Ruth 4:7

7 (Or, autrefois en Israël, en cas de rachat et de subrogation, pour confirmer la chose, l'homme ôtait son soulier et le donnait à son parent; cela servait de témoignage en Israël. )

Ruth 4:7 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 4:7

Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning
redeeming
It is a custom, and not a law, that seems here referred to, when an estate was bought and sold; not the law in ( Leviticus 25:25 ) , though that respects the redemption of an estate by a near kinsman, yet no such manner was enjoined as here practised afterwards, made mention of; nor the law in ( Deuteronomy 25:5 ) which does not concern the redemption of estates, nor a kinsman's marrying the widow of a deceased kinsman, but a brother's marrying the widow of a deceased brother, and the rites and ceremonies there enjoined upon refusal are different from those here used; though Josephus ^F9 is express for it, that the law is here referred to; but this is not only concerning purchase of estates, but "concerning changing" also one field for another as Aben Ezra interprets it: "for to confirm all things"; the following custom was observed for the confirmation of any bargain whatever, whether by sale or barter, and where there was no marriage in the case:

a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbour;
signifying thereby, that he yielded his right to him in the thing sold or bartered; the Targum says, he plucked off the glove of his right hand, which perhaps was then in use, when the Targumist wrote, and answered the same purpose; and, according to Jarchi, it was a linen cloth, vail, or handkerchief, that was used, and delivered by the one to the other; and of this way of buying writes Elias ^F11; at this day, says he, we purchase by a linen cloth or handkerchief called "sudar", which is a garment; and this two witnesses take, and explain before them the words of their agreement, and each of the witnesses stretches out the skirt of the garment, and those that take upon them to confirm every matter, touch the skirt of their garments; and this is called purchasing by "sudar", or the linen cloth:

and this was a testimony in Israel;
a witness to, or a confirmation of the bargain made; but who gave the shoe, whether the kinsman or Boaz, is not certain from the text; and about which the Jewish writers are divided, as Jarchi observes.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 9. sect. 4.
F11 Tishbi, p. 207. See Leo Modena's History of the Rites of the present Jews, part 2. c. 6.

Ruth 4:7 In-Context

5 Alors Booz dit: Au jour que tu acquerras le champ, de la main de Naomi et de Ruth, la Moabite, femme du défunt, tu acquerras aussi Ruth, pour conserver le nom du défunt dans son héritage.

6 Et celui qui avait le droit de rachat dit: Je ne saurais racheter, de peur que je ne perde mon héritage; toi, prends pour toi mon droit de rachat; car je ne puis pas racheter.

7 (Or, autrefois en Israël, en cas de rachat et de subrogation, pour confirmer la chose, l'homme ôtait son soulier et le donnait à son parent; cela servait de témoignage en Israël. )

8 Celui qui avait le droit de rachat dit donc à Booz: Acquiers-le pour toi! et il ôta son soulier.

9 Alors Booz dit aux anciens et à tout le peuple: Vous êtes aujourd'hui témoins que j'ai acquis de la main de Naomi tout ce qui appartenait à Élimélec, et tout ce qui était à Kiljon et à Machlon;