THE BOOK OF RUTH

 

Ruth Chapter 4

1 ¶ Then Boaz went up to the city gate, and sat down there: and, the kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken came by; so Boaz said, Turn aside friend! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

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

3 And he said to the kinsman, Naomi, who has returned from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which belonged to our brother Elimelech:

4 So I thought I would tell you of it, Buy it in the presence of those sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it: but if you will not redeem it, tell me, so that I may know: for there is no one besides you to redeem it; and I am next in line after you. And he said, I will redeem it.

5 Then said Boaz, The day you buy the field from Naomi, you are also acquiring Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the one who died, to restore the name of the dead to his inheritance.

6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair mine own inheritance: take my right of redemption yourself; for I cannot redeem it.

7 Now in Israel this was the custom in former times concerning redeeming and exchanging. To confirm a transaction; a man took off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor: this was the way making it binding in Israel.

8 Therefore the kinsman said to Boaz, Buy it for yourself. So he took off his shoe.

9 ¶ And Boaz said to the elders, and to all the people, You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi.

10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife, to restore the name of the dead to his inheritance, so that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his birthplace: you are witnesses this day.

11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built up the house of Israel: may you prosper in Ephratah, and be renowned in Bethlehem:

12 And let your house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare to Judah, because of the children which the LORD shall give you by this young woman.

13 ¶ So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife: and when he went in to her, the LORD caused her to conceive, and she bore a son.

14 And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a kinsman, and may his name be famous in Israel.

15 And he will restore your life, and sustain you in your old age: for your daughter in law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.

16 Then Naomi took the child, and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse.

17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, A son is born to Naomi; and they named him Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18 Now these are the descendants of Pharez: Pharez fathered Hezron,

19 And Hezron fathered Ram, and Ram fathered Amminadab,

20 And Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon,

21 And Salmon fathered Boaz, and Boaz fathered Obed,

22 And Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.