²⁵ Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized.^{(A) 26} But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.”

²⁷ So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty.^{(B) 28} Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, ²⁹ and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?”

³⁰ He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness^(C) that I dug this well.^(D)”

¹¹ “No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give^[a](A) you the field, and I give^[b] you the cave that is in it. I give^[c] it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”

¹⁶ Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver,^(A) according to the weight current among the merchants.^(B)

¹⁷ So Ephron’s field in Machpelah^(C) near Mamre^(D)—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded ¹⁸ to Abraham as his property^(E) in the presence of all the Hittites^(F) who had come to the gate^(G) of the city.

Boaz Marries Ruth

4 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate^(A) and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer^[a](B) he had mentioned^(C) came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

² Boaz took ten of the elders^(D) of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.^{(E) 3} Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.^{(F) 4} I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you^[b] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you,^(G) and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite,^(H) the^[c] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”^(I)

⁶ At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem^(J) it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”^(K)

⁷ (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption^(L) and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal^(M) and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions^(N) in Israel.)^(O)

⁸ So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.^(P)

⁹ Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses^(Q) that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon.

⁹ so I bought the field^(A) at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels^[a] of silver.^{(B) 10} I signed and sealed the deed,^(C) had it witnessed,^(D) and weighed out the silver on the scales. ¹¹ I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy— ¹² and I gave this deed to Baruch^(E) son of Neriah,^(F) the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.

² The army of the king of Babylon was then besieging^(A) Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was confined^(B) in the courtyard of the guard^(C) in the royal palace of Judah.