Matthew Henry Commentary Ruth 3:1-5

"And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? And now is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing-floor. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the threshing-floor, but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. And she said unto her, All that thou sayest I will do." — Ruth 3:1-5 (ASV)

The married state should be a rest, as much as anything on earth can be, because it ought to fix the affections and form a connection for life. Therefore, it should be entered into with great seriousness, with earnest prayers for direction, for the blessing of God, and with regard to His precepts. Parents should carefully advise their children in this important concern, so that it may be well with them regarding their souls.

Let it always be remembered: that which is best for our souls is best for us. The course Naomi advised appears strange to us, but it was according to the laws and customs of Israel. If the proposed measure had the appearance of evil, Naomi would not have advised it. Law and custom gave Ruth, who was now converted to the true religion, a legal claim upon Boaz.

It was customary for widows to assert this claim (Deuteronomy 25:5–10). However, this is not recorded for imitation at other times and is not to be judged by modern rules. And if there had been any evil in it, Ruth was a woman of too much virtue and too much sense to have listened to it.