Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
“Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
“I hope that no one will ever know that this woman came to the threshing floor.” (God’s Word)
In some languages, it might be better to use an indirect quotation to report what Boaz thought. For example:
Boaz had it in mind that no one should know that the woman had been to the threshing-floor. (Revised English Bible)
3:15a
Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out: Boaz asked Ruth to unwrap the shawl from around her shoulders, and then hold it open so that he could put grain into it.
This shawl was probably a wrap for her head and shoulders on top of her dress. It must have been fairly large and strong enough to carry a large amount of grain in it.
The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as hold…out also means “seize” or “grip (tightly).” The shawl was only a large piece of cloth, and not a bag. So Ruth would have to hold it firmly on the corners as Boaz poured the grain to prevent it from spilling.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Hold out the shawl you are wearing and grip it tightly. (NET Bible)
-or-
Bring me your shawl and hold it open. (New Century Version)
-or-
Stretch out the cape you’re wearing and hold it tight. (God’s Word)
In some languages, it may be more natural to use an indirect quotation here. For example:
Then he told her to bring her shawl and hold it firmly.
3:15b
When she did so: This clause is more literally “And she held it.” In some languages, you may want to make explicit what she did as in the Hebrew. For example:
As she held it tightly (NET Bible)
-or-
So Ruth held her shawl open (New Century Version)
-or-
So she held it tight while (God’s Word)
he shoveled six measures of barley: The Hebrew of this clause is more literally “He measured (out) six (of) barley.” It means that Boaz measured the barley as he put it in Ruth’s shawl. The text does not say what measuring container or unit was used. However it is clear that this was a generous amount but not too much for a strong young woman to carry alone. Most scholars think it was around thirty kilograms (sixty-five pounds).
If you can, use a special unit of weight that can be used for grain, such as rice. Then use the number of units that will make a total of about thirty kilograms. If you do not have a special unit of weight for grain, you may translate six measures as “Thirty (30) kilograms” or “sixty-five (65) pounds.”
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
and he measured six measures of barley (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
he poured about 30 kilograms of barley into her shawl
-or-
He poured more than fifty pounds of barley into it (New International Reader’s Version)
-or-
And he filled it with a lot of grain (Contemporary English Version)
into her shawl: Women at that time often carried heavy loads on their heads. Sometimes they needed help to get a very heavy load into position to carry it. Boaz helped her lift this heavy weight and get it properly balanced on her head, or possibly on her back or shoulders.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
Boaz then put it on her head (New Century Version)
-or-
and placed it on her back (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
and helped her lift it to her shoulder (Good News Translation)
3:15c
Then he went into the city: There is a textual problem with this verse:
(1) The Masoretic Text has “he went into the town.” For example:
Then he returned to the town. (New Living Translation (2004))
(2) The Syriac and Vulgate have “she went into the town.” Some scholars think that the feminine verb was the original text because 3:16a continues the story with Ruth arriving home. For example:
When Ruth got back to town (Contemporary English Version)
It is recommended that you follow option (1). There does not seem to be a strong reason to not follow it. Boaz wanted to take care of his responsibility quickly, and the text here indicates that he returned to town as soon as he gave Ruth the grain.
© 2024 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.