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.

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

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

⁹ Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses^(F) that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. ¹⁰ I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite,^(G) Mahlon’s widow, as my wife,^(H) 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.^(I) Today you are witnesses!^(J)”