Now this was (A)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 (B)that the name of the deceased will not be eliminated from his brothers or from the [a]court of his birth place; you are witnesses today.” 11 And all the people who were [b]in the court, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home (C)like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve [c]wealth in Ephrathah and [d]become famous in Bethlehem. 12 Moreover, may your house be like the house of (D)Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the [e]descendants whom the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 4:10 Lit gate
  2. Ruth 4:11 Lit at the gate
  3. Ruth 4:11 Or power
  4. Ruth 4:11 Lit call the name in
  5. Ruth 4:12 Lit seed

Now in those days it was the custom in Israel for anyone transferring a right of purchase to remove his sandal and hand it to the other party. This publicly validated the transaction. So the other family redeemer drew off his sandal as he said to Boaz, “You buy the land.”

Then Boaz said to the elders and to the crowd standing around, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon. 10 And with the land I have acquired Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon, to be my wife. This way she can have a son to carry on the family name of her dead husband and to inherit the family property here in his hometown. You are all witnesses today.”

11 Then the elders and all the people standing in the gate replied, “We are witnesses! May the Lord make this woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, from whom all the nation of Israel descended! May you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 And may the Lord give you descendants by this young woman who will be like those of our ancestor Perez, the son of Tamar and Judah.”

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