Ruth 4

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.

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.

NoteThe town gate was the open space just inside the city wall. Leaders met there to settle business, a bit like a courthouse.

2And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

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

3And 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:

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.

4And 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.

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."

NoteThe KJV says "advertise thee." Back then that just meant "tell you," not an ad.

5Then 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.

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."

6And 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.

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

7Now 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.

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.

8Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

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

9And 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.

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.

10Moreover 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.

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."

11And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

11All the people at the gate and the leaders said, "We saw it. May the LORD make this woman like Rachel and Leah. Those two mothers built up the families of Israel. May you do well in Ephratah and be known in Bethlehem.

12And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.

12Long ago Tamar had a son named Pharez, and Judah was his father. May your family grow strong like that family. May the LORD give you children by this young woman."

13So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

13So Boaz married Ruth, and she became his wife. The LORD let her have a baby, and she gave birth to a son.

14And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

14The women said to Naomi, "Praise the LORD! Today he gave you a family helper. May his name be known all over Israel.

15And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

15He will make you glad again. He will care for you when you are old. Your son's wife loves you. She is better to you than seven sons, and she gave him birth."

16And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

16Naomi took the baby and held him close. She helped take care of him.

NoteThe KJV says Naomi "became nurse unto it." That means she looked after the baby, not that she fed him milk.

17And 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.

17The women next door gave him a name. They said, "Naomi has a son!" They called him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.

18Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,

18This is the family line of Pharez. Pharez was the father of Hezron.

19And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,

19Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab.

20And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,

20Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.

21And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

21Salmon was the father of Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed.

22And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

22Obed was the father of Jesse. And Jesse was the father of King David.