The Marriage of Ruth

Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, (A)the [a]close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Turn aside, [b]friend, sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. He took ten men of the (B)elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. Then he said to the [c]closest relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land (C)which belonged to our brother Elimelech. So I thought to [d]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 [e]not, 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.” 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.” (G)The [f]closest relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would [g]jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for 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 manner of attestation in Israel. So the [h]closest relative 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 Moreover, 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 cut off from his brothers or from the [i]court of his birth place; you are witnesses today.” 11 All the people who were in the [j]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 [k]wealth in Ephrathah and [l]become famous in Bethlehem. 12 Moreover, may your house be like the house of (K)Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the [m]offspring which the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And (L)the Lord [n]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 [o]redeemer today, and may his name [p]become famous in Israel. 15 May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you [q](N)and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

The Line of David Began Here

16 Then Naomi took the child [r]and laid him in her lap, 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)to Perez [s]was born Hezron, 19 and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab, 20 and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon, 21 and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, 22 and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 4:1 Or redeemer
  2. Ruth 4:1 Lit a certain one
  3. Ruth 4:3 Lit redeemer
  4. Ruth 4:4 Lit uncover your ear
  5. Ruth 4:4 Lit no one will redeem
  6. Ruth 4:6 Lit redeemer
  7. Ruth 4:6 Lit ruin
  8. Ruth 4:8 Lit redeemer
  9. Ruth 4:10 Lit gate
  10. Ruth 4:11 Lit gate
  11. Ruth 4:11 Or power
  12. Ruth 4:11 Lit call the name in
  13. Ruth 4:12 Lit seed
  14. Ruth 4:13 Lit gave her conception
  15. Ruth 4:14 Or closest relative
  16. Ruth 4:14 Lit be called in
  17. Ruth 4:15 Lit who
  18. Ruth 4:16 I.e. as her own
  19. Ruth 4:18 Lit begot, and so through v 22

Ruth Becomes Boaz’ Wife

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. Then he took ten men of the (B)elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 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. 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.” 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.” (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.”

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. So the kinsman redeemer said to Boaz, “Acquire this for yourself.” And he removed his sandal. 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

  1. Ruth 4:1 Lit a certain one
  2. Ruth 4:5 Or acquire it from Ruth
  3. Ruth 4:11 Lit do
  4. Ruth 4:11 Or wealth, valor
  5. Ruth 4:11 Or have your name called out
  6. Ruth 4:14 Or closest relative
  7. Ruth 4:14 Lit be called in
  8. Ruth 4:15 Or gray hair
  9. Ruth 4:15 Lit who
  10. Ruth 4:16 As her own
  11. Ruth 4:20 A variant spelling of Salmon, cf. 4:21

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.

18 Now these are the generations of Perez: (O)Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, and Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 and Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 and Salmon fathered Boaz, and Boaz fathered Obed, 22 and Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

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