Mahlon

1Long ago, judges ruled Israel. In those days the food ran out in the land. A man from Bethlehem, a town in Judah, went to live in Moab for a while. He took his wife and his two sons with him.

Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

NoteMoab was a country next to Israel. To get there you walked around the Dead Sea. The people of Moab spoke a bit like Israel but worshiped other gods. Judah was the part of Israel where Bethlehem was. When the rain did not come, no crops grew and people had no bread. That is why the family moved away. Judges were leaders who settled fights and led the people in war.

2The man was named Elimelech. His wife was named Naomi. His two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion. They belonged to the Ephrathite families of Bethlehem in Judah. They came to Moab and made their home there.

And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

NoteEphrathite was the name of a family group from around Bethlehem. It means this family had lived there a long time. Bethlehem was once called Ephrath.

3Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died. Naomi was left with her two sons.

And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

4The two sons married women from Moab. One was named Orpah. The other was named Ruth. The family lived in Moab about ten years.

And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.

NoteIn those days people from Israel usually married someone from their own people. Marrying women from Moab was unusual. The two peoples prayed to different gods.

5Then Mahlon and Chilion died too. Naomi was left with no sons and no husband.

And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

NoteBack then a woman with no husband and no sons was in real trouble. There were no jobs for her and no money coming in. Her family kept her fed and safe, and now Naomi had no one.

1Boaz went to the town gate and sat down there. The close relative he had talked about came by. Boaz said, "Come over here, friend. Sit down." So the man came and sat down.

Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

NoteThe town gate was like a town hall. People met there to buy, sell, and settle arguments. In Israel a close relative had a special job. He was supposed to help family members who were poor or in trouble.

2Boaz called ten of the town's leaders. He said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.

And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

NoteThe town leaders were older men people trusted. Having ten of them watch made the deal official.

3Boaz said to the relative, "Naomi has come back from the land of Moab. She is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.

And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s:

NoteMoab was a country next to Israel, across the Dead Sea. The people there were not Israelites. A family's land was supposed to stay in that family. If they had to sell it, a relative bought it back.

4I thought I should tell you. You can buy it back here, in front of these people and leaders. If you want to buy it, buy it. If you do not, tell me so I know. You are first in line to buy it, and I come next." The man said, "I will buy it."

And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

Note"Buy it back" means paying money so the land returns to the family. That way the family does not lose it forever.

5Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also take Ruth. Ruth came from Moab, and her husband died. Her first son will carry the dead man's name and keep his land."

Then said Boaz, What 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.

NoteThis was an old rule in Israel. If a man died with no children, a relative married his widow. Their first son was counted as the dead man's son. That son grew up and kept the dead man's land.

6The relative said, "Then I cannot buy it. It would hurt my own family land. You take my turn and buy it. I cannot."

And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

NoteFathers passed their land down to their sons. This man was afraid he would have less land left for his own children. Family land was land handed down in a family, from parents to children.

7Long ago in Israel, people did something to make a deal certain. A man pulled off his sandal and handed it to the other man. That showed everyone the deal was final.

Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.

NoteThere were no papers to sign back then. Handing over your sandal in front of people meant "this deal is done." It worked like writing your name today.

8So the relative said to Boaz, "Buy it yourself." And he pulled off his sandal.

Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

9Boaz said to the leaders and all the people, "You all saw this today. I have bought from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon.

And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto 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.

Note"You all saw this" means the people were witnesses. Their eyes and memories were the proof the deal really happened.

10I have also taken Ruth to be my wife. She came from Moab, and her husband Mahlon died. Her son will carry Mahlon's name and keep his land. So Mahlon's name will not be forgotten in his town. You all saw this today."

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.

NotePeople wanted their family name to keep going after they died. A son carried that name on. Boaz promised that Mahlon's name would keep going.