boaz’ ‘feet’ is a euphemistic reference to his male reproductive organ.
Charles Halton advances the theory that Naomi’s plan was for Ruth to seduce Boaz:-
‘The setting is harvest season, the time when men leave their villages to camp beside piles of grain as they reap and thresh them. They worked all day and relaxed with wine and prostitutes at night (Hos 9:1). Naomi tells Ruth to wash, put on her best clothes, and wait for nightfall. Ruth is to seek Boaz, the field’s owner, uncover his “feet” in his intoxicated slumber, and then do whatever he tells her. In essence, Naomi tells Ruth to put her physical safety and reputation on the line in an attempt to sexually entrap an inebriated man. The logic was that if Ruth became pregnant with Boaz’s baby, he would then be forced to take them both in. Against all expectations, Ruth agrees.’
But then, according to Halton, Ruth decided to do use transparency, rather than trickery, and so her behaviour represents a marriage proposal, rather than an attempt at seduction.
Halton’s is a rather peculiar theory, coming as it does from a web site that purports to present the results of modern biblical scholarship to a wider audience. So, to be clear:
- The text does not say that Naomi urged Ruth to seduce Boaz.
- The text does not say that Boaz was drunk. Indeed, the conversation he has with Ruth strongly suggests that he was sober. (‘Proof texting’ from Hos 9:1 to infer that Boaz and the other workers ‘relaxed with wine and prostitutes at night’ is quite a stretch).
- The text does not say that Ruth did anything other than follow Naomi’s instructions.
To elaborate:
- We cannot infer from the text that Boaz was drunk, only that he was in a good mood and feeling drowsy at the end of feasting.
- There are no sexual overtone to Ruth lying at Boaz’ feet; rather he was startled to find her there during the night. This is not the reaction of a man who has just had sexual intercourse with a woman!
- The biblical writers are not shy of saying when such seduction does take place (such as in the case of David and Bathsheba).
- Ruth’s request to ‘spread the corner of your garment over me’ is idiomatic for a request for marriage. Similar imagery is seen in Deut 27:20; Eze 16:8; Mal 2:16. See also Ruth 2:12.
- Some Arabs, to this very day, have the practice of a man throwing a garment over a woman he has decided to take as his wife. The gesture symbolises protectiveness, as well as a willingness to enter into sexual intimacy with the woman.
- ‘Boaz had prayed in Ruth 2:12 that Ruth might be rewarded by the Lord under whose wings she had taken refuge. Ruth now essentially asked Boaz to answer his own prayer, for “garmentcover” and “wing” are from a similar root in Hebrew.’ (HSB)
- ‘Ruth’s reason for this action is expressed in her appeal to Boaz as a “kinsman-redeemer.” That is a legal status. Under Jewish law, then, her request was not particularly unusual.’ (HSB)
- The honourable behaviour of Boaz ‘can be seen in his revelation that there was someone who actually had prior claim over Ruth and her inheritance, since he was a closer relative. However, if he should prove unwilling to take responsibility in the matter (and he was), then Boaz would marry Ruth.’ (HSB)
- ‘Remarkably, Ruth seems willing to marry even this other relative sight unseen, again subordinating her own happiness to her duty of raising up an heir to her deceased husband and to Naomi. In doing so she demonstrates again why this book singles her out as a most worthy example of what Proverbs 31 refers to as a “virtuous woman” or a person “of noble character.”’ (HSB)
- Finally, the integrity of both Ruth (v10) and Boaz (v12) is attested. Indeed, Ruth 4:13 affirms that their first sexual encounter was not until after they were married.
To summarise:
‘Naomi’s advice seems strange, but she was not suggesting a seductive act. In reality, Naomi was telling Ruth to act in accordance with Israelite custom and law. It was common for a servant to lie at the feet of his master and even share a part of his covering. By observing this custom, Ruth would inform Boaz that he could be her kinsman-redeemer – that he could find someone to marry her or marry her himself. It was family business, nothing romantic. But the story later became beautifully romantic as Ruth and Boaz developed an unselfish love and deep respect for each other.’
(Life Application Bible)