| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 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. | 1Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there. Just then the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, “Come over here and sit down, friend. I want to talk to you.” So they sat down together. |
| 2Boaz chose ten of the village leaders and said, "Sit down here!" So they sat down. | 2Then Boaz called ten leaders from the town and asked them to sit as witnesses. |
| 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. | 3And Boaz said to the family redeemer, “You know Naomi, who came back from Moab. She is selling the land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. |
| 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 speak to you about it so that you can redeem it if you wish. If you want the land, then buy it here in the presence of these witnesses. But if you don’t want it, let me know right away, because I am next in line to redeem it after you.” The man replied, “All right, I’ll redeem it.” |
| 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 told him, “Of course, your purchase of the land from Naomi also requires that you marry Ruth, the Moabite widow. That way she can have children who will carry on her husband’s name and keep the land in the family.” |
| 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." | 6“Then I can’t redeem it,” the family redeemer replied, “because this might endanger my own estate. You redeem the land; 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.) | 7Now in those days it was the custom in Israel for anyone transferring a right of purchase to remove his sandal and hand it to the other party. This publicly validated the transaction. |
| 8So the guardian said to Boaz, "You may acquire it," and he removed his sandal. | 8So the other family redeemer drew off his sandal as he said to Boaz, “You buy the land.” |
| 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 said to the elders and to the crowd standing around, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, 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." | 10And with the land I have acquired Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon, to be my wife. This way she can have a son to carry on the family name of her dead husband and to inherit the family property here in his hometown. You are all witnesses today.” |
| 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 standing in the gate replied, “We are witnesses! May the LORD make this woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, from whom all the nation of Israel descended! May you prosper 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." | 12And may the LORD give you descendants by this young woman who will be like those of our ancestor Perez, the son of Tamar and Judah.” The Descendants of Boaz |
| 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 into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the LORD enabled her to become pregnant, 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! | 14Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the LORD, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in 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!" | 15May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!” |
| 16Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap; she became his caregiver. | 16Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as if he were her own. |
| 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 neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David. |
| 18These are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, | 18This is the genealogical record of their ancestor Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron. |
| 19Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, | 19Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab. |
| 20Amminadab was the father of Nachshon, Nachshon was the father of Salmah, | 20Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. |
| 21Salmon was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed, | 21Salmon was the father of Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed. |
| 22Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David. | 22Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David. |
|
