Ruth 4:1-9

Bible Text

[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.

Bethlehem was the Judahite town where Boaz settled the redemption of Naomi’s land at the city gate; Ephrathah was its older regional designation. Moab, east of the Dead Sea, was Ruth’s homeland, making her inclusion in this family line especially notable as Boaz acted according to Israel’s redemption customs.

Places in this passage

Ruth 4:1-9 mentions Bethlehem, Ephrathah and Moab.

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