Ruth and Boaz Marry
1 Boaz went to the gate [of the town] and sat down there. Soon, the family redeemer Boaz had spoken about came by. Boaz called him by name and said, "Come over here and sit down." So he went over and sat down.
2
Then Boaz took 10 men of the city's elders and said, "Sit here." And they sat down.
3
He said to the redeemer, "Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, is selling a piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.
4
I thought I should inform you: Buy [it] back in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem [it], do so. But if you do not want to redeem [it], tell me, so that I will know, because there isn't anyone other than you to redeem [it], and I am next after you." "I want to redeem [it]," he answered.
5
Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you will also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man's name on his property."
6
The redeemer replied, "I can't redeem [it] myself, or I will ruin my [own] inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I can't redeem it."
7
At an earlier period in Israel, a man removed his sandal and gave [it] to the other party in order to make any matter [legally] binding concerning the right of redemption or the exchange of property. This was [the method of] legally binding a transaction in Israel.
8
So the redeemer removed his sandal and said to Boaz, "Buy back [the property] yourself."
9
Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses today that I am buying from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon.
10
I will also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife, to perpetuate the deceased man's name on his property, so that his name will not disappear among his relatives or from the gate of his home. You are witnesses today."
11
The elders and all the people who were at the gate said, "We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you be powerful in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.
12
May your house become like the house of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring the Lord will give you by this young woman."