And Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there. And behold, he that had the right of redemption, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. And he said, Thou, such a one, turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside and sat down.
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit down here. And they sat down.
And he said to him that had the right of redemption: Naomi, who is come back out of the country of Moab, sells the allotment that was our brother Elimelech's.
And I thought I would apprise thee of it and say, Buy it in the presence of the inhabitants, and in the presence of the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem; but if thou wilt not redeem, tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem besides thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
And Boaz said, On the day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
And he that had the right of redemption said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance. Redeem thou for thyself what I should redeem, for I cannot redeem it.
Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redemption and concerning exchange, to confirm the whole matter: a man drew off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbour, and this was the mode of attestation in Israel.
And he that had the right of redemption said to Boaz, Buy for thyself; and he drew off his sandal.
And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi;
moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased 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 place: ye are witnesses this day.
And all the people that were in the gate and the elders said, We are witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that cometh into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel; and acquire power in Ephratah, and make thyself a name in Bethlehem;
and let thy house become like the house of Pherez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of this young woman.
And Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in unto her, and Jehovah gave her conception, and she bore a son.
And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah who hath not left thee this day without one that has the right of redemption, and may his name be famous in Israel!
And he shall be to thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age; for thy daughter-in-law who loves thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, has borne him.
And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse to it.
And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi. And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Now these are the generations of Pherez. Pherez begot Hezron,
and Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab,
and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon,
and Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed,
and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.
Canonical academic citations for Ruth 4 (DBT) — copy in your preferred format.
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At Bethlehem’s gate Boaz assembles elders and the nearer redeemer, who relinquishes his right upon learning marriage to Ruth is required. Through sandal exchange Boaz legally redeems Elimelech’s land and marries Ruth. The people bless them with fruitfulness like Rachel, Leah, and Perez. Ruth bears Obed, whom Naomi nurses; neighbors proclaim him redeemer for Naomi. Obed becomes father of Jesse, grandfather of King David, linking Ruth the Moabite to Israel’s royal line.
Account of Ruth's loyalty and her place in the lineage of David.
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