⁷ During Israel’s earlier history,^[a] all things concerning redeeming or changing inheritances were confirmed by a man taking off his sandal and giving it to the other party,^[b] thereby creating a public^[c] record in Israel. ⁸ So when the nearer related redeemer told Boaz, “Make the purchase yourself,” he then took off his sandal.

Boaz’s Public Commitment

⁹ At this, Boaz addressed the elders and all of the people: “You all are witnesses today that I hereby redeem everything from Naomi that belonged to Elimelech, including what belonged to Chilion and Mahlon, ¹⁰ along with Mahlon’s wife Ruth the Moabite woman. I will marry her to continue the family name as an inheritance, so that the name of the deceased does not disappear from among his relatives, nor from the public record.^[d] You are all witnesses today!”

¹¹ Then all of the assembled people,^[e] including the elders who were there, said, “We are witnesses! May the Lord make this woman who enters your house like Rachel and Leah, who together established the house of Israel. May you prosper in Ephrathah, and may you excel in Bethlehem! ¹² Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore for Judah, from the offspring that the Lord gives you from this young woman.”