Ruth 4:4-14

4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ¹'Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.' If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you^[a] will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you." And he said, "I will redeem it."

5 Then Boaz said, "The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth^[b] the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order ²to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance."

6 ³Then the redeemer said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it."

7 ⁴Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel.

8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself," he drew off his sandal.

9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to ⁵Chilion and to Mahlon.

10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, ⁶to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day."

11 Then all the people who were ⁷at the gate and the elders said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, ⁸who together ⁹built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in ¹⁰Ephrathah and ¹¹be renowned in Bethlehem,

12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, ¹²whom Tamar bore to Judah, because ¹³of the offspring that the LORD will give you by this young woman."

Ruth and Boaz Marry

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, ¹⁴and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.

14 ¹⁵Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without ¹⁶a redeemer, and may his name ¹⁷be renowned in Israel!

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Ruth 4:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO RUTH 4

This chapter relates how an offer was made to the nearest kinsman of Ruth to redeem her, and the field her husband left, which he refused to do, Ru 4:1-8, upon which Boaz redeemed both, and married Ruth before the elders of the city as witnesses, and who congratulated him and her on that occasion, Ru 4:9-12, to whom a son was born, called Obed by the neighbours, Ru 4:13-17 and the chapter is concluded with the genealogy of David, who sprung from him, Ru 4:18-22.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 17

1. Leviticus 25:25; [Jeremiah 32:7, 8]
2. ver. 10; Ruth 3:13; Deuteronomy 25:5, 6
3. Ruth 3:12, 13
4. See Deuteronomy 25:7-10
5. Ruth 1:2, 4, 5
6. ver. 5
7. See ver. 1
8. See Gen. 29:31 - 30:24; Genesis 35:16-18
9. Deuteronomy 25:9
10. Genesis 35:16, 19
11. ver. 14
12. Genesis 38:29; 1 Chronicles 2:4; Matthew 1:3
13. 1 Samuel 2:20
14. Genesis 29:31; Genesis 33:5
15. [Luke 1:58]
16. Ruth 2:20
17. ver. 11

Footnotes 2

[a]. Hebrew he
[b]. Masoretic Text you also buy it from Ruth

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.