1 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 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
3 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 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.
5 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 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 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 neighbor: and this was a testimony in Israel.
8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.
9 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 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 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 Bethlehem:
12 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.
13 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 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 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 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
17 And the women her neighbors 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.
18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
1 Then went H5927 Boaz H1162 up H5927 to the gate, H8179 and sat him down H3427 there: and, behold, the kinsman H1350 of whom Boaz H1162 spake H1696 came H5674 by; unto whom he said, H559 Ho, H1945 such H6423 a one! H492 turn aside, H5493 sit down H3427 here. And he turned aside, H5493 and sat down. H3427
2 And he took H3947 ten H6235 men H582 of the elders H2205 of the city, H5892 and said, H559 Sit ye down H3427 here. And they sat down. H3427
3 And he said H559 unto the kinsman, H1350 Naomi, H5281 that is come again H7725 out of the country H7704 of Moab, H4124 selleth H4376 a parcel H2513 of land, H7704 which was our brother H251 Elimelech's: H458
4 And I thought H559 to advertise H1540 H241 thee, saying, H559 Buy H7069 it before the inhabitants, H3427 and before the elders H2205 of my people. H5971 If thou wilt redeem H1350 it, redeem H1350 it: but if thou wilt not redeem H1350 it, then tell H5046 me, that I may know: H3045 for there is none to redeem H1350 it beside H2108 thee; and I am after H310 thee. And he said, H559 I will redeem H1350 it.
5 Then said H559 Boaz, H1162 What day H3117 thou buyest H7069 the field H7704 of the hand H3027 of Naomi, H5281 thou must buy H7069 it also of Ruth H7327 the Moabitess, H4125 the wife H802 of the dead, H4191 to raise up H6965 the name H8034 of the dead H4191 upon his inheritance. H5159
6 And the kinsman H1350 said, H559 I cannot H3201 redeem H1350 it for myself, lest I mar H7843 mine own inheritance: H5159 redeem H1350 thou my right H1353 to thyself; for I cannot H3201 redeem H1350 it.
7 Now this was the manner in former time H6440 in Israel H3478 concerning redeeming H1353 and concerning changing, H8545 for to confirm H6965 all things; H1697 a man H376 plucked off H8025 his shoe, H5275 and gave H5414 it to his neighbour: H7453 and this was a testimony H8584 in Israel. H3478
8 Therefore the kinsman H1350 said H559 unto Boaz, H1162 Buy H7069 it for thee. So he drew off H8025 his shoe. H5275
9 And Boaz H1162 said H559 unto the elders, H2205 and unto all the people, H5971 Ye are witnesses H5707 this day, H3117 that I have bought H7069 all that was Elimelech's, H458 and all that was Chilion's H3630 and Mahlon's, H4248 of the hand H3027 of Naomi. H5281
10 Moreover Ruth H7327 the Moabitess, H4125 the wife H802 of Mahlon, H4248 have I purchased H7069 to be my wife, H802 to raise up H6965 the name H8034 of the dead H4191 upon his inheritance, H5159 that the name H8034 of the dead H4191 be not cut off H3772 from among H5973 his brethren, H251 and from the gate H8179 of his place: H4725 ye are witnesses H5707 this day. H3117
11 And all the people H5971 that were in the gate, H8179 and the elders, H2205 said, H559 We are witnesses. H5707 The LORD H3068 make H5414 the woman H802 that is come H935 into thine house H1004 like Rachel H7354 and like Leah, H3812 which two H8147 did build H1129 the house H1004 of Israel: H3478 and do H6213 thou worthily H2428 in Ephratah, H672 and be famous H7121 H8034 in Bethlehem: H1035
12 And let thy house H1004 be like the house H1004 of Pharez, H6557 whom Tamar H8559 bare H3205 unto Judah, H3063 of the seed H2233 which the LORD H3068 shall give H5414 thee of this young woman. H5291
13 So Boaz H1162 took H3947 Ruth, H7327 and she was his wife: H802 and when he went in H935 unto her, the LORD H3068 gave H5414 her conception, H2032 and she bare H3205 a son. H1121
14 And the women H802 said H559 unto Naomi, H5281 Blessed H1288 be the LORD, H3068 which hath not left H7673 thee this day H3117 without a kinsman, H1350 that his name H8034 may be famous H7121 in Israel. H3478
15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer H7725 of thy life, H5315 and a nourisher H3557 of thine old age: H7872 for thy daughter in law, H3618 which loveth H157 thee, which is better H2896 to thee than seven H7651 sons, H1121 hath born H3205 him.
16 And Naomi H5281 took H3947 the child, H3206 and laid H7896 it in her bosom, H2436 and became nurse H539 unto it.
17 And the women her neighbours H7934 gave H7121 it a name, H8034 saying, H559 There is a son H1121 born H3205 to Naomi; H5281 and they called H7121 his name H8034 Obed: H5744 he is the father H1 of Jesse, H3448 the father H1 of David. H1732
18 Now these are the generations H8435 of Pharez: H6557 Pharez H6557 begat H3205 Hezron, H2696
19 And Hezron H2696 begat H3205 Ram, H7410 and Ram H7410 begat H3205 Amminadab, H5992
20 And Amminadab H5992 begat H3205 Nahshon, H5177 and Nahshon H5177 begat H3205 Salmon, H8009
21 And Salmon H8012 begat H3205 Boaz, H1162 and Boaz H1162 begat H3205 Obed, H5744
22 And Obed H5744 begat H3205 Jesse, H3448 and Jesse H3448 begat H3205 David. H1732
1 Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the near 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 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
3 And he said unto the near kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:
4 And I thought to disclose it unto thee, saying, Buy it before them that sit here, 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 besides thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
5 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 And the near kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it.
7 Now this was `the custom' in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the `manner of' attestation in Israel.
8 So the near kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thyself. And he drew off his shoe.
9 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 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 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
12 and let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of this young woman.
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in unto her, and Jehovah gave her conception, and she bare a son.
14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not left thee this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in Israel.
15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of life, and a nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him.
16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
17 And the women her neighbors 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.
18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez begat Hezron,
19 and Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
20 and Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
21 and Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
22 and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
1 And Boaz hath gone up to the gate, and sitteth there, and lo, the redeemer is passing by of whom Boaz had spoken, and he saith, `Turn aside, sit down here, such a one, such a one;' and he turneth aside and sitteth down.
2 And he taketh ten men of the elders of the city, and saith, `Sit down here;' and they sit down.
3 And he saith to the redeemer, `A portion of the field which `is' to our brother, to Elimelech, hath Naomi sold, who hath come back from the fields of Moab;
4 and I said, I uncover thine ear, saying, Buy before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people; if thou dost redeem -- redeem, and if none doth redeem -- declare to me, and I know, for there is none save thee to redeem, and I after thee.' And he saith, I redeem `it'.'
5 And Boaz saith, `In the day of thy buying the field from the hand of Naomi, then from Ruth the Moabitess, wife of the dead, thou hast bought `it', to raise up the name of the dead over his inheritance.'
6 And the redeemer saith, `I am not able to redeem `it' for myself, lest I destroy mine inheritance; redeem for thyself -- thou -- my right of redemption, for I am not able to redeem.'
7 And this `is' formerly in Israel for redemption and for changing, to establish anything: a man hath drawn off his sandal, and given `it' to his neighbour, and this `is' the testimony in Israel.
8 And the redeemer saith to Boaz, `Buy `it' for thyself,' and draweth off his sandal.
9 And Boaz saith to the elders, and `to' all the people, `Witnesses `are' ye to-day that I have bought all that `is' to Elimelech, and all that `is' to Chilion and Mahlon, from the hand of Naomi;
10 and also Ruth the Moabitess, wife of Mahlon, I have bought to myself for a wife, to raise up the name of the dead over his inheritance; and the name of the dead is not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place; witnesses ye `are' to-day.'
11 And all the people who `are' in the gate say -- also the elders -- `Witnesses! Jehovah make the woman who is coming in unto thy house as Rachel and as Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and do thou virtuously in Ephrathah, and proclaim the Name in Beth-Lehem;
12 and let thy house be as the house of Pharez (whom Tamar bare to Judah), of the seed which Jehovah doth give to thee of this young woman.'
13 And Boaz taketh Ruth, and she becometh his wife, and he goeth in unto her, and Jehovah giveth to her conception, and she beareth a son.
14 And the women say unto Naomi, `Blessed `is' Jehovah who hath not let a redeemer cease to thee to-day, and his name is proclaimed in Israel,
15 and he hath been to thee for a restorer of life, and for a nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law who hath loved thee -- who is better to thee than seven sons -- hath borne him.'
16 And Naomi taketh the lad, and layeth him in her bosom, and is to him for a nurse;
17 and the neighbouring women give to him a name, saying, `There hath been a son born to Naomi,' and they call his name Obed; he `is' father of Jesse, father of David.
18 And these are genealogies of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
19 and Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminidab,
20 and Amminidab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
21 and Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
22 and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
1 And Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there. And behold, he that had the right of redemption, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. And he said, Thou, such a one, turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside and sat down.
2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit down here. And they sat down.
3 And he said to him that had the right of redemption: Naomi, who is come back out of the country of Moab, sells the allotment that was our brother Elimelech's.
4 And I thought I would apprise thee of it and say, Buy [it] in the presence of the inhabitants, and in the presence of the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem [it], redeem; but if thou wilt not redeem, tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem besides thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem [it].
5 And Boaz said, On the 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 And he that had the right of redemption said, I cannot redeem [it] for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance. Redeem thou for thyself what I should redeem, for I cannot redeem [it].
7 Now this [was the custom] in former time in Israel concerning redemption and concerning exchange, to confirm the whole matter: a man drew off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbour, and this was the [mode of] attestation in Israel.
8 And he that had the right of redemption said to Boaz, Buy for thyself; and he drew off his sandal.
9 And Boaz said to the elders and 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 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 And all the people that were in the gate and the elders said, [We are] witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that cometh into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel; and acquire power in Ephratah, and make thyself a name in Bethlehem;
12 and let thy house become like the house of Pherez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of this young woman.
13 And Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in unto her, and Jehovah gave her conception, and she bore a son.
14 And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah who hath not left thee this day without one that has the right of redemption, and may his name be famous in Israel!
15 And he shall be to thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age; for thy daughter-in-law who loves thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, has borne him.
16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse to it.
17 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.
18 Now these are the generations of Pherez. Pherez begot Hezron,
19 and Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab,
20 and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon,
21 and Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed,
22 and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.
1 Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; to whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. He turned aside, and sat down.
2 He took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit you down here. They sat down.
3 He said to the near kinsman, Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:
4 I thought to disclose it to you, saying, Buy it before those who sit here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it: but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it besides you; and I am after you. He said, I will redeem it.
5 Then said Boaz, What day you buy the field of the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance.
6 The near kinsman said, I can't redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance: take my right of redemption on you; for I can't redeem it.
7 Now this was [the custom] in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the [manner of] attestation in Israel.
8 So the near kinsman said to Boaz, Buy it for yourself. He drew off his shoe.
9 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, of the hand of Naomi.
10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place: you are witnesses this day.
11 All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. Yahweh make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, which two built the house of Israel: and do you worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
12 and let your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Yahweh shall give you of this young woman.
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and Yahweh gave her conception, and she bore a son.
14 The women said to Naomi, Blessed be Yahweh, who has not left you this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in Israel.
15 He shall be to you a restorer of 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 Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse to it.
17 The women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they named him Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 Now this is the history of the generations of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron,
19 and Hezron became the father of Ram, and Ram became the father of Amminadab,
20 and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon became the father of Salmon,
21 and Salmon became the father of Boaz, and Boaz became the father of Obed,
22 and Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.
1 And Boaz went up to the public place of the town, and took his seat there: and the near relation of whom he had been talking came by; and Boaz, crying out to him by name, said, Come and be seated here. And he came and was seated.
2 Then he got ten of the responsible men of the town, and said, Be seated here. And they took their seats.
3 Then he said to the near relation, Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is offering for a price that bit of land which was our brother Elimelech's:
4 And it was in my mind to give you the chance of taking it, with the approval of those seated here and of the responsible men of my people. If you are ready to do what it is right for a relation to do, then do it: but if you will not do it, say so to me now; for there is no one who has the right to do it but you, and after you myself. And he said, I will do it.
5 Then Boaz said, On the day when you take this field, you will have to take with it Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, so that you may keep the name of the dead living in his heritage.
6 And the near relation said, I am not able to do the relation's part, for fear of damaging the heritage I have: you may do it in my place, for I am not able to do it myself.
7 Now, in earlier times this was the way in Israel when property was taken over by a near relation, or when there was a change of owner. To make the exchange certain one man took off his shoe and gave it to the other; and this was a witness in Israel.
8 So the near relation said to Boaz, Take it for yourself. And he took off his shoe.
9 Then Boaz said to the responsible men and to all the people, You are witnesses today that I have taken at a price from Naomi all the property which was Elimelech's, and everything which was Chilion's and Mahlon's.
10 And, further, I have taken Ruth, the Moabitess, who was the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to keep the name of the dead man living in his heritage, so that his name may not be cut off from among his countrymen, and from the memory of his town: you are witnesses this day.
11 And all the people who were in the public place, and the responsible men, said, We are witnesses. May the Lord make this woman, who is about to come into your house, like Rachel and Leah, which two were the builders of the house of Israel: and may you have wealth in Ephrathah, and be great in Beth-lehem;
12 May your family be like the family of Perez, the son whom Tamar gave to Judah, from the offspring which the Lord may give you by this young woman.
13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and the Lord made her with child and she gave birth to a son.
14 And the women said to Naomi, A blessing on the Lord, who has not let you be this day without a near relation, and may his name be great in Israel.
15 He will be a giver of new life to you, and your comforter when you are old, for your daughter-in-law, who, in her love for you, is better than seven sons, has given birth to him.
16 And Naomi took the child and put her arms round it, and she took care of it.
17 And the women who were her neighbours gave it a name, saying, Naomi has a child; and they gave him the name of Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron;
19 And Hezron became the father of Ram, and Ram became the father of Amminadab;
20 And Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon became the father of Salmon;
21 And Salmon became the father of Boaz, and Boaz became the father of Obed;
22 And Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Ruth 4
Commentary on Ruth 4 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Boaz Marries Ruth - Ruth 4
To redeem the promise he had given to Ruth, Boaz went the next morning to the gate of the city, and calling to the nearer redeemer as he passed by, asked him, before the elders of the city, to redeem the piece of land which belonged to Elimelech and had been sold by Naomi; and if he did this, at the same time to marry Ruth, to establish the name of the deceased upon his inheritance (Ruth 4:1-5). But as he renounced the right of redemption on account of the condition attached to the redemption of the field, Boaz undertook the redemption before the assembled people, together with the obligation to marry Ruth (Ruth 4:6-12). The marriage was blessed with a son, who became the father of Jesse, the father of David (Ruth 4:13-17). The book closes with a genealogical proof of the descent of David from Perez (Ruth 4:18-22).
“ Boaz had gone up to the gate, and had sat down there .” This circumstantial clause introduces the account of the further development of the affair. The gate, i.e., the open space before the city gate, was the forum of the city, the place where the public affairs of the city were discussed. The expression “went up” is not to be understood as signifying that Boaz went up from the threshing-floor where he had slept tot the city, which was situated upon higher ground, for, according to Ruth 3:15, he had already gone to the city before he went up to the gate; but it is to be explained as referring to the place of justice as an ideal eminence to which a man went up (vid., Deuteronomy 17:8). The redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken - that is to say, the nearer relation of Elimelech - then went past, and Boaz requested him to come near and sit down. סוּר as in Genesis 19:2, etc.: “ Sit down here, such a one. ” אלמני פּלני , any one, a certain person, whose name is either unknown or not thought worth mentioning (cf. 1 Samuel 21:3; 2 Kings 6:8). Boaz would certainly call him by his name; but the historian had either not heard the name, or did not think it necessary to give it.
Ruth 4:2-5
Boaz then called ten of the elders of the city as witnesses of the business to be taken in hand, and said to the redeemer in their presence, “ The piece of field which belonged to our brother (i.e., our relative) Elimelech (as an hereditary family possession), Naomi has sold, and I have thought ( lit . 'I said,' sc., to myself; cf. Genesis 17:17; Genesis 27:41), I will open thine ear (i.e., make it known, disclose it): get it before those who sit here, and (indeed) before the elders of my people .” As the field had been sold to another, getting it ( קנה ) could only be accomplished by virtue of the right of redemption. Boaz therefore proceeded to say, “ If thou wilt redeem, redeem; but if thou wilt not redeem, tell me, that I may know it: for there is not beside thee (any one more nearly entitled) to redeem, and I am (the next) after thee .” היּשׁבים is rendered by many, those dwelling, and supposed to refer to the inhabitants of Bethlehem. But we could hardly think of the inhabitants generally as present, as the word “before” would require, even if, according to Ruth 4:9, there were a number of persons present besides the elders. Moreover they would not have been mentioned first, but, like “ all the people ” in Ruth 4:9, would have been placed after the elders as the principal witnesses. On these grounds, the word must be taken in the sense of sitting, and, like the verb in Ruth 4:2, be understood as referring to the elders present; and the words “before the elders of my people” must be regarded as explanatory. The expression יגאל (third pers.) is striking, as we should expect the second person, which is not only found in the Septuagint, but also in several codices, and is apparently required by the context. It is true that the third person may be defended, as it has been by Seb . Schmidt and others, on the assumption that Boaz turned towards the elders and uttered the words as addressed to them, and therefore spoke of the redeemer as a third person: “ But if he, the redeemer there, will not redeem .” But as the direct appeal to the redeemer himself is resumed immediately afterwards, the supposition, to our mind at least, is a very harsh one. The person addressed said, “ I will redeem.” Boaz then gave him this further explanation (Ruth 4:5): “ On the day that thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou buyest it of the hand of Ruth the Moabitess, of the wife of the deceased (Mahlon, the rightful heir of the field), to set up (that thou mayest set up) the name of the deceased upon his inheritance. ” From the meaning and context, the form קניתי must be the second pers. masc.; the yod at the end no doubt crept in through an error of the pen, or else from a ו , so that the word is either to be read קנית (according to the Keri ) or קניתו , “ thou buyest it .” So far as the fact itself was concerned, the field, which Naomi had sold from want, was the hereditary property of her deceased husband, and ought therefore to descend to her sons according to the standing rule of right; and in this respect, therefore, it was Ruth's property quite as much as Naomi's. From the negotiation between Boaz and the nearer redeemer, it is very evident that Naomi had sold the field which was the hereditary property of her husband, and was lawfully entitled to sell it. But as landed property did not descend to wives according to the Israelitish law, but only to children, and when there were no children, to the nearest relatives of the husband (Numbers 27:8-11), when Elimelech died his field properly descended to his sons; and when they died without children, it ought to have passed to his nearest relations. Hence the question arises, what right had Naomi to sell her husband's field as her own property? The Rabbins suppose that the field had been presented to Naomi and Ruth by their husbands (vid., Selden , de success. in bona def. c. 15). But Elimelech could not lawfully give his hereditary property to his wife, as he left sons behind him when he died, and they were the lawful heirs; and Mahlon also had no more right than his father to make such a gift. There is still less foundation for the opinion that Naomi was an heiress, since even if this were the case, it would be altogether inapplicable to the present affair, where the property in question was not a field which Naomi had inherited form her father, but the field of Elimelech and his sons. The true explanation is no doubt the following: The law relating to the inheritance of the landed property of Israelites who died childless did not determine the time when such a possession should pass to the relatives of the deceased, whether immediately after the death of the owner, or not till after the death of the widow who was left behind (vid., Numbers 27:9.). No doubt the latter was the rule established by custom, so that the widow remained in possession of the property as long as she lived; and for that length of time she had the right to sell the property in case of need, since the sale of a field was not an actual sale of the field itself, but simply of the yearly produce until the year of jubilee. Consequently the field of the deceased Elimelech would, strictly speaking, have belonged to his sons, and after their death to Mahlon's widow, since Chilion's widow had remained behind in her own country Moab. But as Elimelech had not only emigrated with his wife and children and died abroad, but his sons had also been with him in the foreign land, and had married and died there, the landed property of their father had not descended to them, but had remained the property of Naomi, Elimelech's widow, in which Ruth, as the widow of the deceased Mahlon, also had a share. Now, in case a widow sold the field of her deceased husband for the time that it was in her possession, on account of poverty, and a relation of her husband redeemed it, it was evidently his duty not only to care for the maintenance of the impoverished widow, but if she were still young, to marry her, and to let the first son born of such a marriage enter into the family of the deceased husband of his wife, so as to inherit the redeemed property, and perpetuate the name and possession of the deceased in Israel. Upon this right, which was founded upon traditional custom, Boaz based this condition, which he set before the nearer redeemer, that if he redeemed the field of Naomi he must also take Ruth, with the obligation to marry her, and through this marriage to set up the name of the deceased upon his inheritance.
The redeemer admitted the justice of this demand, from which we may see that the thing passed as an existing right in the nation. But as he was not disposed to marry Ruth, he gave up the redemption of the field.
Ruth 4:6-13
“ I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance .” The redemption would cost money, since the yearly produce of the field would have to be paid for up to the year of jubilee. Now, if he acquired the field by redemption as his own permanent property, he would have increased by so much his own possessions in land. But if he should marry Ruth, the field so redeemed would belong to the son whom he would beget through her, and he would therefore have parted with the money that he had paid for the redemption merely for the son of Ruth, so that he would have withdrawn a certain amount of capital from his own possession, and to that extent have detracted from its worth. “ Redeem thou for thyself my redemption ,” i.e., the field which I have the first right to redeem.
Ruth 4:7-8
This declaration he confirmed by what was a usual custom at that time in renouncing a right. This early custom is described in Ruth 4:7, and there its application to the case before us is mentioned afterwards. “ Now this was (took place) formerly in Israel in redeeming and exchanging, to confirm every transaction: A man took off his shoe and gave it to another, and this was a testimony in Israel. ” From the expression “ formerly ,” and also from the description given of the custom in question, it follows that it had gone out of use at the time when our book was composed. The custom itself, which existed among the Indians and the ancient Germans, arose from the fact that fixed property was taken possession of by treading upon the soil, and hence taking off the shoe and handing it to another was a symbol of the transfer of a possession or right of ownership (see the remarks on Deuteronomy 25:9 and my Bibl. Archäol. ii. p. 66). The Piel קיּם is rarely met with in Hebrew; in the present instance it was probably taken from the old legal phraseology. The only other places in which it occurs are Ezekiel 13:6; Psalms 119:28, Psalms 119:106, and the book of Esther, where it is used more frequently as a Chaldaism.
Ruth 4:9-10
After the nearest redeemer had thus renounced the right of redemption with all legal formality, Boaz said to the elders and all the (rest of the) people, “ Ye are witnesses this day, that I have acquired this day all that belonged to Elimelech, and to Mahlon and Chilion (i.e., the field of Elimelech, which was the rightful inheritance of his sons Mahlon and Chilion ), at the hand of Naomi; and also Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to raise up the name of the deceased upon his inheritance, that the name of the deceased may not be cut off among his brethren and from the gate of his people ” (i.e., from his native town Bethlehem; cf. Ruth 3:11). On the fact itself, see the introduction to Ruth 3; also the remarks on the Levirate marriages at Deuteronomy 25:5.
Ruth 4:11
The people and the elders said, “ We are witnesses ,” and desired for Boaz the blessing of the Lord upon this marriage. For Boaz had acted as unselfishly as he had acted honourably in upholding a laudable family custom in Israel. The blessing desired is the greatest blessing of marriage: “ The Lord make the woman that shall come into thine house (the participle בּאה refers to what is immediately about to happen) like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel (“build” as in Genesis 16:2; Genesis 30:3); and do thou get power in Ephratah, and make to thyself a name in Bethlehem .” חיל עשׂה does not mean “get property or wealth,” as in Deuteronomy 8:17, but get power , as in Ps. 60:14 (cf. Proverbs 31:29), sc., by begetting and training worthy sons and daughters. “ Make thee a name ,” literally “call out a name.” The meaning of this phrase, which is only used here in this peculiar manner, must be the following: “Make to thyself a well-established name through thy marriage with Ruth, by a host of worthy sons who shall make thy name renowned.”
Ruth 4:12
“ May thy house become like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah ” (Gen 38). It was from Perez that the ancestors of Boaz, enumerated in Ruth 4:18. and 1 Chronicles 2:5., were descended. As from Perez, so also from the seed which Jehovah would give to Boaz through Ruth, there should grow up a numerous posterity.
This blessing began very speedily to be fulfilled. When Boaz had married Ruth, Jehovah gave her conception, and she bare a son.
Ruth 4:14
At his birth the women said to Naomi, “ Blessed be the Lord, who hath not let a redeemer be wanting to thee to-day. ” This redeemer was not Boaz, but the son just born. They called him a redeemer of Naomi, not because he would one day redeem the whole of Naomi's possessions ( Carpzov , Rosenm
“ These are the generations of Perez ,” i.e., the families descended from Perez in their genealogical order ( toledoth : see at Genesis 2:4). The genealogy only goes back as far as Perez , because he was the founder of the family of Judah which was named after him (Numbers 26:20), and to which Elimelech and Boaz belonged. Perez , a son of Judah by Tamar (Genesis 38:29), begat Hezrom , who is mentioned in Genesis 46:12 among the sons of Judah who emigrated with Jacob into Egypt, although (as we have shown in our comm. on the passage) he was really born in Egypt. Of this son Ram (called Aram in the Sept . Cod. Al ., and from that in Matthew 1:3) nothing further is known, as he is only mentioned again in 1 Chronicles 2:9. His son Amminidab was the father-in-law of Aaron, who had married his daughter (Exodus 6:23), and the father of Nahesson ( Nahshon ), the tribe-prince of the house of Judah in the time of Moses (Numbers 1:7; Numbers 2:3; Numbers 7:12). According to this there are only four or five generations to the 430 years spent by the Israelites in Egypt, if we include both Perez and Nahesson; evidently not enough for so long a time, so that some of the intermediate links must have been left out even here. But the omission of unimportant members becomes still more apparent in the statement which follows, viz., that Nahshon begat Salmah , and Salmah Boaz , in which only two generations are given for a space of more than 250 years, which intervened between the death of Moses and the time of Gideon. Salmah ( שׂלמה or שׂלמא , 1 Chronicles 2:11) is called Salmon in Ruth 4:21; a double form of the name, which is to be explained form the fact that Salmah grew out of Salmon through the elision of the n , and that the terminations an and on are used promiscuously, as we may see from the form שׁריה in Job 41:18 when compared with שׁרין in 1 Kings 22:34, and שׁריון in 1 Samuel 17:5, 1 Samuel 17:38 (see Ewald , §163-4). According to the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1:5, Salmon married Rahab; consequently he was a son, or at any rate a grandson, of Nahshon, and therefore all the members between Salmon and Boaz have been passed over. Again, the generations from Boaz to David (Ruth 4:21, Ruth 4:22) may possibly be complete, although in all probability one generation has been passed over even here between Obed and Jesse. It is also worthy of notice that the whole chain from Perez to David consists of ten links, five of which (from Perez to Nahshon) belong to the 430 years of the sojourn in Egypt, and five (from Salmon to David) to the 476 years between the exodus from Egypt and the death of David. This symmetrical division is apparently as intentional as the limitation of the whole genealogy to ten members, for the purpose of stamping upon it through the number ten as the seal of completeness the character of a perfect, concluded, and symmetrical whole.
The genealogy closes with David, an evident proof that the book was intended to give a family picture form the life of the pious ancestors of this great and godly king of Israel. But for us the history which points to David acquires a still higher signification, from the fact that all the members of the genealogy of David whose names occur here are also found in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. “The passage is given by Matthew word for word in the genealogy of Christ, that we may see that this history looks not so much to David as to Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed by all as the Saviour and Redeemer of the human race, and that we may learn with what wonderful compassion the Lord raises up the lowly and despised to the greatest glory and majesty” ( Brentius ).