波阿斯娶路得

波阿斯來到城門口,坐在那裡,恰巧看見他所說的那位至親經過,便招呼他說:「某人啊,請過來坐一坐。」那人便走過來坐下。 波阿斯又邀請了城裡的十位長老,對他們說:「請過來坐一坐。」他們都坐下以後, 波阿斯便對那位至親說:「拿俄米從摩押回來了,現在要賣我們族兄以利米勒的那塊地, 我想應該讓你知道這件事。你最有權贖那塊地,其次才是我,此外再沒有別人了。如果你願意贖回那塊地,希望你當著在座各位長老的面表明。如果不願意,請你讓我知道。」那人說:「我願意贖。」 波阿斯說:「那麼,你從拿俄米手中買地的那天,也要娶已死之人的妻子摩押女子路得,好讓死者繼續在產業上留名。」 那位至親說:「那我就不能贖了,免得損害到我的產業。你來贖吧,我不能贖。」

從前在以色列,買贖或交易有這樣的規矩:一旦成交,一方要把鞋脫下來交給另一方,以色列人以此為成交的憑據。 那位至親對波阿斯說:「你自己買吧!」他就把鞋子脫了下來。 波阿斯向長老和所有在場的人說:「請各位今天為我作證,所有屬於以利米勒、基連和瑪倫的產業,我都從拿俄米手上買了。 10 同時,我要娶瑪倫的遺孀摩押女子路得為妻,好使死者繼續在產業上留名,免得他的名在本族本鄉中消失。今天,請各位作證。」 11 聚集在城門口的眾人和長老都說:「我們願意作證。願耶和華使要進你家門的這女子,像建立以色列家的拉結和利亞一樣。願你在以法他家業興隆,在伯利恆聲名遠播。 12 願耶和華藉著這年輕女子賜你後裔,使你家像先祖猶大和她瑪的兒子法勒斯家一樣。」

13 這樣,波阿斯便娶了路得為妻,與她同房。耶和華使她懷孕生了一個兒子。 14 婦女們對拿俄米說:「耶和華當受稱頌!因為今日祂賜給你一位至親,使你後繼有人,願這孩子在以色列得享盛名! 15 他必讓你的生命重新得力,奉養你,使你安度晚年,因為他是愛你的兒媳婦所生的。有這兒媳婦比有七個兒子還要好!」 16 拿俄米接過嬰孩抱在懷中,照顧他。 17 鄰居的婦女們喊著說:「拿俄米有孩子了!」她們給孩子取名叫俄備得,這俄備得就是耶西的父親,耶西是大衛的父親。

18 以下是法勒斯的家譜:法勒斯生希斯崙, 19 希斯崙生蘭,蘭生亞米拿達, 20 亞米拿達生拿順,拿順生撒門, 21 撒門生波阿斯,波阿斯生俄備得, 22 俄備得生耶西,耶西生大衛。

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

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

And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:

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 beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

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.

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

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

Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.

10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.

14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,

19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,

20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,

21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Then went Boaz up to the sha’ar, and sat him down there; and, hinei, the Go’el of whom Boaz spoke came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! Turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

And he took a minyan of the zekenim of the town, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

And he said unto the Go’el, Naomi, that is come again out of the sadeh of Moav, selleth a share of sadeh, which was achinu (our brother) Elimelech’s;

And I thought to advise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the zekenim 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 beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the sadeh of the hand of Naomi, thou must acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the eshet hamet (wife of the dead man), lahakim (to raise up, resurrect) the shem hamet upon his nachalah (inheritance).

And the Go’el said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own nachalah; redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

Now this was the manner in former time in Yisroel concerning the geulah (redemption) and concerning the temurah (the substitute, exchange), for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was an attestation in Yisroel.

Therefore the Go’el said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his sandal.

And Boaz said unto the zekenim, and unto kol haAm, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Kilyon’s and Machlon’s, of the hand of Naomi.

10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Machlon, have I purchased to be my wife, lahakim (to raise up, resurrect) the shem hamet (name of the dead man) upon his nachalah, that the shem of the dead man be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the sha’ar of his place; ye are edim (witnesses) HaYom.

11 And kol HaAm that were in the sha’ar, and the zekenim, said, We are edim. Hashem make the isha haba’ah (the woman coming, see Gn 3:15; Isa 7:14) into thine bais [i.e. Bais Dovid] like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the Bais Yisroel; and do thou worthily in Ephrat, and be famous in Beit-Lechem;

12 And let thy bais be like the bais of Peretz, whom Tamar bore unto Yehudah, of the zera (Bereshis 22:18; Ga 3:16) which Hashem shall give thee of this na’arah.

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his isha; and when he went in unto her, Hashem gave her conception, and she bore ben [see Isa 7:14].

14 And the nashim said unto Naomi, Baruch Hashem, which hath not left thee this yom without a Go’el. May shmo be famous in Yisroel.

15 And may he restore your nefesh and be a nourisher of thine old age; for thy kallah, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than shiva banim, hath born him.

16 And Naomi took the yeled, and laid him in her kheyk (bosom), and became omenet (nurse) unto it.

17 And the women her shchenim gave him a name, saying, There is a ben born to Naomi; and they called his name Oved; he is the father of Yishai, the father of Dovid.

18 Now these are the toldot of Peretz; Peretz fathered Chetzron,

19 And Chetzron fathered Ram, and Ram fathered Amminadav,

20 And Amminadav fathered Nachshon, and Nachshon fathered Salmon,

21 And Salmon fathered Boaz, and Boaz fathered Oved,

22 And Oved fathered Yishai, and Yishai fathered Dovid.

Boaz Marries Ruth

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.

Boaz took ten of the elders(D) of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.(E) 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) 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.

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)

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)

(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)

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

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. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite,(R) Mahlon’s widow, as my wife,(S) 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.(T) Today you are witnesses!(U)

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

Naomi Gains a Son

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive,(AC) and she gave birth to a son.(AD) 14 The women(AE) said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord,(AF) who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer.(AG) May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law,(AH) who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons,(AI) has given him birth.”

16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse,(AJ) the father of David.(AK)

The Genealogy of David(AL)

18 This, then, is the family line of Perez(AM):

Perez was the father of Hezron,(AN)

19 Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,(AO)

20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,(AP)

Nahshon the father of Salmon,[d]

21 Salmon the father of Boaz,(AQ)

Boaz the father of Obed,

22 Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of David.

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 4:1 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55); also in verses 3, 6, 8 and 14.
  2. Ruth 4:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts he
  3. Ruth 4:5 Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew (see also Septuagint) Naomi and from Ruth the Moabite, you acquire the
  4. Ruth 4:20 A few Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 21 and Septuagint of 1 Chron. 2:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Salma