Targoum sur Ruth 3:19

Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her: "My daughter, I swear that I shall not rest until I have found comfort for you, that it might be well with you.

"Now, does not Boaz, our kinsman, with whose maidservants you were in the field, winnow barley at the threshing floor in the night breeze?

"Bathe yourself with water, anoint yourself with perfumes, and put on adornments; then go down to the threshing floor, but do not reveal your presence to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

"When he lies down to sleep, however, mark the place where he sleeps; then go in, uncover his feet, and lie down yourself. Then ask advice of him, and in his wisdom he will tell you what to do."

And she responded: "I will do everything that you have told me."

So she went down to the threshing floor, and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her.

When Boaz had eaten and drunk and felt merry, he blessed the name of the Lord, who had accepted his prayer, in that he removed the famine from the Land of Israel. Then he went to lie down by the side of the grain-heap, and Ruth came secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down to sleep.

And it happened at midnight that the man shuddered and trembled, and, as a result, his flesh became as soft as a [boiled] turnip. Though he perceived a woman sleeping at his feet, he subdued his evil inclination and did not draw nigh unto her, just like the righteous Joseph, who refused to draw nigh unto the Egyptian woman, the wife of his master; and just like the pious Paltiel, the son of Laish, who placed a sword between himself and Michal, the daughter of Saul and wife of David, refusing to approach her.

"Who are you?" said he. She responded, "I am Ruth, your maidservant. Let your name be called over your maidservant, by taking me to wife, inasmuch as you are a redeemer."

Said he: "Blessed be you before the Lord, my daughter. The last good deed which you have done is better than the first. The first was that you became a proselyte, and the last, that you made yourself like a woman who waits for a small brother-in-law until he grows up, refraining from following young men, whether poor or wealthy, in order to carry on immoral relations with them.

"And now, my daughter, do not fear. What you say to me I will do for you, since it is known to all who sit at the gate, the Great Sanhedrin, of my people, that you are a righteous woman and have the strength to bear the yoke of the commandments of the Lord.

"Now, in truth, I am a redeemer, but there is also another redeemer who is better qualified to redeem than am I.

"Lodge here, and in the morning, if the man qualified to redeem you according to the Torah redeems you, very well, let him redeem you. But if he is unwilling to redeem you, then I will redeem you. I swear by an oath before God, that I will do just as I have spoken to you. Sleep now until the morning."

So she slept at his feet until morning. At dawn, before one could recognize another because of the darkness, she arose. Then he said to his servants: "Let it not be known to anyone that a woman came to the threshing floor."

[To Ruth he said:] "Take the scarf which you have there, and lay hold of it," he said. So she took hold of it. Then he measured six seah of barley and placed it upon her, whereupon strength to carry it was given to her from God. At that moment it was announced through the medium of prophecy, that six of the most righteous men were destined to descend from her, each one of whom would be blessed with six blessings -- David, Daniel and his companions, and the King-Messiah. Then Boaz went into the city.

She came to her mother-in-law at daybreak, and Naomi said to her: "Who are you? My daughter?" Then she told her everything that the man had done. He had acted on instructions revealed to him through the medium of prophecy.

"The man gave me these six seah of barley," said she, "Saying to me: 'You must not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed."'

Then Naomi said: "Abide with me at home, my daughter, until you find out how it is decreed by God and how the matter is decided, for the man will not rest unless he complete the matter satisfactorily today."