Ruth 3:8-12

 

 

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Ruth 3:8 It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. (NASB: Lockman)

BBE: Now in the middle of the night, the man awaking from his sleep in fear, and lifting himself up, saw a woman stretched at his feet.
CEV
:  In the middle of the night, Boaz suddenly woke up and was shocked to see a woman lying at his feet.  (
CEV)
GWT: At midnight the man was shivering. When he turned over, he was surprised to see a woman lying at his feet.  (
GWT)
KJV: And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
NJB: In the middle of the night, he woke up with a shock and looked about him; and there lying at his feet was a woman.  (
NJB)
Young's Literal:
And it cometh to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembleth, and turneth himself, and lo, a woman is lying at his feet.

Septuagint (LXX):  egeneto (3SAMI) de en to mesonuktio kai echeste (3SAAI) o aner kai etarachthe (3SAPI) kai idou gune koimatai (3SPMI) pros podon autou 

English of Septuagint: And it came to pass at midnight that the man was amazed, and troubled, and behold, a woman lay (sleeping) at his feet

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Ruth: Kinsman Redeemer, Part 1; Part 2
Ruth 3
Ruth 3:1-18 The Devotion and the Reward

Ruth 3:9,16 The Quest

Ruth 3:1-2 Looking For A Little Rest
Ruth 3:3 Getting Ready To Meet The Master
Ruth 3:1-11 Finding Your Place At His Feet
Ruth 3:9-4:12 Redeemed, Redeemed By Love Divine
Ruth 3-4
Ruth 3
Ruth 3

Ruth 3-4:10
Ruth: A Light in Dark Days
Ruth Booklet

Ruth 3:7-11
Ruth 3:1-18 Ruth Comes To Boaz

Ruth 3:9: Christ Our Kinsman Redeemer
Ruth 3:12-13 - 3 Nearer Kinsmen, 1 Redeemer
Ruth 3    
Ruth 3
Ruth 3
Ruth 3:8-9, Ruth 3:10-12

Ruth 3
Christ, Our Kinsman-Redeemer
Ruth 3:8
Ruth 3:11 - A Virtuous Woman
Ruth The Kinsman Redeemer
Kinsman-Redeemer
Ruth Thru the Bible on Mp3 - complete Book
Ruth Notes
Ruth 3: Net Bible Notes
Ruth 3 
Ruth 3: Strategic Righteousness 
Ruth 3:1-9: Audio plus notes,
Ruth 3:10-18
Ruth 3:9 Goel - Kinsman Redeemer; Ruth 3:9 My Redeemer
The Book of Ruth

Ruth: The Romance of Redemption
Ruth: Two to Get Ready: Story of Boaz & Ruth
Ruth 3: Ruth Resting
Ruth: Kinsman Redeemer Pt 1; Part 2; Part 3
Ruth: The Ability to Redeem - Pt 1;
Part 2

Ruth 3:1-18
The Gospel from the book of Ruth
Ruth 3:1-4:22: Your God Is Too Small

Ruth 3-4 Fellow Heirs Of The Grace Of Life
Ruth Kinsman Redeemer - lesson 1 - covers entire book

AND IT HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT THAT THE MAN WAS STARTLED:

"At midnight the man was shivering. When he turned over, he was surprised to see a woman lying at his feet." (GWT),

"woke up with a shock" (NJB).

"In the middle (02677) of the night" is literally "in the half of the night" or at midnight. Boaz awoke suddenly and discovered that a woman was lying at his feet.  Possibly this scene took place in the dark so that Boaz had the opportunity to reject the proposal without the whole town knowing.

Was startled (02729) (charad) means to tremble, quake or shudder and describes human trembling before some strange or fearsome event. For example after Jonathan and his armor bearer had slaughtered about 20 Philistines,

"there was a trembling (noun form charadah)  in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and the raiders trembled (verb - charad), and the earth quaked so that it became a great trembling (noun form charadah)"  (1Sa 14:15, cf Da 10:7).

The Greek Septuagint (LXX) translates the Hebrew word for startled with the Greek verb (tarasso) (5015) which describes an inward commotion which takes away one's calmness, causing physical agitation and shaking like water in a glass that has been sharply jarred (tarasso was used to describe agitating of water in a pool). Figuratively tarasso describes that state of mind which is to stirred up or disturbed often accompanied by various emotions including fear and trepidation. We've all experienced a "Boaz like" reaction, being suddenly awakened by some strange noise in the middle of the night and thinking that there was a burglar in the house. And then we were wide awake for some time after that because we were so shaken. Now you have the picture of the state of Boaz on this fateful Bethlehem night.

So how did Boaz react? Startled and caught off guard -- remember that he was sleeping by the barley to protect it (these were evil "days of the judges") and he may have had momentary fear that he was being robbed. The Targum translates it

"The man trembled, and his flesh became like a (boiled) turnip through fear." 

Be aware of some very poorly substantiated exposition in various commentaries on this particular section of Ruth. For example one liberal source offers an absurd, even irreverent interpretation

"Ruth's act was an example of sacred prostitution at the high place in Bethlehem." (Staples "Ruth," pp. 150, 156-67)

Fortunately this genre of interpretation has been almost universally rejected as unfounded, particularly when one does a careful interpretation in light of the context of the entire story. It would be highly unlikely to see Ruth, portrayed uniformly as a woman of excellence stoop to such a level. Similarly it would be singularly out of character for a man like Boaz to take advantage of a woman in this way. Remember that Boaz goes the extra mile to maintain his integrity by emphasizing that he is not the closest kinsman-redeemer. Why would he besmirch his character in this section? Once again this genre of liberal interpretation shows the critical value of always interpreting Scripture in light of its context which is "king" in regard to accurate interpretation!

AND BENT FORWARD AND BEHOLD A WOMAN WAS LYING AT HIS FEET:

Bent forward (
03943) is a Hebrew verb that is concerned with turning but does not specify a particular way of turning.

And behold (02009)  - As the famous "canine cartoon commentator", Snoopy, used to say “Life is full of rude awakenings!”.  For example, remember when Jacob awoke to discover he was married to the wrong woman! Adam on the other hand was put to sleep by God as a single fellow and awoke a married man! While Jacob's realization was rude, such could hardly be said of either Adam's or Boaz's awakening.

Where was Ruth? She was lying at Boaz's feet which is an important detail to exonerate her from false accusations of impure motives and even worse of participating in an illicit relationship! The Hebrew verb for "lying" (07901) can refer to lying down for rest, lying down forever (deceased) or lying down to have sexual relations. Some commentaries have focused on this last meaning completely ignoring the surrounding text (context). Three times the author emphasizes the fact that Ruth was at the feet (04772) of Boaz.

The Targum adds that

Boaz subdued his concupiscence (= strong desire, especially sexual), and acted toward her as Joseph did to the Egyptian wife of his master, and as Pelatiel, the son of Laish the pious, did to Michal, the daughter of Saul, the wife of David, who put a sword between Michal and himself, because he would not approach to her.

Woodrow Kroll makes the following comments regarding "middle of the night" noting that...

Most crimes take place in the dark. In the dark of the night a thief slips into a home to steal. In dimly lit parking garages assailants lurk about for their next victims. In the blackness of alleys gang members hatch their plans.

Depraved men love the darkness because it hides their wicked deeds (John 3:19). And here was a perfect opportunity—a man alone with a woman in the dark. No one would have noticed; it was midnight and everyone was sound asleep. Nor probably would they have cared, had they taken note. Ruth was a foreigner and, worse yet, a Moabitess. Since the days of Moses when Moabites refused to allow passage through their land and even hired Balaam to curse the Israelites, no love existed between these two nations. Furthermore, Boaz was wealthy, and everyone knows that the rich take what they want. But Boaz was a man of honor and integrity—even in the dark.

God expects you and me to behave in the dark the same as we do in the light. It makes no difference if no one is watching. It doesn't even matter that our misdeeds will never be discovered. There is still One who knows and cares. The psalmist reminds us, "the darkness and the light are both alike to [God]" (Ps 139:12-
note). The darkness is not the time to take a chance; it's the time to show your character.

Make sure God can trust you in the dark. Ask Him to give you the consistency of character that is unaffected by your circumstances. Be as faithful to the Lord when your actions are hidden as when they're out in the open. Someday, you'll be glad you did.

What a person is in the dark is what a person truly is. (Ruth 3:8)

 

Ruth 3:9 He said, "Who are you?" And she answered, "I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative." (NASB: Lockman)

BBE: And he said, Who are you? And she answering said, I am your servant Ruth: take your servant as wife, for you are a near relation.
CEV:  "Who are you?" he asked. "Sir, I am Ruth," she answered, "and you are the relative who is supposed to take care of me. So spread the edge of your cover over me."  (
CEV)
GWT: "Who are you?" he asked. She answered, "I am Ruth. Spread the corner of your garment over me because you are a close relative who can take care of me."  (
GWT)
NJB:  'Who are you?' he said; and she replied, 'I am your servant Ruth. Spread the skirt of your cloak over your servant for you have the right of redemption over me.'  (
NJB)
Young's Literal
: And it cometh to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembleth, and turneth himself, and lo, a woman is lying at his feet.

Septuagint (LXX):  eipen (3SAAI) de tis ei (2SPAI) su e de eipen (3SAAI) ego eimi (1SPAI)  Routh e doule sou kai peribaleis (2SFAI) to pterugion sou epi ten doulen sou hoti agchisteus ei (2SPAI) su 

English of Septuagint: And he said, Who art thou? and she said, I am thine handmaid Ruth; spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near relation

AND HE SAID WHO ARE YOU AND SHE ANSWERED I AM RUTH YOUR MAID: (Ru 2:10,11-note; Ru 2:12-note; 1Sa 25:41; Lk 14:11)

 Boaz recognized the shadowy figure as a woman, as his question "Who are you?" uses the feminine singular pronoun 'at.

I am Ruth you maid She uses the Hebrew word  'amah (
0519) which is applied both to literal slaves and to those who figuratively call themselves by this term as an expression of humility and submission. Abigail for example fell at David's feet

"and said, "On me alone, my lord, be the blame. And please let your maidservant speak to you, and listen to the words of your maidservant." (1Sa 25:24)

Bathsheba addressed her husband David saying

My lord, you swore to your maidservant by the LORD your God, saying, 'Surely your son Solomon shall be king after me and he shall sit on my throne. (1Ki 1:17).

The Greek Septuagint translates it with the word ''doule" meaning one whose will is submitted to the will of the master. Thus Ruth is clearly willing to humble herself before Boaz.

Jesus taught

everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted. (Lk 14:11) (Comment: This promise certainly was proven true in the life of Ruth the Moabitess)

As a husband you may wish your wife submitted to you the way Ruth submits to Naomi and to Boaz. Then ask yourself whether you are providing the kind of godly leadership, care, and concern that Boaz showed towards Ruth? Now on the other hand, many wives wish they had a husband who loved, cared, and treated them they way Boaz did towards Ruth. But are they showing the same kind of humble submission and respect Ruth showed to Boaz? Ruth is a very practical book, especially regarding the relationship between men and women, especially between husbands and wives, and for these reasons alone it merits frequent study and meditation to "glean" the hidden treasures of wisdom buried in these four profound chapters.

Ruth your maid Note that Ruth did not call herself Ruth the Moabitess but “your handmaid” which certainly suggests as some have surmised that Ruth was making a new beginning. Ruth is mentioned twelve times, five references as the Moabitess (Ru 1:22; 2:2, 21; 4:5, 10-see notes Ru 1:22; 2:2; 2:21; 4:5; 4:10).

SO SPREAD YOUR COVERING OVER YOUR MAID: (Dt 22:30, Ezek 16:8)

Make me your wife according to God’s law, for you are my close relative (TLB)

Because you are a close relative, you are responsible for taking care of me. So please marry me (TEV)

Spread your cover over me, because you are a relative who is supposed to take care of me (NCV)

I am Ruth, your servant. Marry your servant, for you are a guardian of the family interests (NET)

Spread your wing [of protection] over your maidservant, for you are a next of kin (AMP)

Spread the skirt of your cloak over your servant for you have the right of redemption over me (NJB)

I am your servant Ruth: take your servant as wife, for you are a near relation (BBE)

Ruth reminded Boaz of his own words, and requested him to become the fulfiller of his own prayer. The word for corner is the same as that for `wing' in 2:12 (note) Ruth reminded Boaz of his own words, and requested him to become the fulfiller of his own prayer.

To raise the skirts of a woman's garment is a symbol of insult and disgrace Jer 13:22, 26; Nah. 3:5, whereas to cover her with one's skirt was a token of matrimony.  No doubt the idiom reflected the custom, still practiced by some in the Middle East, of a man throwing a garment over the woman he has decided to take as his wife, and symbolizing protection as well as fellowship.

Spread (05203) (paras) is commonly used to describe wings as "being spread" or open fully.

There are 39 uses in the OT - Gen. 31:28; Exod. 23:11; Num. 11:31; Deut. 32:15; Jdg. 6:13; Ruth 3:9; 1 Sam. 4:2; 10:2; 12:22; 17:20, 22, 28; 30:16; 2 Sam. 5:18, 22; 1 Ki. 8:57; 2 Ki. 21:14; Neh. 10:31; Ps. 27:9; 78:60; 94:14; Prov. 1:8; 6:20; 17:14; Isa. 2:6; 16:8; 21:15; 32:14; 33:23; Jer. 7:29; 12:7; 15:6; 23:33, 39; Ezek. 29:5; 31:12; 32:4; Hos. 12:14; Amos 5:2. The NAS renders paras - abandon(7), abandoned(5), allow(1), cast away(1), ceased(1), drawn(1), fall(1), forego(1), forsake(3), forsaken(2), forsook(1), hangs slack(1), leave(2), left(5), lie fallow(1), neglected(1), spread (6).

In a parallel passage in Ezekiel we see God speaking to Israel reminding her

"I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread (paras) My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine," declares the Lord GOD." (Ezek 16:8)

In this metaphorical account in Ezek 16:8, God spreads his skirt over naked Jerusalem as an act of protection and as a precursor to marriage.

To spread one’s mantle over a person meant to claim that person for yourself. For example in (1Kings 19:19) we Elijah finds

"Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him."

Covering (03671) (kanaph translated with Septuagint (LXX) pterugion = tarret or pinnacle) refers to an edge or extremity; specifically of a bird and thus refers to a bird's wing as used in Ru 2:12 ("under Whose wings" ) referring figuratively to the wings of the Almighty God. Now Ruth would be under the wings of Boaz, her beloved husband. What a beautiful picture of marriage! Is that a picture of your marriage?

There are 85 uses of kanaph in the OT - Gen. 1:21; 7:14; Exod. 19:4; 25:20; 37:9; Lev. 1:17; Num. 15:38; Deut. 4:17; 22:12, 30; 27:20; 32:11; Ruth 2:12; 3:9; 1 Sam. 15:27; 24:4f, 11; 2 Sam. 22:11; 1 Ki. 6:24, 27; 8:6f; 2 Chr. 3:11ff; 5:7f; Job 37:3; 38:13; 39:13, 26; Ps. 17:8; 18:10; 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7; 68:13; 78:27; 91:4; 104:3; 139:9; 148:10; Prov. 1:17; 23:5; Eccl. 10:20; Isa. 6:2; 8:8; 10:14; 11:12; 18:1; 24:16; Jer. 2:34; 48:40; 49:22; Ezek. 1:6, 8f, 11, 23ff; 3:13; 5:3; 7:2; 10:5, 8, 12, 16, 19, 21; 11:22; 16:8; 17:3, 7, 23; 39:4, 17; Dan. 9:27; Hos. 4:19; Hag. 2:12; Zech. 5:9; 8:23; Mal. 4:2. The NAS translates kanaph as - bird*(1), corner(1), corners(4), covering(1), each other(1), edge(5), edges(1), ends(3), fold (2), garment (1), kind (3), skirt(3), skirts(1), sorts (1), wing(14), winged(5), wings(59), wingspan(1).

In the present context, kanaph refers to the edge of a garment or bed-clothing flap. We find a similar use in Deuteronomy where God directs His people to

make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself (Dt 22:12)

Ruth’s words about Boaz taking her under his wing suggest that in her mind, she was entering into betrothal to marry Boaz. Betrothal was the first stage of marriage in which a couple contracted to marry each other (scroll down to entry #2 "Betrothal the First Formal Part" - in ISBE discussion of Marriage). Betrothal in ancient Israel (at the time of Christ) lasted for a year and was as binding as marriage, being dissolved only by divorce. Should the man to whom a girl was betrothed die, in the eyes of the law she was a widow. During the actual marriage ceremony, the groom’s relatives cover the bride with the groom’s garment, indicating that from then on, she was under his protection ("his wing").

In an earlier encounter Boaz had offered a prayer for Ruth,

May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings (kanaph = translated covering in Ruth 3:9 - note) you have come to seek refuge.  (see note Ruth 2:12)

The word wings was a symbol of protection, as with baby birds which run under their mother's wings to escape the birds of prey. God used Boaz as the vessel to answer his own prayer in behalf of Ruth. It was customary for a Jewish husband to cover his new wife with the end of his tallit (Heb., prayer shawl) to signify that she was under his protection. Accordingly, Ruth was asking Boaz to accept his responsibility as kinsman and to take her as his wife.  The modern Jewish marriage ceremony takes place under a "Huppah" (a canopy -- sounds like "kanaph") in the presence of two lawful witnesses. To this day in many parts of the East when a man says he put his skirt over a woman it is synonymous with saying that he has married her.

The Old Testament uses kanaph many times, most often figuratively and most often referring to God in a  positive context. For example, Israel's redemption and deliverance from bondage in Egypt is twice described with the beautiful picture of "wings" for God reminds His people

'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself" (Ex 19:4) and

"Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young, He spread His wings and caught them, He carried them on His pinions. " (Deut 32:11).

God's "wings" are pictured as instrumental in the redemption of His wife Israel from Egyptian bondage. Here in Ruth, the bride is requesting that her redeemer cover her with his "wings"! And ultimately from this covenant comes One from the line of David and the tribe of Judah, Who Himself is the Redeemer of all mankind. Have you sought refuge under the wings of the Redeemer of Israel from the wrath to come? Paul teaches that if you have, you are safe and can

"wait for (God's) Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, Who delivers us from the wrath to come." (1Th 1:10-note)

This phrase "Spread your covering" vividly pictures the provision of protection, warmth and fellowship and in context speaks beautifully of marriage. Would it be true that all husbands covered their dearly beloved the way God does and the way Boaz did in this love story. There appears to be no hesitation in the response of Boaz. Ruth could let go of any fear she may have had, for there was no rebuke from this godly man. To the contrary, he gives her a blessing and acceptance as a `my daughter' in the family. No longer was she a stranger or foreigner for Ruth had come under the wings of Jehovah God (Ru 2:12); and now she would be under the wings of her kinsman-redeemer, Boaz!

JFB adds that Ruth

"had already drawn part of the mantle over her; and she asked him now to do it, that the act might become his own. To spread a skirt over one is, in the East, a symbolical action denoting protection. To this day in many parts of the East, to say of anyone that he put his skirt over a woman, is synonymous with saying that he married her; and at all the marriages of the modern Jews and Hindus, one part of the ceremony is for the bridegroom to put a silken or cotton cloak around his bride."

FOR YOU ARE A CLOSE RELATIVE: (Ru 2:12 -note)

"for thou art a near kinsman" (ASV)

"for thou art a near kinsman (BBE)

"you are the relative who is supposed to take care of me" (CEV)

Today's English Version is very direct (albeit a paraphrase)

"Because you are a close relative, you are responsible for taking care of me. So please marry me."

"you are a close relative who can take care of me" (GWT)

Close relative (01350) (goel)  This is the second use of this term in Ruth (Ru 2:20-note) (Here are the 10 uses  in Ruth - Ru 2:20; 3:9, 12, 13; 4:1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 14)

Note she says "You are a kinsman-redeemer," rather than, "You are my kinsman-redeemer". Whether Ruth knew that there was a closer kinsman is uncertain.

It is surprising that Jonathan Edwards in his book "History of Redemption"  which traces the history of redemption from Moses to David, absolutely ignored Boaz as a type of Christ (see
Typology), the great Redeemer  many of the judges fit that type writing that

The deliverers that God raised up from time to time were all types of Christ, the great Redeemer of His Church; and some of them very remarkably so; as particularly, Barak, Jephthah, Gideon, Samson, in many particulars. (McGee, J. V. Ruth and Esther : Women of Faith. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers)

J. Vernon McGee further notes that

Having included Samson, (Jonathan Edwards) passed over the Book of Ruth entirely, paid no attention to Boaz, and discussed Samuel as the next in order as a type of the Redeemer. A. H. Strong, in his Systematic Theology, defined the section of theology under “Christology” as “the redemption wrought by Christ,” and he did not even allude to Boaz as a type of Christ. There is no reference to the Book of Ruth in his entire work on theology. Calvin, in the Institutes, made no reference to the Book of Ruth when contemplating redemption. In any biblical history of redemption that seeks to trace the types through the Scripture, there ought to be a reference to Boaz in the Book of Ruth. (Ibid)
 

GA'AL
(Go'el is the active participle of ga'al)
(Geullah is the passive participle of ga'al)
(for further explanation & definition click here)
ALL USES IN RUTH

Ruth 2:20 - see note

Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed of the LORD who has not withdrawn his kindness to the living and to the dead ." Again Naomi said to her, "The man is our relative, he is one of our closest relatives  (go'el)."

 

Ruth 3:9 - see note

He said, "Who are you?" And she answered, "I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative (go'el)."

 

Ruth 3:12 - see note

"Now it is true I am a close relative (go'el); however, there is a relative closer (go'el) than I.

 

Ruth 3:13 -see note

"Remain this night, and when morning comes, if he will redeem (ga'al) you, good; let him redeem (ga'al) you. But if he does not wish to redeem (ga'al) you, then I will redeem (ga'al) you, as the LORD lives. Lie down until morning ."

 

Ruth 4:1 - see note

Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative (go'el) of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, "Turn aside, friend, sit down here ." And he turned aside and sat down.

 

Ruth 4:3 - see note

Then he said to the closest relative (go'el), "Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.

 

Ruth 4:4 - see note

"So I thought to inform you, saying, 'Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem (ga'al) it, redeem (ga'al) it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem (ga'al) it, and I am after you.'" And he said, "I will redeem (ga'al) it."

 

Ruth 4:6 - see note
The
closest relative (go'el) said, "I cannot redeem (ga'al) it for myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem (ga'al) it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption (geullah = passive participle of ga'al), for I cannot redeem (ga'al) it."

 

Ruth 4:8 - see note
So the
closest relative (go'el) said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." And he removed his sandal.

 

Ruth 4:14 - see note
Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a
redeemer (go'el) today, and may his name become famous in Israel.
 

 

QUESTIONS

Why did he have to ask who this was? Did he even know it was a woman?

Obviously it was dark because it was the middle of the night -- although he apparently did know it was a woman because the pronoun he uses in Hebrew is feminine.

How does Ruth characterize herself?

his "maid" the Hebrew word (amah) is not the same one (shiphchah) used in Ruth 2:13 (note), but is the word for literal slaves -- this word suggests that she was humbling herself, submitting her will to his will, her hopes & desires to his providences.

Abigail  "fell at (David's) feet and said, "On me alone, my lord, be the blame. And please let your maidservant (amah) speak to you, and listen to the words of your maidservant (amah)." (1Sa 25:24). Humility; Submission.

What does she request? How does this correlate with Dt 25:5-10?
 

to cover her with one's skirt was a token of matrimony; to fulfill the levirate marriage

Why was Ruth so bold in her request?

She knew Boaz was a go'el.

How is the Hebrew word "covering" translated elsewhere in Ru 2:12?
How else do these 2 verse relate? What was Boaz doing for Ruth in 2:12?

God used Boaz as the vessel to answer his own prayer in behalf of Ruth

What does Ezekiel 16:8 teach about the meaning of Ruth's request?

This idiom reflected the custom, still practiced by some Arabs, of a man’s throwing a garment over the woman he has decided to take as his wife, and symbolizing protection as well as fellowship. The "security" or REST that Naomi had desired for Ruth.

Ezekiel 16:8 = God says "I SPREAD (paras) MY SKIRT (wing - kanaph) OVER YOU". This phrase reflects Israel's "marriageable state" and the spreading of God's “wing” pictures the custom of espousal as here in Ruth. This statement by God clearly indicates that He had entered into a covenant with young Israel. When? At Mt. Sinai (cf.