The Marriage of Ruth

1Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the redeemer of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Come over here, [a]friend, sit down here.” And he came over and sat down. 2Then he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3And he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, has to sell the plot of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4So I thought that I would [b]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 [c]not, tell me so that I may know; for there is no one except you to redeem it, and I am after you.’” And he said, “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.” 6Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, otherwise I would [d]jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, since I cannot 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 way of confirmation in Israel. 8So the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” 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. 10Furthermore, 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 eliminated from his brothers or from the [e]court of his birth place; you are witnesses today.” 11And all the people who were [f]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 [g]wealth in Ephrathah and [h]become famous in Bethlehem. 12Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the [i]descendants whom the LORD will give you by this young woman.”

13So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he had relations with her. And the LORD [j]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 [k]become famous in Israel. 15May he also be to you one who restores life and sustains your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you [l]and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

The Line of David