Ruth 4:5

5 To whom Boaz said, When thou hast bought the field (out) of the hand of the woman, thou oughtest also to take to wife Ruth of Moab, that was the wife of the dead man, that thou raise the name of thy kinsman in his heritage. (To whom Boaz then said, And when thou hast bought the field from the hand of the woman, thou ought also to take for a wife Ruth the Moabite, who was the wife of the dead man, so that thou can raise up the name of thy kinsman on his inheritance, that is, on his land.)

Ruth 4:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 4:5

Then said Boaz
In order to try the kinsman, whether he would abide by his resolution, he acquaints him with what he had as yet concealed:

what day thou buyest the field of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth
the Moabitess, the wife of the dead;
the wife of Mahlon, who was dead, the eldest son of Naomi, and so his widow, Ruth the Moabitess, had the reversion of the estate; wherefore the purchase must be made of her as well as of Naomi, and the purchase could not be made of her without marrying her; which, though no law obliged to, yet it seems to be a condition of the purchase annexed to it by Naomi, that she would sell it to no man, unless he would consent to marry Ruth, for whose settlement she had a great concern, having been very dutiful and affectionate to her; which is clearly intimated in the next clause:

to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance;
and so Naomi had another end to answer thereby, not only to provide a good husband for her daughter-in-law, but to perpetuate the name of her son, agreeably to the design of the law in ( Deuteronomy 25:5 ) .

Ruth 4:5 In-Context

3 Boaz spake to the kinsman, (and said,) Naomi, that turned again from the country of Moab, sold, that is, is in purpose to sell, for it was not yet sold, the part of the field of our brother Elimelech, (Boaz said to his kinsman, Our kinswoman Naomi, who hath returned from the country of Moab, is selling the portion of the field, that was Elimelech's, our kinsman,)

4 which thing I would that thou hear; and I would say to thee before all men sitting, and greater in birth of my people. If thou wilt have in possession the field by right of nigh kin, buy thou, and have thou in possession; soothly if it displeaseth thee, show thou this same thing to me, that I know what I ought to do; for none is nigh in kin, besides thee which art the former, and besides me which am the second. And the man answered, I shall buy the field. (which thing I desire that thou hear about; and I say it to thee before all the men sitting here, and of great age, that is, the elders, of my people. If thou wilt have the field for a possession by right of next of kin, buy thou it, and have thou it for a possession; but if it displeaseth thee, tell thou this to me, so that I know what I ought to do; for no one is next of kin, besides thee, who art the first by right, and I, who am the second. And the man answered, I shall buy the field.)

5 To whom Boaz said, When thou hast bought the field (out) of the hand of the woman, thou oughtest also to take to wife Ruth of Moab, that was the wife of the dead man, that thou raise the name of thy kinsman in his heritage. (To whom Boaz then said, And when thou hast bought the field from the hand of the woman, thou ought also to take for a wife Ruth the Moabite, who was the wife of the dead man, so that thou can raise up the name of thy kinsman on his inheritance, that is, on his land.)

6 And he answered, I forsake the right of nigh kin; for I ought not to do away the heritage of mine own family; use thou my privilege, the which I acknowledge me to want gladly. (And the man answered, If that be so, then I forsake the right of next of kin; for I ought not to take away any inheritance from my own family; use thou my privilege, though I acknowledge that I truly had wanted that land.)

7 Forsooth this was the custom by eld time in Israel among kinsmen, that if a man gave his right to another man, that the granting were steadfast, the man should unlace his shoe, and give it to his kinsman; this thing was (the) witnessing of (such) a gift in Israel.