⁴ When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate^(A) and state their case before the elders^(B) of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them.

⁷ But Ebed-Melek,^(A) a Cushite,^[a] an official^[b](B) in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate,^(C)

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)

¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,^(A) we who have fled to take hold of the hope^(B) set before us may be greatly encouraged.