| New American Standard Bible 1995 | NET Bible |
| 1Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, "Turn aside, friend, sit down here." And he turned 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. |
| 2He 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 closest relative, "Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell 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. |
| 4"So I thought to inform you, saying, 'Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am 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 acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on 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." |
| 6The closest relative said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, 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 the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation 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.) |
| 8So the closest relative said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." And he removed his sandal. | 8So the guardian said to Boaz, "You may acquire it," and he removed his sandal. |
| 9Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. | 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. |
| 10"Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today." | 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." |
| 11All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become 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. |
| 12"Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring which the LORD will give you by 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 he went in to her. And the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to 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 is the LORD who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become 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! |
| 15"May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to 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 in her lap, and became his nurse. | 16Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap; she became his caregiver. |
| 17The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, "A son has been born to Naomi!" So they named him 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 these are the generations of Perez: to Perez was born Hezron, | 18These are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, |
| 19and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab, | 19Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, |
| 20and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon, | 20Amminadab was the father of Nachshon, Nachshon was the father of Salmah, |
| 21and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, | 21Salmon was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed, |
| 22and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David. | 22Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. //netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved. |
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