| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1Now Boaz went up to the village gate and sat there. Then along came the guardian whom Boaz had mentioned to Ruth! Boaz said, "Come here and sit down, 'John Doe'!" So he came and sat down. | 1Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, "Come over here, my friend, and sit down." So he went over and sat down. |
| 2Boaz chose ten of the village leaders and said, "Sit down here!" So they sat down. | 2Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, "Sit here," and they did so. |
| 3Then Boaz said to the guardian, "Naomi, who has returned from the region of Moab, is selling the portion of land that belongs to our relative Elimelech. | 3Then 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. |
| 4So I am legally informing you: Acquire it before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people! If you want to exercise your right to redeem it, then do so. But if not, then tell me so I will know. For you possess the first option to redeem it; I am next in line after you." He replied, "I will redeem it." | 4I 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 you 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. |
| 5Then Boaz said, "When you acquire the field from Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the wife of our deceased relative, in order to preserve his family name by raising up a descendant who will inherit his property." | 5Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man's widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property." |
| 6The guardian said, "Then I am unable to redeem it, for I would ruin my own inheritance in that case. You may exercise my redemption option, for I am unable to redeem it." | 6At 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." |
| 7(Now this used to be the customary way to finalize a transaction involving redemption in Israel: A man would remove his sandal and give it to the other party. This was a legally binding act in Israel.) | 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.) |
| 8So the guardian said to Boaz, "You may acquire it," and he removed his sandal. | 8So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, "Buy it yourself." And he removed his sandal. |
| 9Then Boaz said to the leaders and all the people, "You are witnesses today that I have acquired from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon. | 9Then 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. |
| 10I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife to raise up a descendant who will inherit his property so the name of the deceased might not disappear from among his relatives and from his village. You are witnesses today." | 10I 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!" |
| 11All the people who were at the gate and the elders replied, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is entering your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the house of Israel! May you prosper in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. | 11Then 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. |
| 12May your family become like the family of Perez--whom Tamar bore to Judah--through the descendants the LORD gives you by this young woman." | 12Through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah." |
| 13So Boaz married Ruth and had sexual relations with her. The LORD enabled her to conceive and she gave birth to a son. | 13So 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. |
| 14The village women said to Naomi, "May the LORD be praised because he has not left you without a guardian today! May he become famous in Israel! | 14The 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! |
| 15He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She is better to you than seven sons!" | 15He 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." |
| 16Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap; she became his caregiver. | 16Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. |
| 17The neighbor women named him, saying, "A son has been born to Naomi." They named him Obed. Now he became the father of Jesse--David's father! | 17The women living there said, "Naomi has a son!" And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. |
| 18These are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, | 18This, then, is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, |
| 19Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, | 19Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, |
| 20Amminadab was the father of Nachshon, Nachshon was the father of Salmah, | 20Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, |
| 21Salmon was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed, | 21Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, |
| 22Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David. | 22Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David. |
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