The Marriage of Ruth

Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, (A)the redeemer of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Come over here, [a]friend, sit down here.” And he came over and sat down. Then he took ten men of the (B)elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. And he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, has to sell the plot of land (C)which belonged to our brother Elimelech. So I thought that I would [b]inform you, saying, ‘(D)Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if [c]not, tell me so that I may know; for (E)there is no one except you to redeem it, and I am after you.’” And he said, “I will redeem it.” Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order (F)to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.” Then (G)the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, otherwise I would [d]jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, since I cannot redeem it.”

Now this was (H)the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the way of confirmation in Israel. So the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” And he removed his sandal. Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. 10 Furthermore, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so (I)that the name of the deceased will not be eliminated from his brothers or from the [e]court of his birth place; you are witnesses today.” 11 And all the people who were [f]in the court, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home (J)like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve [g]wealth in Ephrathah and [h]become famous in Bethlehem. 12 Moreover, may your house be like the house of (K)Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the [i]descendants whom the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he had relations with her. And (L)the Lord [j]enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 Then the (M)women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name [k]become famous in Israel. 15 May he also be to you one who restores life and sustains your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you [l](N)and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

The Line of David

16 Then Naomi took the child and [m]laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. 17 And the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 4:1 Lit a certain one
  2. Ruth 4:4 Lit uncover your ear
  3. Ruth 4:4 Lit no one will redeem
  4. Ruth 4:6 Lit damage
  5. Ruth 4:10 Lit gate
  6. Ruth 4:11 Lit at the gate
  7. Ruth 4:11 Or power
  8. Ruth 4:11 Lit call the name in
  9. Ruth 4:12 Lit seed
  10. Ruth 4:13 Lit gave her conception
  11. Ruth 4:14 Lit be called in
  12. Ruth 4:15 Lit who
  13. Ruth 4:16 I.e., as her own

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)

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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

Words to the Jews

41 (A)So then the Jews were complaining about Him because He said, “I am the bread that (B)came down out of heaven.” 42 And they were saying, “(C)Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother (D)we know? How does He now say, (E)I have come down out of heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop complaining among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me (F)draws him; and I will (G)raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written (H)in the Prophets: ‘(I)And they shall all be (J)taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 (K)Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who believes (L)has eternal life. 48 (M)I am the bread of life. 49 (N)Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that (O)comes down out of heaven, so that anyone may eat from it and (P)not die. 51 (Q)I am the living bread that (R)came down out of heaven; if anyone eats from this bread, (S)he will live forever; and the bread which I will give (T)for the life of the world also is (U)My flesh.”

52 (V)Then the Jews (W)began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of (X)the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will (Y)raise him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood (Z)remains in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the (AA)living Father (AB)sent Me, and I live because of the Father, the one who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread that (AC)came down out of heaven, not as (AD)the fathers ate and died; the one who eats this bread (AE)will live forever.”

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41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph,(A) whose father and mother we know?(B) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”(C)

43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,(D) and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’[a](E) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;(F) only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.(G) 48 I am the bread of life.(H) 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.(I) 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,(J) which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread(K) that came down from heaven.(L) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”(M)

52 Then the Jews(N) began to argue sharply among themselves,(O) “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh(P) of the Son of Man(Q) and drink his blood,(R) you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.(S) 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.(T) 57 Just as the living Father sent me(U) and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”(V)

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Footnotes

  1. John 6:45 Isaiah 54:13

As for you, [a](A)tower of the flock,
[b]Hill of the daughter of Zion,
To you it will come—
Yes, the (B)former dominion will come,
The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.

“Now, why do you (C)cry out loudly?
Is there no king among you,
Or has your (D)counselor perished,
That agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth?
10 (E)Writhe and scream,
Daughter of Zion,
Like a woman in childbirth;
For now you will (F)go out of the city,
Live in the field,
And go to Babylon.
(G)There you will be rescued,
(H)There the Lord will redeem you
From the hand of your enemies.
11 And now (I)many nations have been assembled against you
Who say, ‘Let her be defiled,
And let our eyes [c]gloat over Zion!’
12 But they do not (J)know the thoughts of the Lord,
And they do not understand His plan;
For He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 Arise and (K)thresh, daughter of Zion,
For I will make your horn iron,
And I will make your hoofs bronze,
So that you may (L)pulverize many peoples,
And (M)dedicate to the Lord their unjust profit,
And their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

Birth of the King in Bethlehem

[d]Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops;
[e]They have laid siege against us;
With a rod they will (N)strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.
[f]But as for (O)you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From (P)you One will come forth for Me to be (Q)ruler in Israel.
His times of coming forth are (R)from long ago,
From the days of eternity.”
Therefore He will (S)give them up until the time
When she (T)who is in labor has given birth.
Then the (U)remainder of His kinsmen
Will return to the sons of Israel.
And He will arise and (V)shepherd His flock
In the strength of the Lord,
In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God.
And they will [g]remain,
Because [h]at that time He will be great
To the (W)ends of the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 4:8 Heb Migdal-eder
  2. Micah 4:8 Heb Ophel
  3. Micah 4:11 Lit see with pleasure
  4. Micah 5:1 Ch 4:14 in Heb
  5. Micah 5:1 Lit He has
  6. Micah 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Heb
  7. Micah 5:4 Or live in safety
  8. Micah 5:4 Lit now

As for you, watchtower of the flock,
    stronghold[a] of Daughter Zion,
the former dominion will be restored(A) to you;
    kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.(B)

Why do you now cry aloud—
    have you no king[b](C)?
Has your ruler[c] perished,
    that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?(D)
10 Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,
    like a woman in labor,
for now you must leave the city
    to camp in the open field.
You will go to Babylon;(E)
    there you will be rescued.
There the Lord will redeem(F) you
    out of the hand of your enemies.

11 But now many nations
    are gathered against you.
They say, “Let her be defiled,
    let our eyes gloat(G) over Zion!”
12 But they do not know
    the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,(H)
    that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 “Rise and thresh,(I) Daughter Zion,
    for I will give you horns of iron;
I will give you hooves of bronze,
    and you will break to pieces many nations.”(J)
You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,(K)
    their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem

[d]Marshal your troops now, city of troops,
    for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel’s ruler
    on the cheek(L) with a rod.

“But you, Bethlehem(M) Ephrathah,(N)
    though you are small among the clans[e] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler(O) over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,(P)
    from ancient times.”(Q)

Therefore Israel will be abandoned(R)
    until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
    to join the Israelites.

He will stand and shepherd his flock(S)
    in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness(T)
    will reach to the ends of the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 4:8 Or hill
  2. Micah 4:9 Or King
  3. Micah 4:9 Or Ruler
  4. Micah 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:14, and 5:2-15 is numbered 5:1-14.
  5. Micah 5:2 Or rulers

Who Is Greatest

24 And (A)a dispute also developed among them as to which one of them was regarded as being the greatest. 25 (B)And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles domineer over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 26 But it is not this way for you; (C)rather, the one who is the greatest among you must become like (D)the youngest, and the leader like the servant. 27 For (E)who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But (F)I am among you as the one who serves.

28 “You are the ones who have stood by Me in My (G)trials; 29 and just as My Father has granted Me a (H)kingdom, I grant you 30 that you may (I)eat and drink at My table in My (J)kingdom, and (K)you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

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24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.(A) 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest,(B) and the one who rules like the one who serves.(C) 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.(D) 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom,(E) just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom(F) and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(G)

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