| New King James Version | NET 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. | 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. |
| 2And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. | 2Boaz chose ten of the village leaders and said, "Sit down here!" So 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. | 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. |
| 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.” | 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." |
| 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, "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." |
| 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 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." |
| 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. | 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.) |
| 8Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal. | 8So the guardian said to Boaz, "You may acquire it," and he removed his sandal. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 family become like the family of Perez--whom Tamar bore to Judah--through the descendants the LORD gives 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. | 13So Boaz married Ruth and had sexual relations 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! | 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! |
| 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 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!" |
| 16Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. | 16Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap; she became his caregiver. |
| 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 named him, saying, "A son has been born to Naomi." They named him Obed. Now he became the father of Jesse--David's father! |
| 18Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; | 18These are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, |
| 19Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; | 19Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, |
| 20Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; | 20Amminadab was the father of Nachshon, Nachshon was the father of Salmah, |
| 21Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; | 21Salmon was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed, |
| 22Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David. | 22Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David. |
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