Ruth 4

1 And Boaz hath gone up to the gate, and sitteth there, and lo, the redeemer is passing by of whom Boaz had spoken, and he saith, 'Turn aside, sit down here, such a one, such a one;' and he turneth aside and sitteth 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 And he taketh ten men of the elders of the city, and saith, 'Sit down here;' and they sit down.

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

3 And he saith to the redeemer, 'A portion of the field which [is] to our brother, to Elimelech, hath Naomi sold, who hath come back from the fields of Moab;

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 and I said, I uncover thine ear, saying, Buy before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people; if thou dost redeem — redeem, and if none doth redeem — declare to me, and I know, for there is none save thee to redeem, and I after thee.' And he saith, I 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 And Boaz saith, 'In the day of thy buying the field from the hand of Naomi, then from Ruth the Moabitess, wife of the dead, thou hast bought [it], to raise up the name of the dead over 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 And the redeemer saith, 'I am not able to redeem [it] for myself, lest I destroy mine inheritance; redeem for thyself — thou — my right of redemption, for I am not able to redeem.'

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 And this [is] formerly in Israel for redemption and for changing, to establish anything: a man hath drawn off his sandal, and given [it] to his neighbour, and this [is] the testimony 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 And the redeemer saith to Boaz, 'Buy [it] for thyself,' and draweth off his sandal.

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 And Boaz saith to the elders, and [to] all the people, 'Witnesses [are] ye to-day that I have bought all that [is] to Elimelech, and all that [is] to Chilion and Mahlon, 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 and also Ruth the Moabitess, wife of Mahlon, I have bought to myself for a wife, to raise up the name of the dead over his inheritance; and the name of the dead is not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place; witnesses ye [are] to-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 And all the people who [are] in the gate say — also the elders — 'Witnesses! Jehovah make the woman who is coming in unto thy house as Rachel and as Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and do thou virtuously in Ephrathah, and proclaim the Name in Beth-Lehem;

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 and let thy house be as the house of Pharez (whom Tamar bare to Judah), of the seed which Jehovah doth give to thee 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 And Boaz taketh Ruth, and she becometh his wife, and he goeth in unto her, and Jehovah giveth to her conception, and she beareth 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 And the women say unto Naomi, 'Blessed [is] Jehovah who hath not let a redeemer cease to thee to-day, and his name is proclaimed 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 and he hath been to thee for a restorer of life, and for a nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law who hath loved thee — who is better to thee than seven sons — hath 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 And Naomi taketh the lad, and layeth him in her bosom, and is to him for a nurse;

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

17 and the neighbouring women give to him a name, saying, 'There hath been a son born to Naomi,' and they call his name Obed; he [is] father of Jesse, 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 And these are genealogies of Pharez: Pharez begat 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 begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminidab,

20 and Amminidab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,

21 and Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

22 and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.