Ruth 4:1-6
Christian Standard Bible
Ruth and Boaz Marry
4 Boaz went to the gate of the town(A) and sat down there. Soon the family redeemer Boaz had spoken about came by. Boaz said, “Come over here[a] and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. 2 Then Boaz took ten men of the town’s elders(B) and said, “Sit here.” And they sat down. 3 He said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the territory of Moab, is selling the portion of the field that belonged to our brother Elimelech.(C) 4 I thought I should inform you: Buy it back in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem it, do it. But if you do[b] not want to redeem it, tell me so that I will know, because there isn’t anyone other than you to redeem it, and I am next after you.”
“I want to redeem it,” he answered.
5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you will acquire[c] Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man’s name on his property.”[d](D)
6 The redeemer replied, “I can’t redeem it myself, or I will ruin my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I can’t redeem it.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 4:1 Or said, “Come here Mr. So-and-so
- 4:4 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read if he does
- 4:5 Lit Naomi and from
- 4:5 Alt Hb tradition reads Naomi, I will have already acquired from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead man, the privilege of raising up the name of the dead man on his property
Ruth 4:1-6
International Standard Version
Boaz Acts to Fulfill His Responsibilities
4 Meanwhile, Boaz approached the city gate[a] and sat down there. Just then, the very same related redeemer whom Boaz had mentioned came by, so Boaz[b] called out to him, “Come over and sit down here, my friend!” So the man came over and sat down.
2 Boaz[c] selected ten of the town elders and spoke to them, “Sit down here.” So they sat down 3 and Boaz[d] addressed the related redeemer directly: “A portion of a field belonging to our relative Elimelech is up for sale by Naomi, who recently returned from the country of Moab. 4 So I thought to myself I ought to tell you that you must make a public purchase of this before the town residents and the elders of my people. So if you intend to act as the related redeemer, then do so.[e] But if not, let me know, because except for you—and I after you—there is no one to fulfill the duties of a related redeemer.”
The man responded, “I will act as related redeemer.”
A Complication Arises and is Resolved
5 Boaz continued, “On the very day you obtain the field from Naomi,[f] I’ll be obtaining[g] Ruth the Moabite woman, the widow of the late heir,[h] so the family name may be continued[i] as an inheritance.”
6 At this, the nearer related redeemer replied, “Then I am unable to act as related redeemer, because that would complicate my own inheritance. You act instead as the related redeemer, because I cannot do so.”[j]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ruth 4:1 I.e. the place of public business
- Ruth 4:1 Lit. he
- Ruth 4:2 Lit. He
- Ruth 4:3 Lit. he
- Ruth 4:4 Lit. then act as related redeemer
- Ruth 4:5 Lit. from the hand of Naomi
- Ruth 4:5 So MT ketiv; MT qere reads you will be obtaining
- Ruth 4:5 Lit. the dead
- Ruth 4:5 Or be raised up
- Ruth 4:6 Lit. cannot act as related redeemer
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