Ruth 4:1-8

1 Then Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there: and behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; to whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

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

3 And he said to the kinsman, Naomi, that has come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which [was] our brother Elimelech's:

4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy [it] before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem [it], redeem [it]: but if thou wilt not redeem [it], [then] tell me, that I may know: for [there is] none to redeem [it] besides thee; and I [am] after thee. And he said, I will redeem [it].

5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy [it] also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem [it] for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem [it].

7 Now this [was the manner] in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for confirming all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave [it] to his neighbor: and this [was] a testimony in Israel.

8 Therefore the kinsman said to Boaz, Buy [it] for thyself. So he drew off his shoe.

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.