| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now 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, friend, sit down here.” So he came aside and sat down. | 1Boaz went to the gate of the town and sat down there. Soon the family redeemer Boaz had spoken about came by. Boaz called him by name and said, "Come over here and sit down." So he went over and sat down. |
| 2And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. | 2Then Boaz took 10 men of the town's elders and said, "Sit here." And they sat down. |
| 3Then 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. | 3He said to the redeemer, "Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, is selling a piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. |
| 4And I thought to 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 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.” | 4I thought I should inform you: Buy it back in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem it, do so. But if you do not want to redeem it, tell me so that I will know, because there isn't anyone other than you to redeem it, and I am next after you."" I want to redeem it," he answered. |
| 5Then 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 perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.” | 5Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you will also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man's name on his property." |
| 6And 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.” | 6The redeemer replied, "I can't redeem it myself, or I will ruin my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I can't redeem it." |
| 7Now 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. | 7At an earlier period in Israel, a man removed his sandal and gave it to the other party in order to make any matter legally binding concerning the right of redemption or the exchange of property. This was the method of legally binding a transaction in Israel. |
| 8Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal. | 8So the redeemer removed his sandal and said to Boaz, "Buy back the property yourself." |
| 9And 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. | 9Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses today that I am buying from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon. |
| 10Moreover, 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 his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.” | 10I will also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife, to perpetuate the deceased man's name on his property, so that his name will not disappear among his relatives or from the gate of his home. You are witnesses today." |
| 11And 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. | 11The elders and all the people who were at the gate said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is entering your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you be powerful in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem. |
| 12May 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.” | 12May your house become like the house of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring the LORD will give you by this young woman." |
| 13So 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. | 13Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he was intimate with her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. |
| 14Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! | 14Then the women said to Naomi, "Praise the LORD, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. |
| 15And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” | 15He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him." |
| 16Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. | 16Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and took care of him. |
| 17Also 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. | 17The neighbor women said, "A son has been born to Naomi," and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. |
| 18Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; | 18Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron. |
| 19Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; | 19Hezron fathered Ram, who fathered Amminadab. |
| 20Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; | 20Amminadab fathered Nahshon, who fathered Salmon. |
| 21Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; | 21Salmon fathered Boaz, who fathered Obed. |
| 22Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David. | 22And Obed fathered Jesse, who fathered David. |
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