Ruth 4:1-8

Boaz Redeems Ruth

1 And Boaz had gone up [to] the [city] gate and sat there. And look, the redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken [was] passing by. And he said, "Come over here to sit, {friend}." And he came over and sat.

2 And he took ten men from the elders of the city and said, "Sit here." And they sat.

3 And he said to the redeemer, "Naomi, who returned from the countryside [of] Moab, is selling the tract of land which [was] for our brother Elimelech.

4 And I thought {I would tell you} and say, '{Buy it in the presence of} those sitting and before the elders of my people,' if you want to redeem [it], redeem [it]. But if you do not want to redeem, tell me so that I may know, for there is no one except you to redeem [it], and I [am] after you." And he said, "I want to redeem [it]."

5 And Boaz said, "On the day of your acquiring the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the wife of the dead [man], [in order] to raise up [for] the name of the dead his inheritance."

6 And the redeemer said, "I am not able to redeem for myself, lest I ruin my inheritance. You redeem for yourself my kinsman-redemption, for I am not able to redeem [it]."

7 (Now this {was the custom in former times} in Israel concerning the kinsman-redemption and transfer of property: to confirm the matter, a man removed his sandal and gave [it] to his fellow countryman. This [was] the manner of attesting in Israel.)

8 So the redeemer said to Boaz, "Acquire [it] for yourself," and he removed his sandal.

Ruth 4:1-8 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "certain someone"
• [b] Literally "I would open your ear"
• [c] Literally "Buy before"
• [d] Literally "before faces"