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) 3} 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) 4} 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.

⁵ 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)

⁶ 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)

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,^(A) and she gave birth to a son.^{(B) 14} The women^(C) said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord,^(D) who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer.^(E) May he become famous throughout Israel! ¹⁵ He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law,^(F) who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons,^(G) has given him birth.”

¹⁶ Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him.