⁷ However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife,^(A) she shall go to the elders at the town gate^(B) and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.”^(C)

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

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

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)