Ruth 4

Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. Just then the redeemer Boaz had spoken of was passing by. He said, “Come over and sit here, so-and-so.” He came over and sat down. He took ten men from the elders of the city and said, “Sit here.” They sat down. He said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the country of Moab, is selling the plot of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. I thought I should let you know and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if he will not redeem it, tell me so that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” He said, “I will redeem it.” Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you also acquire it from Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s wife, to raise up the dead man’s name over his inheritance.” The redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. Exercise my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.” Now in former times in Israel, to confirm any matter of redemption or exchange, a man would remove his sandal and give it to the other man. This was the way of attesting a transaction in Israel. The redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” and removed his sandal. Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have acquired from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s wife, as my wife, to raise up the dead man’s name over his inheritance, so that the dead man’s name will not be cut off from among his brothers or from the gate of his hometown. You are witnesses today.” All the people at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman entering your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you prosper in Ephrathah and make a name in Bethlehem. May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman.” Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the LORD granted her conception, and she bore a son. The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you without a redeemer today. May his name be renowned in Israel. He will restore your life and sustain you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap, and became his caregiver. The neighboring women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. These are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmah, Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

Rights and attribution