Ruth 4

1 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.

[Meanwhile], Boaz went up to the town gate and sat there. [That was the place where people met together to decide important matters]. When the man that Boaz had mentioned came there, the close relative of Ruth and Naomi’s dead husbands [who had a responsibility to take care of Naomi and Ruth], Boaz said to him, “My friend, come over here and sit down.” So the man went and sat down.

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

Boaz then gathered ten of the elders of the town and asked them to sit down [there also]. After they sat down,

3 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.

he said to the man who had the responsibility to take care of Naomi, “Naomi has returned from Moab [region]. She wants to sell the field that belonged to our relative Elimelech.

4 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."

I thought that I should tell you about that, and suggest that you buy it, while these elders who are sitting here are listening. If you are willing to buy the property, do that. But if you do not want to buy it, tell me, so that I will know. I am suggesting this to you because you are the one who has the first right to buy it, and I am the one who has the second/next right to buy it.” The man replied, “I will buy it!”

5 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."

Then Boaz told him, “When you buy the land from Naomi, you will also be taking Ruth, [the woman] who is from Moab, [to be your wife], in order that she may [give birth to a son who will] inherit the property of her dead husband [MTY].”

6 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."

Then the close relative [of Ruth’s dead husband] said, “[If that is so], I do not [want to] buy the field, because then my own [children] would not inherit the property; [Ruth’s children would inherit it]. You buy the property!”

7 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.

At that time, it was the custom in Israel, when a person bought property that belonged to another person, that the man who was selling the property would take off one of his sandals and give it to the one who was buying the property. That was the way they finalized sales in Israel.

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

So that close relative said to Boaz, “You buy the field yourself!” And he took off [one of] his sandals [and gave it to Boaz].

9 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.

Then Boaz said to the elders and all the [other] people [who were there], “Today you have all seen that I have bought from Naomi all the property that belonged to [her dead husband] Elimelech and [his dead sons] Mahlon and Chilion.

10 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."

I am also taking Ruth, [the woman] from Moab, Mahlon’s widow, to be my wife, in order that she may give birth to a son who will inherit the property of the dead man. In that way, Elimelech’s name will continue [LIT] among the members of his family and among all the people of this town. Today you all are witnesses [of what I have done].”

11 All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May YHWH 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.

All the elders and the [others] who were sitting at the [town] gate [agreed, and one of them] said, “[Yes, ] we are witnesses. We hope/desire that Yahweh will enable this woman, who will be coming into your home, to give birth to many children, as Rachel and Leah did. They are the women from whom all [us] people [MTY] of Israel are descended. We hope that you will become rich in the clan of Ephratah, and become famous [MTY] [here] in Bethlehem.

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

We hope/desire that Yahweh will enable you and this young woman to have many descendants. And we hope/desire that your family will be as important as the family of your ancestor Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar.”

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

So Boaz took Ruth [home], and she became his wife. He (slept with/had sexual relations with) her [EUP] and Yahweh enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.

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

The women [of Bethlehem] said to Naomi, “Praise Yahweh! Now he has given [LIT] you a grandson who will be the one who will have the responsibility to take care of you. We hope that he will become famous [MTY] throughout Israel.

15 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."

He will make you feel young again, and he will take care of you when you become old. Your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given birth to a son, who will (be better to/do more for) you than [if you had] seven sons [of your own].”

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

Then Naomi took the baby and put him on her lap, and took care of him.

17 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.

The women who were living near her said, “[It is as though] Naomi [now] has a son!” And they named him Obed. [Later], Obed became the father of Jesse, and [later] Jesse became the father of [King] David.

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

Here is [a list of] the ancestors of [King David]: Perez’s son was Hezron. Hezron’s son was Ram. Ram’s son was Amminadab. Amminadab’s son was Nahshon. Nahshon’s son was Salmon. Salmon’s son was Boaz. Boaz’s son was Obed. Obed’s son was Jesse. Jesse’s son was [King] David.

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

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

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

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