Discovery BoxRuth 3:15 
Context3:15 Then he said, “Hold out the shawl 1 you are wearing 2 and grip it tightly.” As she held it tightly, he measured out about sixty pounds 3 of barley into the shawl and put it on her shoulders. Then he 4 went into town,
Ruth 4:4
Context4:4 So I am legally informing you: 5 Acquire it before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people! 6 If you want to exercise your right to redeem it, then do so. 7 But if not, then tell me 8 so I will know. 9 For you possess the first option to redeem it; I am next in line after you.” 10 He replied, “I will redeem it.”
1 tn Or “cloak” (so NAB, NRSV, NLT); CEV “cape.” The Hebrew noun occurs only here and in Isa 3:22.
2 tn Heb “which [is] upon you”; NIV, NRSV “you are wearing.”
3 tn Heb “and she gripped it tightly and he measured out six of barley and placed upon her.” The unit of measure is not indicated in the Hebrew text, although it would probably have been clear to the original hearers of the account. Six ephahs, the equivalent of 180-300 pounds, is clearly too heavy, especially if carried in a garment. Six omers (an omer being a tenth of an ephah) seems too little, since this would have amounted to six-tenths of an ephah, less than Ruth had gleaned in a single day (cf. 2:17). Thus a seah (one third of an ephah) may be in view here; six seahs would amount to two ephahs, about 60 pounds (27 kg). See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 222, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 178.
4 tc The MT preserves the 3rd person masculine singular form וַיָּבֹא (vayyavo’, “then he went”; cf. ASV, NAB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT), while many medieval
5 tn Heb “and I said [or perhaps, “thought to myself”], ‘I will [or “must”] uncover your ear, saying’”; NAB “So I thought I would inform you”; NIV “I thought I should bring the matter to your attention.”
6 tn The phrase “before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people” appears to refer to the leaders who were specially chosen as witnesses (v. 2) and the larger group of community leaders standing by. It is possible, however, that the phrases “before those sitting here” and “before the leaders of my people” are appositional and that both refer to the ten leaders mentioned in v. 2 (cf. NLT “in the presence of these witnesses”).
7 tn Heb “if you will redeem, redeem” (KJV, NASB, NRSV all similar); NCV “If you want to buy back the land, then buy it.”
8 tn Heb “but if he will not redeem, tell me.” Most English versions emend the third person verb form (“he”) to the second person form because Boaz is addressing the closer relative. But it is possible that he briefly addresses the witnesses and refers to the closer relative in the third person. See J. M. Sasson, Ruth, 118.
9 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verb form with vav indicates purpose or result.
10 tn Heb “for there is no one besides you to redeem, and I am after you” (NASB similar).
