Ruth 4

Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the kinsman-redeemer was passing by, the same man about whom Boaz had spoken earlier. And he said, “Turn aside and sit down here, a certain person.” So he turned aside and sat down.

Then he took ten men from the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. \*

Then he said to the kinsman-redeemer, “Naomi, the woman who has returned from the fields of Moab, is selling the portion of the field that belonged to our brother Elimelek.

Now as for me, I said that I should uncover your ear, saying, ‘Buy!’ in the presence of those who are sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem {it}, redeem {it}. But if you will not redeem {it}, then tell me so that I may know, for there is no one to redeem {it} besides you, and I am after you.” Then he said, “I will redeem {it} myself.” \*

Then Boaz said, “On the day of your buying the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite woman, the wife of the dead, in order to raise up the name of the dead over his inheritance.”

Then the kinsman-redeemer said, “I am not able to redeem it for myself lest I damage my own inheritance. You redeem for yourself my right of redemption, for I am not able to redeem it.” \*

Now this, formerly in Israel, concerning redemption and concerning exchange, to confirm any matter: a man took off his sandal and gave {it} to his friend. So this {was} the form of legal agreement in Israel.

So the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” and he took off his sandal. \*

Then Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses today that I am buying from the hand of Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelek and everything that belonged to Kilion and Mahlon.

And also Ruth, the Moabite woman, the widow of Mahlon, I am acquiring as my wife, in order to raise up the name of the dead over his inheritance, so that the name of the dead will not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his place. Today you are witnesses!” \*

And all the people who were in the gate and the elders said, “{We are} witnesses! May God make this woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built up the house of Israel. Prosper in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem!

And may your house become like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, from the seed that God gives you from this young woman.” \*

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

Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be God, who has not left you today without a kinsman-redeemer. May his name be renowned in Israel!

Now he will be for you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has borne him—she who is better to you than seven sons.” \*

And Naomi took the child and put him on her lap, and she became his nurse.

So the neighbor women called out a name for him, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. \*

Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron;

and Hezron fathered Ram; and Ram fathered Amminadab;

and Amminadab fathered Nahshon; and Nahshon fathered Salmon;

and Salmon fathered Boaz; and Boaz fathered Obed;

and Obed fathered Jesse; and Jesse fathered David.