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Ruth 4

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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.

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

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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:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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 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 Beth–lehem:

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And 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.

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So 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.

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And 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.

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And 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.

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

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And 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.

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

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And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,

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And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,

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And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

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And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

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Ruth 4

Boaz meets the nearer kinsman at the city gate and offers to him the right of redemption (gə'ullah, the restoration of family property and line): the kinsman initially agrees until Boaz clarifies that redeeming the land also includes marrying Ruth (the widow of the dead man) to raise up his name (4:5)—a complication that disqualifies the kinsman, who fears endangering his own inheritance (4:6), leaving Boaz free to marry Ruth himself. The elders and townspeople witness the transaction, blessing Boaz and Ruth with the prayer that 'the LORD make the woman coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel' (4:11)—a prayer that elevates Ruth, a Moabite, to the status of Israel's matriarchal founders and affirms that the covenant's boundaries include those who commit to the covenant people's God and way. Ruth bears Obed (meaning 'one who serves'), who becomes the father of Jesse and the grandfather of King David (4:17, 22)—a genealogy that concludes the book by revealing that Ruth, a foreigner and a woman of vulnerability, became the ancestress of Israel's greatest king and, through him, of the Messiah. The book closes with the theological affirmation that ḥesed (covenant loyalty), justice, and providence converge to transform a tale of loss and foreign status into a narrative of redemption and covenant fulfillment, demonstrating that God's purposes embrace the vulnerable and the outsider who faithfully commit to the covenant.

Ruth 4:1

Boaz's taking his position at the city gate and his calling of the kinsman-redeemer to join him initiates the formal legal proceedings necessary for the redemption transaction. The city gate, the traditional place of legal authority and community judgment in ancient Israel, provides the proper venue for this public declaration of intent and negotiation. Boaz's deliberate orchestration of this encounter demonstrates his commitment to operating with full propriety and transparency in completing the redemption process.

Ruth 4:2

Boaz's calling of ten elders of the city to witness the transaction demonstrates his respect for legal procedure and his desire to ensure that the redemption agreement will be publicly recognized and legally binding. The assembly of witnesses provides the necessary authority and validation for the subsequent transaction and ensures that both the present and future generations will recognize the legitimacy of Ruth's redemption. The ten elders function as a quorum establishing the transaction as legally valid and binding.

Ruth 4:3

Boaz's presentation of the case to the nearer kinsman-redeemer, beginning with the information that Naomi is selling the parcel of land that belonged to Elimelech, establishes the first legal matter that must be addressed. The mention of Elimelech's land introduces the concept of property redemption and the kinsman-redeemer's obligation to maintain the integrity of family property. Boaz's precise recitation of the facts demonstrates his careful attention to legal procedure and his commitment to ensuring that all parties understand the matter under consideration.

Ruth 4:4

Boaz's statement that he intends to inform the kinsman-redeemer of the matter and to ask whether he is willing to redeem the property or whether Boaz himself must undertake the redemption introduces the concept of right of first refusal and establishes the legal framework within which the transaction must proceed. His explicit offer to the nearer kinsman-redeemer provides him with the opportunity to assume the obligation, respecting the order of kinship relationships that Scripture establishes. The kinsman-redeemer's immediate willingness to redeem the land suggests his initial understanding that this is a straightforward financial transaction.

Ruth 4:5

Boaz's statement that on the day he purchases the land from Naomi, he must also purchase Ruth the Moabite to perpetuate the deceased man's name and inheritance introduces the Levirate dimension of the transaction and complicates what appeared to be a simple land redemption. This revelation of the full obligation—that redemption requires not merely property purchase but also marriage and the production of an heir to carry forward Elimelech's name—fundamentally changes the nature of the transaction. The introduction of Ruth's name and her Moabite identity at this crucial moment emphasizes both her foreignness and her legal significance as Elimelech's widow.

Ruth 4:6

The kinsman-redeemer's withdrawal from the redemption, citing the concern that undertaking this obligation would damage his own inheritance, reveals his unwillingness to assume the additional obligation of Levirate marriage and the production of an heir. His fear that Ruth's child would displace his own heirs and thereby diminish the value of his existing inheritance demonstrates his prioritization of personal financial interest over covenantal obligation. His withdrawal, while economically prudent, represents a failure of covenant commitment and paves the way for Boaz to assume the redemptive role.

Ruth 4:7

The legal explanation that in ancient times it was customary for a man to remove his sandal and give it to another as a sign of ceding his right and obligation establishes the procedural norm that will govern the transaction about to unfold. This recitation of legal custom demonstrates the narrative's commitment to showing that the redemption proceeds with full legal propriety and public transparency. The sandal, a symbol of ownership and the right to walk upon one's own land, functions as a tangible sign of the transfer of legal authority and obligation.

Ruth 4:8

The nearer kinsman-redeemer's removal of his sandal and his delivery of it to Boaz, combined with the declaration that Boaz should take Ruth as his wife and restore her to the position of heir and property manager, completes the legal transfer of obligation and right. His public and explicit statement of the transfer ensures that all witnesses understand what has transpired and that the transaction has full legal standing. The removal of the sandal constitutes a public renunciation of the nearer kinsman's claim and an acknowledgment of Boaz's superior right to assume the role of redeemer.

Ruth 4:9

Boaz's public statement before the elders and all the people that he has purchased all that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon from Naomi's hand establishes the property redemption as complete and legally binding. His recitation of the facts before witnesses ensures that the transaction will be remembered and recognized by the community as legitimate and binding. The public witness to his acquisition of the property provides legal protection and social validation for the transaction.

Ruth 4:10

Boaz's explicit statement that he is acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be his wife so that the deceased man's name might be perpetuated in Israel and the inheritance maintained establishes the Levirate dimension of the transaction as the purpose of the entire redemptive act. His public acknowledgment of Ruth as a Moabite, combined with his assumption of the obligation to marry her, represents a remarkable statement about the inclusion of a foreign woman in the covenant community and in the lineage of Israel. The emphasis on perpetuating Mahlon's name connects this marriage to the covenant promise and the continuation of Israel's people.

Ruth 4:11

The elders' and people's blessing upon the marriage, invoking the Lord's establishment of Ruth as a fertile wife comparable to Rachel and Leah, the mothers of Israel, and Boaz's own household as strong as the house of Perez (born to Judah and Tamar), connects Ruth's marriage to the greatest women in Israel's history and to the lineage of Judah. The blessing functions as a prophetic word that Ruth will bear worthy children and that her union with Boaz will be fruitful. The invocation of Rachel, Leah, and Tamar—all of whom played crucial roles in establishing Israel's lineage—elevates Ruth to an exalted place in Israel's genealogy.

Ruth 4:12

The comparison of Boaz's household to the house of Perez, the son born to Judah through his encounter with Tamar (herself a woman who had to take bold initiative to secure her rights), establishes a typological connection between Ruth's story and earlier biblical accounts of women who seized their redemption. Tamar's story, like Ruth's, involved a widow taking bold action to claim the protection due to her through kinship law, making this blessing particularly apt. The reference to Perez's importance in the lineage of Judah foreshadows that Ruth's son, born of her union with Boaz, will occupy a similar position of significance.

Ruth 4:13

The narrative account that Boaz took Ruth as his wife and she became his wife initiates the intimate union that will result in the birth of their son. The simple statement of their marriage, following the elaborate legal procedures of the previous verses, provides a moment of quiet fulfillment after the drama of the redemption transaction. The union of Boaz and Ruth, a man of wealth and character with a woman of virtue and commitment, represents the convergence of human action, legal propriety, and divine blessing that has characterized the entire narrative.

Ruth 4:14

The women's blessing upon Ruth and upon the Lord, who has not left Ruth without a kinsman-redeemer, marks the fulfillment of the blessing Naomi had pronounced in earlier chapters. The explicit acknowledgment that the Lord has been providentially working throughout Ruth's story vindicates her commitment to follow Naomi and validates her faith in God's ultimate care. The women's blessing represents the community's recognition that God has been secretly orchestrating redemption throughout the narrative and that Ruth has been the particular object of divine solicitude.

Ruth 4:15

The women's declaration that Ruth, whose love for Naomi has been constant throughout their hardship, is more valuable to Naomi than seven sons represents the ultimate validation of Ruth's worth and her significance to her family. The comparison to seven sons, the ideal number of male heirs in ancient Israel, elevates Ruth above the typical measure of family value and demonstrates her unique and irreplaceable place in Naomi's life. This blessing affirms that Ruth's commitment and her demonstrated virtue have more than compensated Naomi for the loss of her own sons.

Ruth 4:16

Naomi's taking the newborn son and becoming his nurse represents her restoration from the position of emptiness and bitterness that she had articulated in chapter one to the position of full and honored motherhood within the family. Her active role in the child's upbringing demonstrates her recovery and her assumption of a position of honor and centrality within the household. The narrative's note that Naomi became the nurse of the child suggests both her physical care and her spiritual responsibility for his upbringing.

Ruth 4:17

The women's naming of the child Obed, meaning "servant" or "worshipper," and their declaration that a son has been born to Naomi, connects the child's identity to both Naomi and to his ultimate role in the covenant community. The public naming of the child by the women suggests the community's recognition of his significance and their investment in his future. The note that Obed is the father of Jesse becomes the crucial link in the genealogy that will lead to David, Israel's greatest king.

Ruth 4:18

The beginning of the genealogical recitation that traces the line from Perez to David establishes the historical and theological significance of Ruth's story as essential to the establishment of David's lineage and the continuation of the covenant promise. The genealogy roots Ruth's redemption in the deepest layers of Israel's history and connects her story to the founding promises concerning Judah's dynasty. This genealogical frame demonstrates that Ruth's union with Boaz has not been merely a personal love story but a fundamental event in the working out of God's covenant purposes for Israel.

Ruth 4:19

The genealogical progression from Perez through Hezron establishes the direct ancestral line through which the promise of Judah will be perpetuated and from which David will eventually descend. Each name in the genealogy represents a link in the chain of promise and covenant, and Ruth's integration into this genealogy demonstrates her full incorporation into the covenant community of Israel. The genealogy serves to validate and emphasize the theological significance of her story as part of God's larger redemptive narrative.

Ruth 4:20

The progression through Salmon and the explicit mention of Boaz in the genealogy connects the narrative account of Ruth and Boaz to the larger historical framework and establishes Boaz as a link in the chain of covenant community stretching from Perez to David. Salmon's role as father of Boaz connects the narrative to earlier biblical history and suggests that the story of Ruth and Boaz takes its place within a historical continuum of divine providence. The genealogy's mention of Boaz validates the narrative account and ties the story to verifiable historical sequence.

Ruth 4:21

The genealogy's progression to Boaz and Jesse through Obed connects Ruth's son directly to the lineage of David and establishes the crucial links in the chain that leads to Israel's greatest king. Obed's position in the genealogy as the father of Jesse, who will father David, demonstrates that Ruth's redemption was not an isolated event but a pivotal moment in the working out of God's covenant promises regarding David's eternal throne. The genealogy emphasizes that God's purposes for Israel were being accomplished through Ruth's story all along.

Ruth 4:22

The final link in the genealogy connecting Jesse to David concludes the narrative's demonstration that Ruth's story, which began with famine and loss in a foreign land, has culminated in the birth of the lineage through which Israel's greatest king will descend. The inclusion of Ruth, a Moabite woman and a foreigner, in the direct lineage of David represents a remarkable statement about the inclusiveness of God's covenant community and the priority of virtue and faithfulness over ethnic identity. The genealogy's completion with David establishes that Ruth's redemption was providential not merely for her own household but for the entire nation of Israel and for the ultimate purposes of God.