Boaz Meets the Other Relative at the Gate
Study note
The town gate was where all legal and business matters were settled in ancient Israel. It served as a courthouse. Boaz arrived early and sat down to wait. When the other relative passed by, Boaz called him over and gathered ten elders as official witnesses. Boaz told the man that Naomi was selling a piece of land that had belonged to their relative Elimelech. The closer relative agreed to buy it.
1 Sure enough, that very morning Boaz went to the town gate -- the place where all important legal and business matters were decided -- and sat down to wait. Before long, the closer relative Boaz had mentioned came walking by. Boaz called out, "Come sit down here, friend." The man came over and sat down. 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.
2 Boaz then recruited ten of the town's elders to serve as official witnesses. He asked them to sit down, and they did. And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
3 Boaz spoke to the relative. "Naomi came back from Moab. She is selling the land that was Elimelech's." 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:
4 "I thought you should know about this opportunity, so you can decide in front of these witnesses and the town elders whether you want to buy it. You have the first right of purchase, and I am next in line. If you want to redeem it, redeem it. But if not, tell me now so I know where things stand." The man said, "I will redeem it." 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.
The Other Relative Gives Up His Right
Study note
Then Boaz added an important condition: whoever bought the land must also marry Ruth the Moabite widow. This was part of the kinsman-redeemer law. The purpose was to give the dead man an heir who would carry on his name and inherit his land. The other relative backed out because the cost of supporting a widow and raising children in another man's name would hurt his own estate. To make the deal official, the man took off his sandal and gave it to Boaz. In ancient Israel, this was the legal way to transfer a right or finish a business agreement.
5 Boaz went on, "There is one more thing. When you buy the land from Naomi, you also must marry Ruth, the Moabite widow. This makes sure that her dead husband's name and family line will continue through his land." It was the custom for a family helper to marry the widow so the family name would not die out. 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.
6 At this, the relative changed his mind. "In that case, I cannot do it. Taking on that responsibility could jeopardize my own family's inheritance. Go ahead and take my right as redeemer -- I cannot follow through." 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.
7 In those days in Israel, here is how people made a deal official. The person giving up a right would take off a sandal and hand it to the other person. This sealed the agreement. 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.
8 So the relative told Boaz, "Buy it yourself." Then he pulled off his sandal and gave it to Boaz to seal the deal. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.
Boaz Claims Ruth as His Wife
Study note
With witnesses watching, Boaz announced that he had bought all of Elimelech's property and had taken Ruth as his wife. The people and elders blessed the marriage. They compared Ruth to Rachel and Leah, the two wives of Jacob who together built the twelve tribes of Israel. They also mentioned Perez, the son of Tamar and Judah, who was an ancestor of the people of Bethlehem. Like Ruth, Tamar was a woman who showed bold faith and became part of God's plan.
9 Boaz then spoke to the elders and everyone gathered there. He said, "You are all witnesses today. I have purchased from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and 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 "Along with the land, I am also taking Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon's widow, as my wife. By doing this, I am making sure the dead man's name lives on with his property. His name will not vanish from his family line or from this town's records. Each of you is a witness today." 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.
11 The elders and everyone at the gate responded, "We are witnesses! May the Lord make this woman coming into your home as blessed as Rachel and Leah, who together built up the entire nation of Israel. May you prosper in Ephrath and gain a great name 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 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:
12 "May your family become like the family of Perez, the son Tamar gave to Judah. May the Lord give you many descendants through this young woman." 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.
The Birth of Obed
Study note
Boaz and Ruth married, and the Lord blessed them with a son. The women of Bethlehem celebrated with Naomi, praising God for giving her a grandson. They said Ruth was worth more to Naomi than seven sons, which was the highest praise anyone could give. Naomi held the baby and became like a grandmother to him. The neighbors named the child Obed, which means 'servant.' Obed would become the father of Jesse, who would become the father of King David.
13 So Boaz married Ruth. The Lord blessed their union, and Ruth became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy. 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.
14 The women of the town said to Naomi, "Praise the Lord! Today he has given you a family redeemer. May this child grow up to be famous throughout Israel." 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.
15 "This baby will breathe new life into you and support you in your old age. After all, your daughter-in-law who loves you so deeply -- the woman who is worth more to you than seven sons -- is the one who gave him to you." 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.
16 Naomi scooped up the baby boy and cradled him against her chest. She became like a grandmother to him and helped raise him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
17 The neighbor women celebrated and announced, "Naomi has a grandson!" They gave the child the name Obed. He later became the father of Jesse, who became the father of King David. 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.
The Family Line from Perez to David
Study note
The book ends with a genealogy tracing the family line from Perez, the son of Judah, all the way down to King David. This list covers about 800 years of history. It shows that God was working through ordinary people and even foreigners like Ruth to bring about his plan for Israel's greatest king. This same family line would later continue all the way to Jesus Christ.
18 Here is the family line beginning with Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron. Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
19 Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab. And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
20 Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
21 Salmon was the father of Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed. And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
22 Obed was the father of Jesse. And Jesse was the father of David, who would become the great king of Israel. And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.