Ruth 3

[aball1035]

I’m reading this book that says that Ruth “seduced” Booz when he was drunk so he would want to take her for a wife. The book says that it was a good act, but I wasn’t sure. Wouldn’t it be both a sin of scandal and a tempting situation for them to be in? I could hardly think my priest would approve if this happened nowadays.

 

[Agape_Thom]

The Life Application study note, New living Translation, sheds some light on your question.
RUTH 3:4
Naomi’s advice seems strange, but she was not suggesting a seductive act. In reality, Naomi was telling Ruth to act in accordance with Israelite custom and law. It was common for a servant to lie at the feet of his master and even share a part of his covering. By observing this custom, Ruth would inform Boaz that he could be her family redeemer—that he could find someone to marry her or marry her himself. It was family business, nothing romantic. But the story later became beautifully romantic as Ruth and Boaz developed an unselfish love and deep respect for each other.

 

[NotWorthy]

I’m reading this book that says that Ruth “seduced” Booz when he was drunk so he would want to take her for a wife. The book says that it was a good act, but I wasn’t sure. Wouldn’t it be both a sin of scandal and a tempting situation for them to be in? I could hardly think my priest would approve if this happened nowadays.

Where does Scripture say that she got him drunk.

The Scripture says:

1 When she was back with her mother-in-law, Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must seek a home for you that will please you. 2 Now is not Boaz, with whose servants you were, a relative of ours? This evening he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. 3 So bathe and anoint yourself; then put on your best attire and go down to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man before he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, take note of the place where he does so. Then go, uncover a place at his feet, and lie down. He will tell you what to do.” 5 “I will do whatever you advise,” Ruth replied. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. 7 Boaz ate and drank to his heart’s content. Then when he went and lay down at the edge of the sheaves, she stole up, uncovered a place at his feet, and lay down.

She did not serve him food or drink.

 

[puzzleannie]

I was so astounded at this claim that I sat down and read the book of Ruth, a short story, and think someone must have had a drop or two himself to come up with that interpretation, obviously reading something into the text that simply is not there. What kind of books are you reading?

 

[aball1035]

Notworthy, I wrote she seduced him “when he was drunk”, not “got him drunk”

Puzzleannie, I’m reading Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. He’s a Protestant so might not take the Catholic view of Bible. He just said that she seduced him while he was drunk (but they didnt do anything naughty that night) they only slept together.

 

[NotWorthy]

Where does Scripture say that she got him drunk.

The Scripture says:She did not serve him food or drink.

Oops. Now I see my confusion. You said Boaz got drunk (was your spelling “Booz” a Freudian Slip? ). You didn’t say Ruth got him drunk.

Yes, Boaz as her closest living relative, was responsible for find a husband for Ruth. That’s why she lays at his feet.

BTW, did you know that Ruth is the great grandmother of King David? In Matthew 1

5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, 6 Jesse the father of David the king…

 

[aball1035]

Oops. Now I see my confusion. You said Boaz got drunk (was your spelling “Booz” a Freudian Slip? ). You didn’t say Ruth got him drunk.

Yes, Boaz as her closest living relative, was responsible for find a husband for Ruth. That’s why she lays at his feet.

BTW, did you know that Ruth is the great grandmother of King David? In Matthew 1

Boaz? The Douay Reims I was looking at spelled it Booz haha

drbo.org/cgi-bin/d?b=drb&bk=8&ch=3&l=9&f=s

 

[Fidelis]

I’m reading Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. He’s a Protestant so might not take the Catholic view of Bible.

LOL. I daresay most Protestants would not favor his view on this either.

Keep in mind Eldridge is not writing a book of Biblical exegesis: he’s writing a rah-rah book for men designed to get them fired up and develop their masculine spirituality. When you read stuff like this, keep in mind that in this kind of book, whether they get it from somewhere else or make it up themselves, writers take liberties and often stretch comparisons to make a point. Please don’t confuse it with serious biblical commentary, let alone Christian teaching. Consider the source, and don’t take it seriously beyond it’s limited usefulness in the context of this particular book.

 

[Cachonga]

It sounds like Mr. Eldredge read that “Boaz ate and drank to his heart’s content” (verse 7) and assumed that meant he drank until he was drunk. I would agree with puzzleannie that he is reading into the text something that is not there. I googled the book and found some review sites (see here, here, and here ). These are the first sites after Amazon and Wikipedia, and they are critical of Mr. Eldredge’s use of scripture and presentation of God (at least one of these calls his view of God “heretical”).

 

[NotWorthy]

It sounds like Mr. Eldredge read that “Boaz ate and drank to his heart’s content” (verse 7) and assumed that meant he drank until he was drunk. I would agree with puzzleannie that he is reading into the text something that is not there. I googled the book and found some review sites (see here, here, and here ). These are the first sites after Amazon and Wikipedia, and they are critical of Mr. Eldredge’s use of scripture and presentation of God (at least one of these calls his view of God “heretical”).

Exactly. It seems like, in the old Testament, if anyone ever gets drunk, bad things happen.

Lot and Noah come to mind.

I’d hate to think that Boaz gets drunk and that’s a Biblical good thing.

 

[Ron_Conte]

{3:7} And when Boaz had finished eating and drinking, and he was merry, and he had gone to sleep by the pile of sheaves, she approached secretly, and, lifting the covering near his feet, she laid herself down.
{3:8} And behold, when it was the middle of the night, the man became frightened and confused, and he saw a woman lying near his feet.

Boaz had enough wine to be merry (cheerful, perhaps slightly inebriated, but not drunk). Also, it was some number of hours later when they had a conversation about whether or not he would marry Ruth. He would not have been even slightly inebriated by then.