Problem: After Boaz lay down, the text says that Ruth “uncovered his feet and lay down” with him. Some critics argue that this is a way of saying that Ruth had sex with Boaz.
Solution: The terms used in verse 4 have sexual connotations—most likely because Ruth was showing that she wanted to be married. However, this is different from saying that the text teaches or implies that Boaz and Ruth had sexual intercourse:
(3:4) “Uncover…” Hubbard writes, “The verb glh in the Piel (‘to uncover, make visible’ something hidden) occurs primarily in expressions describing varieties of illicit sexual relations.”[1] However, in his footnote, Hubbard also notes that “uncovering” is usually followed by “nakedness” (Lev. 18-20) or some other referent. Here, she merely uncovers his feet.
(3:4) “His feet…” Commentators note that this Hebrew term (margelōṯ) is a euphemism for sexual organs.[2] However, the passages that they cite fail to make the connection (Ex. 4:25; Judg. 3:24; 1 Sam. 24:4). Moreover, the only other time this Hebrew term (margelōṯ) used is in Daniel 10:16, where it simply means “feet” or perhaps “legs.”[3] Despite his speculations, Hubbard concludes, “In any case, ‘place of feet’ meant the place where his feet lay.”[4] F.B. Huey,[5] Arthur Cundall,[6] and Robert Hubbard[7] believe that Ruth uncovered Boaz’ feet to make them cold, so that he would wake up naturally.
(3:4) “And lie down…” This can also have sexual connotations only when paired with the Hebrew terms ʾeṯ and ʿim (“with”) as in many passages (Gen. 19:32-35; Exod. 22:15; Lev. 18:22; Deut. 22:22; 1 Sam. 2:22; 2 Sam. 11:4).[8] Furthermore, the text says that she “lay at his feet until morning” (vv.13-14). The most natural reading of this text is that she slept there until morning—not that she slept with Boaz until morning. Boaz kept Ruth with him until morning, because of the monstrous men who roamed Israel at this time. That is, he wanted to ensure her protection.[9]
(3:9) “Spread your covering over your maid…” When Ruth asks him to spread his covering over her (v.9), this was a Hebrew idiom for marriage (Ezek. 16:8; Deut. 22:30; 27:20; Mal. 2:16).[10] Ruth probably came at night so Boaz wouldn’t feel pressured into making a public decision to marry her. For instance, consider how pressured a woman feels, when a man proposes to her in front of 30,000 people at a baseball game broadcast on the JumboTron! It’s difficult to say, “No thanks,” when you’re in that position. In the same way, Ruth didn’t want to put Boaz in a difficult situation.
Further observations can be made: First, Boaz was asleep this entire time, and when he awoke, the text says he was “startled” (v.8). If Boaz had just engaged in sex with Ruth, he obviously wouldn’t have been startled.
Second, Boaz also refers to Ruth as a “woman of excellence” (Ruth 3:11). This is the same phrase used for a godly wife (Prov. 31:10). He could hardly say these words after just engaging in fornication.
Third, Boaz was careful to keep and follow the kinsman-redeemer laws—even though he clearly loved Ruth and wanted to marry her (vv.12-13). This shows his integrity—not his sexual permissiveness.
[1] Hubbard, R. L. (1988). The Book of Ruth (p. 203). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[2] Hubbard, R. L. (1988). The Book of Ruth (p. 203). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[3] Hubbard, R. L. (1988). The Book of Ruth (p. 203). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[4] Hubbard, R. L. (1988). The Book of Ruth (p. 203). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[5] Huey, F. B., Jr. (1992). Ruth. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel (Vol. 3, p. 537). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
[6] Cundall, A. E., & Morris, L. (1968). Judges and Ruth: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 7, p. 278). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
[7] Hubbard, R. L. (1988). The Book of Ruth (p. 204). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[8] See footnote. Hubbard, R. L. (1988). The Book of Ruth (p. 204). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[9] Boaz tells Ruth to “remain the night” (v.13). In modern terms, it is morally questionable to have a woman spend the night with a single man. However, in this setting, Boaz was looking out for Ruth, because the alternative (i.e. walking home at night alone) would have been worse. Remember, this was during the time of the Judges (Ruth 1:1), when women were often caught and raped (Ruth 2:21-23; Judg. 19). So Boaz was doing the morally honorable thing to protect her overnight.
[10] Kaiser, Walter C. More Hard Sayings of the Old Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1992. 139.
