Ruth 4

1 Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.3 And he said unto the near kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s:4 And I thought to disclose it unto thee, saying, Buy it before them that sit here, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it besides thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.6 And the near kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it.

7 Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel.8 So the near kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thyself. And he drew off his shoe.9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi.10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem:12 and let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of this young woman.

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in unto her, and Jehovah gave her conception, and she bare a son.14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not left thee this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in Israel.15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of life, and a nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him.16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.17 And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez begat Hezron,19 and Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,20 and Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,21 and Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,22 and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Ruth 4

Boaz Settles the Matter

1 Now Boaz went upt to the village gate and sat there. Then along came the guardiant whom Boaz had mentioned to Ruth!t Boaz said, “Comet here and sit down, ‘John Doe’!”t So he camet and sat down.2 Boaz chose ten of the village leaderst and said, “Sit down here!” So they sat down.3 Then Boaz said to the guardian,t “Naomi, who has returned from the region of Moab, is sellingts the portion of land that belongs to our relative Elimelech.4 So I am legally informing you:t Acquire it before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people!t If you want to exercise your right to redeem it, then do so.t But if not, then tell met so I will know.t For you possess the first option to redeem it; I am next in line after you.”t He replied, “I will redeem it.”5 Then Boaz said, “Whent you acquire the fields from Naomi,t you must alsos acquire Ruth the Moabite,s the wife of our deceased relative,ss in order to preserve his family name by raising up a descendant who will inherit his property.”t6 The guardian said, “Then I am unable to redeem it, for I would ruin my own inheritances in that case. You may exercise my redemption option, for I am unable to redeem it.”ts7 (Now this used to be the customary way to finalize a transaction involving redemption in Israel:t A man would remove his sandal and give it to the other party.t This was a legally binding actt in Israel.)8 So the guardian said to Boaz, “You may acquire it,” and he removed his sandal.s9 Then Boaz said to the leaders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have acquired from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon.10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife to raise up a descendant who will inherit his propertyt so the name of the deceased might not disappeart from among his relatives and from his village.t You are witnesses today.”11 All the people who were at the gate and the elders replied, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the house of Israel! Mayt you prospert in Ephrathah and become famouss in Bethlehem.s

12 May your familyt become like the family of Perezts – whom Tamar bore to Judah – through the descendantst the Lord gives you by this young woman.”

A Grandson is Born to Naomi

13 So Boaz married Ruth and had sexual relations with her.t The Lord enabled her to conceivet and she gave birth to a son.14 The village women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be praised because he has not left you without a guardiant today! May het become famous in Israel!t15 He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old,t for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. Shet is better to you than seven sons!”16 Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap;t she became his caregiver.t

17 The neighbor women named him, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed.t Now he became the father of Jesse – David’s father!

Epilogue: Obed in the Genealogy of David

18 These are the descendantsts of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron,19 Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab,20 Amminadab was the father of Nachshon, Nachshon was the father of Salmah,21 Salmons was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed,

22 Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.s