Ruth 4

1 Boaz went to the town gate, and sat down there. The family redeemer that Boaz had mentioned happened to pass by, so Boaz said to him, “Come over here, friend, and sit down.” The man came over and sat down.

Then Boaz went up to the gate, and he sat there. And when he had seen the kinsman passing by, whom he had previously discussed, he spoke to him, calling him by his name, “Pause for a little while, and sit down here.” He turned aside and sat down.

2 Then Boaz selected ten of the town elders and asked them to sit there with them.

But Boaz, calling aside ten men among the elders of the city, said to them, “Sit down here.”

3 Boaz said to the family redeemer, “Naomi who has returned from the country of Moab is selling the piece of land that belonged to Elimelech, our relative.

They settled down, and he spoke to the kinsman, “Naomi, who has returned from the region of the Moabites, is selling part of a field of our brother Elimelech.

4 I decided I should tell you in case you want to buy it here in the presence of these elders of the people. If you want to redeem it, then go ahead. But it you don't, then tell me so I'll know, because you are first in line to redeem it, and I'm next.” “I want to redeem it,” said the family redeemer.

I wanted you to hear this, and to tell you in front of everyone sitting here, including the eldest of my people. If you will take possession of it by the right of kinship, buy it and possess it. But if it displeases you, you should reveal this to me, so that I will know what I have to do. For there is no near kinsman besides you, who is before me, and I am after you.” But he answered, “I will buy the field.”

5 “When you buy the land from Naomi you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon's widow, so you can marry her and have children with her to ensure the man's line continues,” Boaz explained.

And Boaz said to him, “When buying the field, you are likewise obliged to accept the hand of the woman Ruth, the Moabite, who was the wife of the deceased, so that you may raise up the name of your near kinsman through his posterity.”

6 “Well, I can't do it then,” the family redeemer replied. “If I were to redeem it, that could jeopardize what I already own. You redeem it for yourself, because I can't.”

He answered, “I yield my right of kinship, for I am obliged not to cut off the posterity of my own family. You may make use of my privilege, which I freely declare I will forego.”

7 (Now during those times it was the custom in Israel to confirm the action of family redeemer, property transfer, or any similar legal matter by removing a sandal and handing it over. This was the way of validating a transaction in Israel.)

Yet it was the custom between kinsmen in this former time in Israel, that if at any time one yielded his right to another, so as to confirm his permission, the man took off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor. This was a testimony of concession in Israel.

8 So the family redeemer took off his sandal and told Boaz, “You buy it.”

And so Boaz said to his kinsman, “Take off your shoe.” And immediately he released it from his foot.

9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people present, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion.

And he said to the eldest and to all the people, “You are witnesses this day, that I have taken possession of all that belonged to Elimelech and Chilion and Mahlon, and was bequeathed to Naomi.

10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon's widow, as my wife. By having children who may inherit his property his name will be kept alive in his family and in his home town. You are witnesses of this today.”

And Ruth, the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, I have taken in marriage so as to raise up the name of the deceased in his posterity, so that his name will not be cut off from among his family and his brethren and his people. You, I say, are witnesses of this thing.”

11 The elders and all the people present at the town gate said, “Yes, we are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah who between them gave birth to the people of Israel. May you become prosperous in Ephrathah, and famous in Bethlehem.

All the people who were at the gate, along with the eldest, answered, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make this woman, who enters into your house, like Rachel, and Leah, who built up the house of Israel, so that she may be an example of virtue in Ephrathah, and so that her name may be honored in Bethlehem.

12 May your descendants the Lord gives you through this young woman become like the descendants of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah.”

And may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the offspring which the Lord will give to you from this young woman.”

13 Boaz took Ruth home, and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord arranged for her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.

And so Boaz took Ruth, and received her as his wife, and he went in to her, and the Lord granted to her to conceive and bear a son.

14 The women of the town came to Naomi and said, “Praise the Lord, for today he didn't leave you without a family redeemer by giving you this grandson—may he become famous throughout Israel.

And the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not permitted your family to be without a successor, and may his name be called upon in Israel.

15 He will give you a new lease of life and provide for you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better than seven sons to you, has given birth to him.”

And now you may have someone to comfort your soul and to care for you in old age, for he is born of your daughter-in-law, who loves you, and this is much better for you, than if you had seven sons.”

16 Naomi picked up the child and hugged him. She looked after him like her own son.

And taking up the boy, Naomi placed him on her bosom, and she took on the duties of carrying him and nursing him.

17 The neighbor women named him Obed, saying “Naomi now has a son!” He was the father of Jesse who was the father of David.

And the women of the near future were congratulating her and saying, “There was a son born to Naomi. They called his name Obed. Here is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”

18 This is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron.

These are the generations of Perez: Perez conceived Hezron,

19 Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab.

Hezron conceived Aram, Aram conceived Amminadab,

20 Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.

Amminadab conceived Nahshon, Nahshon conceived Salmon,

21 Salmon was the father of Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed.

Salmon conceived Boaz, Boaz conceived Obed,

22 Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David.

Obed conceived Jesse, Jesse conceived David.