Ruth 4

1 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.

Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. Behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by. Boaz said to him, “Come over here, friend, and sit down!” He came over, and sat down.

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

Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here,” and they sat down.

3 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.

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 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.

I thought I should tell 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 “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.

Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance.”

6 “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.”

The near kinsman said, “I can’t redeem it for myself, lest I endanger my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption for yourself; for I can’t redeem it.”

7 (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.)

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 formalizing transactions in Israel.

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

So the near kinsman said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” then he took off his sandal.

9 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.

Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses today, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi.

10 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.”

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

11 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.

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 both built the house of Israel; and treat you worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem.

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

Let your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman.”

13 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.

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

14 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.

The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you today without a near kinsman. Let his name be famous in Israel.

15 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.”

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 given birth to him.”

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

Naomi took the child, laid him in her bosom, and became nurse to him.

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

The women, her neighbors, gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi”. They named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

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

Now this is the history of the generations of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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