1 B oaz went up to the gate and sat down there. He saw the in-law of the family that he had spoken about pass by. So Boaz said, “Come here, friend, and sit down.” So the man came and sat down.

¶ And Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and, behold, the redeemer of whom Boaz spoke came by unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! Come here and sit down. And he came and sat down.

2 A nd Boaz took ten of the leaders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.

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

3 T hen Boaz said to the close in-law, “Naomi has returned from the land of Moab. She is selling the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.

And he said unto the redeemer, Naomi, that is come again out of the field of Moab, sold a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s,

4 I thought I should let you know about it. Buy it in front of those who are sitting here, and in front of the leaders of my people. If you will buy it, then buy it. But if not, tell me you do not want to buy it, so I may know. For you have the right to be the first one to buy it. And I am after you.” The man said, “I will buy it.”

and I decided to cause thee to know this and tell thee to take 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 no one to redeem it besides thee, and I after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

5 T hen Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from Naomi, you must take Ruth, the Moabite woman, also. She is the wife of the dead man. You must keep alive the name of the dead man on his land.”

Then Boaz replied, The day that thou dost receive the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must also receive Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

6 T hen the close in-law said, “I cannot buy it for myself because it might be that my own children would not be able to own my land later. Take it for yourself. I give you my right to buy it, for I cannot buy it.”

And the redeemer said, I cannot redeem it for myself lest I ruin my own inheritance; redeem thou; I cede my right to you, for I shall not be able to redeem it.

7 T his is what was done before in Israel to show that the buying or trading of land was decided upon. A man would take off his shoe and give it to another. This would make sure what was decided.

Now for a long time in Israel there had been this custom concerning redemption or contracts, that for the confirmation of all matters: one plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbour, and this was a testimony in Israel.

8 S o he said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” And he took off his shoe.

Therefore, the former owner of the right of redemption said unto Boaz, Buy it thyself. So he drew off his shoe.

9 T hen Boaz said to the leaders and all the people, “You have seen today that I have bought from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, to Chilion and to 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.

10 A nd I have taken Ruth, the Moabite woman who was Mahlon’s wife, to be my wife. I will keep alive the name of the dead man on his land. His name will not be forgotten among his brothers or from the gate of his birth-place. You have heard this today.”

Moreover, I also take Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his place. Ye shall be witnesses of this today.

11 A ll the people in the gate and the leaders said, “We have heard it. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you become rich in Ephrathah and be known by all in Bethlehem.

And all the people that were in the gate and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, who built the house of Israel; and be thou a man of valour in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem;

12 M ay your house be like the house of Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar, because of the children the Lord will give you by this young woman.” The Families to Follow Ruth and Boaz

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

13 S o Boaz took Ruth. She became his wife, and he went in to her. The Lord made it possible for her to have a child and she gave birth to a son.

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

14 T he women said to Naomi, “Thanks be to the Lord. He has not left you without a family this day. May his name become known in all of Israel.

And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, who has not left thee this day without a redeemer, whose name shall be famous in Israel.

15 M ay he bring you new life and strength while you are old. For your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy soul and a sustainer in thy old age, for thy daughter-in-law, whom thou doth love, who is better to thee than seven sons, has given birth.

16 T hen Naomi took the child and held him, and became his nurse.

And Naomi took the child and laid it in her bosom and was his nurse.

17 T he neighbor women gave him a name. They said, “A son has been born to Naomi!” And they called him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

And the women, her neighbours, named him, saying, There is a son born to Naomi, and they called his name Obed. This is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18 N ow these are the children of Perez. Perez was the father of Hezron.

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

19 H ezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab.

and Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,

20 A mminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.

and Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,

21 S almon was the father of Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed.

and Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

22 O bed was the father of Jesse. And Jesse was the father of David.

and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.