Ruth 4

1 Now, Boaz, went up to the gate, and sat him down there, and lo! the kinsman, passing by, of whom Boaz had spoken, so he said—Turn aside! and sit down here, such a one! And he turned aside, and sat down.

Then Boaz went up to the gate and sat down. Just then the near kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken came along. Boaz said, “Hello, So-and-so (calling him by name), come here and sit down.” So he stopped and sat down.

2 Then fetched he ten men of the elders of the city, and said—Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

Boaz also took ten of the town elders and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.

3 Then said he to the kinsman, The parcel of land that was our brother Elimelech’s, is to be disposed of by Naomi, who hath returned out of the country of Moab;

Then he said to the near relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is offering for sale the piece of land which belonged to our relative Elimelech,

4 and, I, thought, I would unveil thine ear, saying—Take it over in presence of such as are here seated, and in presence of the elders of my people. If thou wilt act as kinsman, act as kinsman, but, if thou wilt not so act, only tell me—that I may know, for there is none who can set thee aside as kinsman, but, I, am after thee. And he said, I, will act as kinsman.

and I thought that I would lay the matter before you, suggesting that you buy it in the presence of these men who sit here and of the elders of my people. If you will buy it and so keep it in the possession of the family, do so; but if not; then tell me, so that I may know; for no one but you has the right to buy it, and I am next to you.” “I will buy it,” he said.

5 Then said Boaz, What day thou takest over the land from the hand of Naomi, also, of Ruth the Moabitess, wife of the dead, dost thou take [it], to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you must also marry Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to preserve the name of the dead in connection with his inheritance.”

6 Then said the kinsman—I cannot act as kinsman for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance, —do, thou, for thyself act as kinsman in my right, for I cannot so redeem.

“I cannot buy it for myself without spoiling my own inheritance,” the near relative said. “You take my right of buying it as a relative, because I cannot do so.”

7 Now, this aforetime, [was the way] in Israel, at a redeeming, and at an exchanging, to confirm every word: A man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour, —yea, this, was the way of taking to witness, in Israel.

Now this used to be the custom in Israel: to make valid anything relating to a matter of redemption or exchange, a man drew off his sandal and gave it to the other man; and this was the way contracts were attested in Israel.

8 So the kinsman said unto Boaz, Take it over for thyself, —and he drew off his shoe.

So when the near relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” Boaz drew off the man’s sandal.

9 Then said Boaz to the elders, and all the people—Witnesses, are ye to-day, that I have taken over all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s, and Mahlon’s, —from the hand of Naomi:

Then Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses at this time that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s from Naomi.

10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, wife of Mahlon, have I taken over, to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off—from among his brethren, and from the gate of his dwelling- place, —Witnesses, are ye to-day!

Moreover I have secured Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in connection with his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his relatives and from the household where he lived. You are witnesses this day.”

11 Then said all the people who were in the gate, and the elders—Witnesses!, —Yahweh grant the woman who is coming into thy house, to be as Rachel, and as Leah, which two of them did build the house of Israel. Do thou bravely, then, in Ephrathah, and proclaim thou a name in Bethlehem,

Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you do well in Ephrata, and become famous in Bethlehem.

12 And let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare to Judah, —of the seed which—may Yahweh give thee, of this young woman.

From the children whom the Lord will give you by this young woman may your household become like the household of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in unto her, —and Yahweh granted her conception, and she bare a son.

So Boaz married Ruth, and she became his wife; and the Lord gave to her a son.

14 Then said the women unto Naomi, Blessed, be Yahweh! who hath not let thee fail of a kinsman to-day, —and may his name, be proclaimed, in Israel;

Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord who has not left you at this time without a near relative, and may his name be famous in Israel.

15 So shall he become a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age, —for, thy daughter-in-law who loveth thee, hath borne him, even, she, who is better to thee than seven sons.

This child will restore your vigor and nourish you in your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is worth more to you than seven sons, has borne a son to Boaz!”

16 So Naomi took the boy, and laid him in her bosom, and she became his nurse.

So Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him as if he was her own.

17 And the women, her neighbours, gave him a name, saying, There is born a son to Naomi, —So they called his name Obed, he, was, the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi!” They named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.

18 These, then, are the generations of Perez: Perez, begat, Hezron;

This is the genealogy of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron,

19 And, Hezron, begat, Ram, and, Ram, begat, Amminadab;

Hezron of Ram, Ram of Amminadab,

20 And, Amminadab, begat Nahshon, and, Nahshon, begat, Salmon,

Amminidab of Nashon, Nashon of Salmon,

21 And, Salmon, begat, Boaz, and, Boaz, begat, Obed;

Salmon of Boaz, Boaz of Obed,

22 And, Obed, begat, Jesse, and, Jesse, begat, David.

Obed of Jesse, Jesse of David.