1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.
3:1
Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?
Naomi now resolved to find security for her daughter-in-law through marriage. Naomi used the affectionate term “my daughter.” Previously Ruth resigned herself to not marrying again in order to take care of Naomi. Marriage was now again a possibility.
3:2
Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative?
That Boaz was a relative of both Naomi and Ruth made his becoming a kinsman-redeemer a possibility for Ruth. The kinsman-redeemer was the next of kin willing to marry the widow in order to perpetuate her husband’s lineage (levirate marriage).
By sending Ruth to Boaz (instead of going herself), Naomi waived her rights over Ruth and pleaded Ruth’s case to Boaz.
In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.
Because Boaz had openness towards Ruth, Naomi suggested Ruth go to his threshing floor. A threshing floor was a public place where harvesters separated the grain from chaff by throwing grain in the air so that the chaff would blow away. Boaz slept near the grain to protect it.
The threshing floor was a public place, so it was not improper for both Ruth and Boaz to sleep in this location.
PRINCIPLE:
Those who wish to have a believing mate must put themselves in places where believers are.
APPLICATION:
If a person goes to a bar to find a mate, there is likelihood that they will find a promiscuous person. Location matters. Who wants to marry a promiscuous person? We never know whether, once married, they will be immoral still. There are promiscuous people in church; however, there is much greater likelihood that we can find people with fidelity there.
