Ruth 3:14-4:12

New International Version

¹⁴ So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.^(A)”^(B)

¹⁵ He also said, “Bring me the shawl^(C) you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he^[a] went back to town.

¹⁶ When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”

Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her ¹⁷ and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

¹⁸ Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”^(D)

Boaz Marries Ruth

4 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate^(E) and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer^[b](F) he had mentioned^(G) 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^(H) of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.^{(I) 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.^{(J) 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^[c] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you,^(K) 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,^(L) the^[d] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”^(M)

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

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

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

⁹ Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses^(U) that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. ¹⁰ I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite,^(V) Mahlon’s widow, as my wife,^(W) in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown.^(X) Today you are witnesses!^(Y)”

¹¹ Then the elders and all the people at the gate^(Z) said, “We are witnesses.^(AA) May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah,^(AB) who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah^(AC) and be famous in Bethlehem.^{(AD) 12} Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez,^(AE) whom Tamar^(AF) bore to Judah.”