Ruth 4

1 And Boaz went up to the public place of the town, and took his seat there: and the near relation of whom he had been talking came by; and Boaz, crying out to him by name, said, Come and be seated here. And he came and was seated.

Boaz went to the town gate, and sat down there. The family redeemer that Boaz had mentioned happened to pass by, so Boaz said to him, “Come over here, friend, and sit down.” The man came over and sat down.

2 Then he got ten of the responsible men of the town, and said, Be seated here. And they took their seats.

Then Boaz selected ten of the town elders and asked them to sit there with them.

3 Then he said to the near relation, Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is offering for a price that bit of land which was our brother Elimelech's:

Boaz said to the family redeemer, “Naomi who has returned from the country of Moab is selling the piece of land that belonged to Elimelech, our relative.

4 And it was in my mind to give you the chance of taking it, with the approval of those seated here and of the responsible men of my people. If you are ready to do what it is right for a relation to do, then do it: but if you will not do it, say so to me now; for there is no one who has the right to do it but you, and after you myself. And he said, I will do it.

I decided I should tell you in case you want to buy it here in the presence of these elders of the people. If you want to redeem it, then go ahead. But it you don't, then tell me so I'll know, because you are first in line to redeem it, and I'm next.” “I want to redeem it,” said the family redeemer.

5 Then Boaz said, On the day when you take this field, you will have to take with it Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, so that you may keep the name of the dead living in his heritage.

“When you buy the land from Naomi you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon's widow, so you can marry her and have children with her to ensure the man's line continues,” Boaz explained.

6 And the near relation said, I am not able to do the relation's part, for fear of damaging the heritage I have: you may do it in my place, for I am not able to do it myself.

“Well, I can't do it then,” the family redeemer replied. “If I were to redeem it, that could jeopardize what I already own. You redeem it for yourself, because I can't.”

7 Now, in earlier times this was the way in Israel when property was taken over by a near relation, or when there was a change of owner. To make the exchange certain one man took off his shoe and gave it to the other; and this was a witness in Israel.

(Now during those times it was the custom in Israel to confirm the action of family redeemer, property transfer, or any similar legal matter by removing a sandal and handing it over. This was the way of validating a transaction in Israel.)

8 So the near relation said to Boaz, Take it for yourself. And he took off his shoe.

So the family redeemer took off his sandal and told Boaz, “You buy it.”

9 Then Boaz said to the responsible men and to all the people, You are witnesses today that I have taken at a price from Naomi all the property which was Elimelech's, and everything which was Chilion's and Mahlon's.

Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people present, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion.

10 And, further, I have taken Ruth, the Moabitess, who was the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to keep the name of the dead man living in his heritage, so that his name may not be cut off from among his countrymen, and from the memory of his town: you are witnesses this day.

I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon's widow, as my wife. By having children who may inherit his property his name will be kept alive in his family and in his home town. You are witnesses of this today.”

11 And all the people who were in the public place, and the responsible men, said, We are witnesses. May the Lord make this woman, who is about to come into your house, like Rachel and Leah, which two were the builders of the house of Israel: and may you have wealth in Ephrathah, and be great in Beth-lehem;

The elders and all the people present at the town gate said, “Yes, we are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah who between them gave birth to the people of Israel. May you become prosperous in Ephrathah, and famous in Bethlehem.

12 May your family be like the family of Perez, the son whom Tamar gave to Judah, from the offspring which the Lord may give you by this young woman.

May your descendants the Lord gives you through this young woman become like the descendants of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah.”

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and the Lord made her with child and she gave birth to a son.

Boaz took Ruth home, and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord arranged for her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.

14 And the women said to Naomi, A blessing on the Lord, who has not let you be this day without a near relation, and may his name be great in Israel.

The women of the town came to Naomi and said, “Praise the Lord, for today he didn't leave you without a family redeemer by giving you this grandson—may he become famous throughout Israel.

15 He will be a giver of new life to you, and your comforter when you are old, for your daughter-in-law, who, in her love for you, is better than seven sons, has given birth to him.

He will give you a new lease of life and provide for you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better than seven sons to you, has given birth to him.”

16 And Naomi took the child and put her arms round it, and she took care of it.

Naomi picked up the child and hugged him. She looked after him like her own son.

17 And the women who were her neighbours gave it a name, saying, Naomi has a child; and they gave him the name of Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The neighbor women named him Obed, saying “Naomi now has a son!” He was the father of Jesse who was the father of David.

18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron;

This is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron.

19 And Hezron became the father of Ram, and Ram became the father of Amminadab;

Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab.

20 And Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon became the father of Salmon;

Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.

21 And Salmon became the father of Boaz, and Boaz became the father of Obed;

Salmon was the father of Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed.

22 And Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.

Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David.