לִ֣ינִי הַלַּ֗יְלָה וְהָיָ֤ה בַבֹּ֨קֶר֙ אִם־יִגְאָלֵ֥ךְ טֹוב֙ יִגְאָ֔ל וְאִם־לֹ֨א יַחְפֹּ֧ץ לְגָֽאֳלֵ֛ךְ וּגְאַלְתִּ֥יךְ אָנֹ֖כִי חַי־יְהוָ֑ה שִׁכְבִ֖י עַד־הַבֹּֽקֶר׃
(Ruth 3:13)
Lodge tonight, and it shall be in the morning: if he will redeem you, good — let him redeem; but if he does not desire to redeem you, then I will redeem you — as the LORD lives. Lie down until the morning.
Word-by-Word Explanation
- לִינִי — “lodge” or “stay overnight.” Imperative feminine singular from לוּן (“to lodge, remain overnight”), addressing Ruth.
- הַלַּיְלָה — “the night.” Definite article + noun לַיְלָה (“night”).
- וְהָיָה — “and it shall be.” Qal perfect with vav, functioning as future result clause marker.
- בַבֹּקֶר — “in the morning.” Preposition + בֹּקֶר (“morning”).
- אִם־יִגְאָלֵךְ — “if he will redeem you.” אִם = “if.” Verb יִגְאָל, imperfect 3ms from גָּאַל (“to redeem”), with suffix -ֵךְ (“you,” feminine). Refers to the nearer kinsman.
- טוֹב יִגְאָל — “good, let him redeem.” Interjection טוֹב = “good, fine,” followed by the verb repeated for emphasis.
- וְאִם־לֹא — “but if not.” Negative conditional.
- יַחְפֹּץ — “he desires / is willing.” Qal imperfect 3ms from חָפֵץ (“to desire, delight in”).
- לְגָאֳלֵךְ — “to redeem you.” Infinitive construct of גָּאַל with preposition לְ + suffix -ֵךְ (“you,” feminine).
- וּגְאַלְתִּיךְ — “then I will redeem you.” Qal perfect 1cs with vav-consecutive from גָּאַל + suffix -תִּיךְ (“you,” feminine). Spoken by Boaz.
- אָנֹכִי — “I.” Emphatic personal pronoun.
- חַי־יְהוָה — “as the LORD lives.” Oath formula.
- שִׁכְבִי — “lie down.” Imperative feminine singular from שָׁכַב (“to lie down”).
- עַד־הַבֹּקֶר — “until the morning.” Preposition עַד (“until”) + noun בֹּקֶר with definite article.
Word Order and Sentence Flow
This verse has a careful conditional structure, typical of Hebrew narrative:
- לִינִי הַלַּיְלָה — command: “Lodge tonight.”
- וְהָיָה בַבֹּקֶר — setup: “And it shall be in the morning.”
- אִם־יִגְאָלֵךְ טוֹב יִגְאָל — first condition: “If he redeems you, good — let him redeem.”
- וְאִם־לֹא יַחְפֹּץ לְגָאֳלֵךְ — second condition: “But if he does not desire to redeem you…”
- וּגְאַלְתִּיךְ אָנֹכִי חַי־יְהוָה — resolution: “Then I will redeem you — as the LORD lives.”
- שִׁכְבִי עַד־הַבֹּקֶר — closing command: “Lie down until the morning.”
The repetition of גָּאַל (“redeem”) highlights the theme of responsibility and willingness. The oath formula adds solemnity.
Conditional Structure Chart
| Command | First Condition | Second Condition | Resolution | Closing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לִינִי הַלַּיְלָה Lodge tonight |
אִם־יִגְאָלֵךְ… יִגְאָל If he redeems, good — let him |
וְאִם־לֹא יַחְפֹּץ If he does not desire |
וּגְאַלְתִּיךְ אָנֹכִי Then I will redeem you (oath) |
שִׁכְבִי עַד־הַבֹּקֶר Lie until morning |
How the Sentence Works
- Imperatives: לִינִי and שִׁכְבִי are commands, both feminine singular, addressing Ruth directly.
- Conditionals: Hebrew uses אִם (“if”) twice, giving two possible outcomes.
- Oath formula: חַי־יְהוָה is a solemn declaration, “as the LORD lives.”
- Repetition of key verb: גָּאַל (“redeem”) drives the whole verse, appearing in various forms.
What This Verse Just Taught You
This verse lets you see how Hebrew builds conditions and promises: imperatives to set the scene, repeated verbs to stress the theme, and an oath formula to seal the pledge. You’ve traced Boaz’s careful promise word by word — an excellent glimpse into the rhythm of Biblical Hebrew narrative and its precision in expressing responsibility and trust.
“Even the longest Hebrew sentences are just strings of small pieces — once you see the joins, the meaning unfolds clearly.”
