Ruth 4

1Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. Look, the redeemer whom Boaz had spoken of was passing by, so he said, "Turn aside, sit here, such a one." He turned aside and sat down.

2He took ten men from the elders of the city and said, "Sit here." They sat down.

3He said to the redeemer, "Naomi, who has returned from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech."

4I said I would reveal it to your hearing, saying, "Buy it in the presence of those seated and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, declare it to me, that I may know; for there is no one else to redeem it other than you, and I am after you." He said, "I will redeem it."

5Boaz said, "When you buy the field from Naomi, you buy Ruth the Moabite, the dead man's wife, from her as well, buying her to establish the dead man's name on his inheritance."

6The redeemer replied, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my inheritance. You redeem my redemption right for yourself, for I cannot redeem it."

7Formerly in Israel, this was the practice regarding redemption and exchange to establish every matter: a man drew off his shoe and gave it to his fellow, and this served as testimony in Israel.

8The redeemer said to Boaz, "Buy for yourself," and he pulled off his shoe.

9Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses today that I have bought all that belonged to Elimelech, and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon, from the hand of Naomi."

10I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon's wife, to become my wife and establish the dead man's name upon his inheritance, so the dead man's name will not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his town—you are witnesses today.

11All the people at the gate and the elders said, "Witnesses! May Yahweh make the woman who enters your house like Rachel and like Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; gain strength in Ephrathah and make a name in Bethlehem."

12May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, from the offspring that Yahweh gives you from this young woman.

13Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; he came to her, and Yahweh granted her conception, and she bore a son.

14The women said to Naomi, "Blessed be Yahweh who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name be renowned in Israel."

15He will be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you—she who is better to you than seven sons—has borne him.

16Naomi took the child and placed him in her lap, and she became his nurse.

17The neighboring women named him, saying, "A son has been born to Naomi," and called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18These are Perez's generations: Perez fathered Hezron.

19Hezron fathered Ram, and Ram fathered Amminadab.

20Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon.

21Salmon fathered Boaz, and Boaz fathered Obed.

22Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.