Ruth 4
Legacy Standard Bible
Ruth Becomes Boaz’ Wife
4 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, (A)the kinsman redeemer of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Turn aside, [a]my fellow, sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. 2 Then he took ten men of the (B)elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the kinsman redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the fields of Moab, has to sell the portion of the field (C)which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 So I thought to uncover this matter in your hearing, saying, ‘(D)Acquire it before those who are sitting here and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if no one redeems it, tell me that I may know; for (E)there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.’” And he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also [b]acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the one who had died, in order (F)to raise up the name of the one who had died, on behalf of his inheritance.” 6 (G)So the kinsman redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
7 Now this was (H)the custom in former times in Israel concerning the right of redemption and the exchange of land to establish any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel. 8 So the kinsman redeemer said to Boaz, “Acquire this for yourself.” And he removed his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have acquired all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon from the hand of Naomi. 10 And also, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the one who had died, on behalf of his inheritance, so (I)that the name of the one who had died will not be cut off from his brothers or from the gate of his birth place; you are witnesses today.” 11 And all the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May Yahweh grant the woman who is coming into your home to be (J)like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel, and so you shall [c]achieve [d]excellence in Ephrathah and shall [e]proclaim your name in Bethlehem. 12 Moreover, may your house be like the house of (K)Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the seed which Yahweh will grant you by this young woman.”
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And (L)Yahweh granted her conception, and she gave birth to a son. 14 Then the (M)women said to Naomi, “Blessed is Yahweh who has not left you without a [f]kinsman redeemer today, and may his name [g]be proclaimed in Israel. 15 May he also be to you a restorer of your soul and a sustainer of your [h]old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you [i](N)and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”
The Generations of David
16 Then Naomi took the child [j]and put him on her bosom and became his nurse. 17 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.
18 Now these are the generations of Perez:
(O)Perez became the father of Hezron,
19 and Hezron became the father of Ram,
and Ram became the father of Amminadab,
20 and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
and Nahshon became the father of [k]Salmah,
21 and Salmon became the father of Boaz,
and Boaz became the father of Obed,
22 and Obed became the father of Jesse,
and Jesse became the father of David.
Footnotes
- Ruth 4:1 Lit a certain one
- Ruth 4:5 Or acquire it from Ruth
- Ruth 4:11 Lit do
- Ruth 4:11 Or wealth, valor
- Ruth 4:11 Or have your name called out
- Ruth 4:14 Or closest relative
- Ruth 4:14 Lit be called in
- Ruth 4:15 Or gray hair
- Ruth 4:15 Lit who
- Ruth 4:16 As her own
- Ruth 4:20 A variant spelling of Salmon, cf. 4:21
Ruth 4
English Standard Version
Boaz Redeems Ruth
4 Now Boaz had gone up to (A)the gate and sat down there. And behold, (B)the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men (C)of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, (D)‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you[a] will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth[b] the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order (E)to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 (F)Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
7 (G)Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. 8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to (H)Chilion and to Mahlon. 10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, (I)to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” 11 Then all the people who were (J)at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, (K)who together (L)built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in (M)Ephrathah and (N)be renowned in Bethlehem, 12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, (O)whom Tamar bore to Judah, because (P)of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”
Ruth and Boaz Marry
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, (Q)and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 (R)Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without (S)a redeemer, and may his name (T)be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, (U)who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 (V)And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
The Genealogy of David
18 Now these are the generations of Perez: (W)Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 (X)Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
