Ruth 4:1 - 1 Samuel 1:20

New International Version

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)

⁷ (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)

⁸ So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.^(P)

⁹ 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)

The Genealogy of David^(AL)

¹⁸ This, then, is the family line of Perez^(AM):

The Birth of Samuel

1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim,^(AR) a Zuphite^[e](AS) from the hill country^(AT) of Ephraim,^(AU) whose name was Elkanah^(AV) son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ² He had two wives;^(AW) one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

³ Year after year^(AX) this man went up from his town to worship^(AY) and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh,^(AZ) where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli,^(BA) were priests of the Lord. ⁴ Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice,^(BB) he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.^{(BC) 5} But to Hannah he gave a double portion^(BD) because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.^{(BE) 6} Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.^{(BF) 7} This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.^{(BG) 8} Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?^(BH)”

⁹ Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house.^{(BI) 10} In her deep anguish^(BJ) Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. ¹¹ And she made a vow,^(BK) saying, “Lord Almighty^(BL), if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember^(BM) me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life,^(BN) and no razor^(BO) will ever be used on his head.”

¹² As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. ¹³ Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴ and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

¹⁵ “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled.^(BP) I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring^(BQ) out my soul to the Lord. ¹⁶ Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”^(BR)

¹⁷ Eli answered, “Go in peace,^(BS) and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.^(BT)”

¹⁸ She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.^(BU)” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.^(BV)

¹⁹ Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah.^(BW) Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered^(BX) her. ²⁰ So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.^(BY) She named^(BZ) him Samuel,^[f](CA) saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”