Ruth 4

1 Then Booz went up to the gate, and sat there. And when he had seen the kinsman going by, of whom he had spoken before, he said to him, calling him by his name: Turn aside for a little while, and sit down here. He turned aside, and sat down.

Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there. Look, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; to whom he said, "Come over here, friend, and sit down." He turned aside, and sat down.

2 And Booz taking ten men of the ancients of the city, said to them: Sit ye down here.

He took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here." They sat down.

3 They sat down, and he spoke to the kinsman: Noemi, who is returned from the country of Moab, will sell a parcel of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.

He said to the near kinsman, "Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's.

4 I would have thee to understand this, and would tell thee before all that sit here, and before the ancients of my people. If thou wilt take possession of it by the right of kindred: buy it and possess it: but if it please thee not, tell me so, that I may know what I have to do. For there is no near kinsman besides thee, who art first, and me, who am second. But he answered: I will buy the field.

I thought to disclose it to you, saying, 'Buy it before those who sit here, and before the elders of my people.' If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know. For there is no one to redeem it besides you; and I am after you." He said, "I will redeem it."

5 And Booz said to him: When thou shalt buy the field at the woman’s hand, thou must take also Ruth the Moabitess, who was the wife of the deceased: to raise up the name of thy kinsman in his inheritance.

Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you must also acquire the widow of the deceased, to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance."

6 He answered: I yield up my right of next akin: for I must not cut off the posterity of my own family. Do thou make use of my privilege, which I profess I do willingly forego.

The near kinsman said, "I can't redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption for yourself; for I can't redeem it."

7 Now this in former times was the manner in Israel between kinsmen, that if at any time one yielded his right to another: that the grant might be sure, the man put off his shoe, and gave it to his neighhour; this was a testimony of cession of right in Israel.

Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man took off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the way of attestation in Israel.

8 So Booz said to his kinsman: Put off thy shoe. And immediately he took it off from his foot.

So the near kinsman said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." And he took off his sandal and gave it to him.

9 And he said to the ancients and to all the people: You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and Chelion’s, and Mahalon’s, of the hand of Noemi:

Boaz said to the elders, and to all the people, "You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Kilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi.

10 And have taken to wife Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahalon, to raise up the name of the deceased in his inheritance lest his name be cut off, from among his family and his brethren and his people. You, I say, are witnesses of this thing.

Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, that the name of the deceased may not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses this day."

11 Then all the people that were in the gate, and the ancients answered: We are witnesses: The Lord make this woman who cometh into thy house, like Rachel, and Lia, who built up the house of Israel: that she may be an example of virtue in Ephrata, and may have a famous name in Bethlehem:

All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, which two built the house of Israel; and treat you worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem.

12 And that the house may be, as the house of Phares, whom Thamar bore unto Juda, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.

Let your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the LORD shall give you of this young woman."

13 Booz therefore took Ruth, and married her: and went in unto her, and the Lord gave her to conceive and to bear a son.

So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.

14 And the women said to Noemi: Blessed be the Lord, who hath not suffered thy family to want a successor, that his name should be preserved in Israel.

The women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer; and let his name be famous in Israel.

15 And thou shouldst have one to comfort thy soul, and cherish thy old age. For he is born of thy daughter in law: who loveth thee: and is much better to thee, than if thou hadst seven sons.

He shall be to you a restorer of life, and sustain you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him."

16 And Noemi taking the child laid it in her bosom, and she carried it, and was a nurse unto it.

Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and looked after him.

17 And the women her neighbours, congratulating with her and saying: There is a son born to Noemi: called his name Obed: he is the father of Isai, the father of David.

The women, her neighbors, gave him a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." And they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18 These are the generations of Phares: Phares begot Esron,

Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron,

19 Esron begot Aram, Aram begot Aminadab,

and Hezron became the father of Ram, and Ram became the father of Amminadab,

20 Aminadab begot Nahasson, Nahasson begot Salmon,

and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon became the father of Salmon,

21 Salmon begot Booz, Booz begot Obed,

and Salmon became the father of Boaz, and Boaz became the father of Obed,

22 Obed begot Isai, Isai begot David.

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