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New King James Version

Boaz Marries Ruth

Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemera he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

1

Boaz Redeems Ruth

Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, “Come aside, [a]friend, sit down here.” So he came aside and sat down.

2

Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.

2

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

3

Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.

3

Then he said to the close relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.

4

I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if youb will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”
“I will redeem it,” he said.

4

And I thought to [b]inform you, saying, ‘Buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if [c]you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.’ ”
And he said, “I will redeem it.”

5

Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, thec dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”

5

Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to [d]perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.”

6

At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”

6

And the close relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

7

(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)

7

Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel.

8

So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.

8

Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal.

9

Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon.

9

And Boaz said to the elders and 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 Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”

10

Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from [e]his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.”

11

Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.

11

And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.

12

Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”

12

May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman.”

13

Naomi Gains a Son

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.

13

Descendants of Boaz and Ruth

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.

14

The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!

14

Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a [f]close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel!

15

He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

15

And may he be to you a restorer of life and a [g]nourisher of 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 in her arms and cared for him.

16

Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him.

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The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

17

Also the neighbor women gave him 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.

18

The Genealogy of David

This, then, is the family line of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron,

18

Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron;

19

Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,

19

Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab;

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Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,d

20

Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon;[h]