New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Ruth 4
1
Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there. The family protector he had talked about came by. Then Boaz said, "Come over here, my friend. Sit down." So the man went over and sat down.
Reference
2
Boaz brought ten of the elders of the town together. He said, "Sit down here." So they did.
Reference
3
Then he spoke to the family protector. He said, "Naomi has come back from Moab. She's selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.
4
I thought I should bring the matter to your attention. I suggest that you buy the land while those who are sitting here and the elders of my people are looking on as witnesses. "If you are willing to buy it back, do it. But if you aren't, tell me. Then I'll know. No one has the right to buy it back except you. And I'm next in line." "I'll buy it," he said.
5
Then Boaz said, "When you buy the land from Naomi and Ruth, who is from Moab, you must get married to Ruth. She's the dead man's widow. So you must take her as your wife. His name must stay with his property."
Reference
6
When the family protector heard that, he said, "Then I can't buy the land. If I did, I might put my own property in danger. So you buy it. I can't do it."
7
In earlier times in Israel, there was a certain practice. It was used when family land was bought back and changed owners. The practice made the sale final. One person would take his sandal off and give it to the other. That was how people in Israel showed that a business matter had been settled.
8
So the family protector said to Boaz, "Buy it yourself." And he took his sandal off.
9
Then Boaz spoke to the elders and all of the people. He said, "Today you are witnesses. You have seen that I have bought land from Naomi. I have bought all of the property that had belonged to Elimelech, Kilion and Mahlon.
10
"I've also taken Ruth, who is from Moab, to become my wife. She is Mahlon's widow. I've decided to get married to her so the dead man's name will stay with his property. Now his name won't disappear from his family line. It won't disappear from the town records. Today you are witnesses!"
Reference
11
Then the elders and all who were at the gate spoke. They said, "We are witnesses. The woman is coming into your home. May the Lord make her to be like Rachel and Leah. Together they built up the nation of Israel. May you be an important person in Ephrathah. May you be famous in Bethlehem.
Reference
📍 Ephrathah
Parallel theme
Psalm 132:6
Genesis 24:60
Deuteronomy 25:9
Ruth 1:2
References Israel
Matthew 2:6
Micah 5:2
12
The Lord will give you children through this young woman. May your family be like the family of Perez. He was the son Tamar had by Judah."
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 38:29
1 Chronicles 2:4
Matthew 1:3
Genesis 46:12
References Lord
1 Samuel 2:20
13
So Boaz got married to Ruth. She became his wife. Then he made love to her. The Lord blessed her so that she became pregnant. And she had a son.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 33:5
Ruth 3:11
Genesis 30:2
1 Samuel 2:5
References Lord
Genesis 29:31
Psalm 127:3
Psalm 113:9
Genesis 25:21
1 Samuel 1:27
Ruth 4:12
14
The women said to Naomi, "We praise the Lord. Today he has provided a family protector for you. May this child become famous all over Israel!
Reference
15
He will make your life new again. He'll take care of you when you are old. He's the son of your very own daughter-in-law. She loves you. She is better to you than seven sons."
Reference
16
Then Naomi put the child on her lap and took care of him.
17
The women who were living there said, "Naomi has a son." They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David.
People
18
Here is the family line of Perez. Perez was the father of Hezron.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 3:33
20
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 1:7
22
Obed was the father of Jesse. And Jesse was the father of David.
Summary of Ruth 4
Ruth chapter 4 provides the reader with the book’s resolution. Boaz goes to the city gate, where legal and family issues are brought up and resolved. He invites the closer relative for a talk about Naomi’s property redemption. The relative declines the proposition when he finds out that it also involves Ruth’s marriage. Boaz then agrees to marry Ruth and becomes her redeemer. He and Ruth have a son called Obed. The chapter concludes by linking Obed to the line of David.
Early in the morning, Boaz goes to the Bethlehem gate, where the city’s elders and other officials congregate. The location is significant because it is the place where legal and family issues are discussed and resolved.
Boaz sees the closer relative, who he has already talked to in chapter 3, and invites him to sit down with him. Boaz then invites ten elders of the city as witnesses.
He tells the relative that Naomi has arrived from the country and that the land of Elimelech is for sale. As the closest relative, he has the right to buy it.
The man agrees to buy the property at first. However, Boaz tells him that the deal also includes Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon. He has to marry her to keep the land in the family.
When the relative hears that, he refuses to buy the property. He tells Boaz that he cannot take on the responsibility of a foreigner’s widow, which might bring bad luck to his household. He asks Boaz to buy the widow’s land to keep it in the family.
The agreement is then made public before the city elders and officials. The chapter narrates an ancient practice of footwear and sandals as a sign of something being transferred. The relative gives his shoe to Boaz, indicating that the responsibility for Naomi’s property redemption and Ruth’s marriage now belongs to him.
Boaz then declares before the city elders and the people that he has purchased everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon from Naomi.
He has also married Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon. He does this to keep the family name from being lost among his people or the city.
Everyone who has witnessed the agreement then blesses Boaz and Ruth. They compare Ruth to Rachel and Leah, the wives of Jacob, who bore all the tribes of Israel. They also wish that Ruth’s family line be like the family line of Pharez, the son of Judah and Tamar.
Boaz marries Ruth, and the Lord blesses her with children. She conceives and bears a son.
The women of Bethlehem then speak to Naomi. They praise the Lord for not leaving her desolate and giving her a son to comfort her in her old age.
They also acknowledge Ruth’s commitment to Naomi, saying that she is more faithful to her than seven sons would have been.
Naomi takes the child in her arms and thanks God. The women of Bethel then name the child Obed.
Obed grows to become the father of Jesse, who in turn becomes the father of David.
The final verses of the chapter contain a genealogy that traces the line of David back to Pharez. This genealogy shows that the story of Ruth is part of a much larger narrative that involves the history of Israel.
Ruth chapter 4 concludes the narrative about redemption that began in chapter 1. Naomi arrives in Bethlehem as an empty woman, but she leaves with a grandson to comfort her in her old age.
Ruth also finds redemption in marrying Boaz, her redeemer. She comes to Bethlehem as a poor, widowed foreigner, but she leaves as the wife of a wealthy landowner and the mother of their son, Obed.
Boaz is a redeemer of great faith and impeccable manners. He respects the rights of the closer relative by giving him the first option to buy Naomi’s property and marry Ruth.
He does not take advantage of the closer relative’s reluctance and leaves him free to make his choice.
The people of Bethlehem also help Naomi and Ruth by witnessing the agreement between Boaz and the closer relative. The legal and familial responsibilities for Naomi’s property and Ruth’s marriage are publicly known.
Finally, Naomi’s suffering in chapter 1 is redeemed. Her journey with Ruth has not been easy, and she has lost her husband, sons, and seemingly hope of ever having grandchildren. However, Naomi has her grandson to comfort her in her old age, and Ruth has found a new family to belong to.
Although her journey has been full of hardship, Naomi’s faith in the Lord has been rewarded many times over. Ruth’s faithfulness has also been rewarded as she becomes part of Israel’s royal family line.
The genealogy at the end of the chapter serves as a reminder that the story of Ruth and Naomi is part of a much greater story.
Ruth and Boaz are the parents of Obed, who becomes the grandfather of Jesse and the father of David. The story of a poor widow who lost everything but remained faithful to the Lord and joined Naomi in her time of need is a story of hope and faith. It is a story of kindness and love that begins with famine, the loss of husbands and sons, and ends with joy and the birth of a child who will one day rule over Israel.
Ruth chapter 4 concludes the book of Naomi’s redemption and Naomi’s hope. She is no longer empty-handed, Ruth has found a new family, and Boaz has fulfilled his duty as a redeemer.
Early in the morning, Boaz goes to the Bethlehem gate, where the city’s elders and other officials congregate. The location is significant because it is the place where legal and family issues are discussed and resolved.
Boaz sees the closer relative, who he has already talked to in chapter 3, and invites him to sit down with him. Boaz then invites ten elders of the city as witnesses.
He tells the relative that Naomi has arrived from the country and that the land of Elimelech is for sale. As the closest relative, he has the right to buy it.
The man agrees to buy the property at first. However, Boaz tells him that the deal also includes Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon. He has to marry her to keep the land in the family.
When the relative hears that, he refuses to buy the property. He tells Boaz that he cannot take on the responsibility of a foreigner’s widow, which might bring bad luck to his household. He asks Boaz to buy the widow’s land to keep it in the family.
The agreement is then made public before the city elders and officials. The chapter narrates an ancient practice of footwear and sandals as a sign of something being transferred. The relative gives his shoe to Boaz, indicating that the responsibility for Naomi’s property redemption and Ruth’s marriage now belongs to him.
Boaz then declares before the city elders and the people that he has purchased everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon from Naomi.
He has also married Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon. He does this to keep the family name from being lost among his people or the city.
Everyone who has witnessed the agreement then blesses Boaz and Ruth. They compare Ruth to Rachel and Leah, the wives of Jacob, who bore all the tribes of Israel. They also wish that Ruth’s family line be like the family line of Pharez, the son of Judah and Tamar.
Boaz marries Ruth, and the Lord blesses her with children. She conceives and bears a son.
The women of Bethlehem then speak to Naomi. They praise the Lord for not leaving her desolate and giving her a son to comfort her in her old age.
They also acknowledge Ruth’s commitment to Naomi, saying that she is more faithful to her than seven sons would have been.
Naomi takes the child in her arms and thanks God. The women of Bethel then name the child Obed.
Obed grows to become the father of Jesse, who in turn becomes the father of David.
The final verses of the chapter contain a genealogy that traces the line of David back to Pharez. This genealogy shows that the story of Ruth is part of a much larger narrative that involves the history of Israel.
Ruth chapter 4 concludes the narrative about redemption that began in chapter 1. Naomi arrives in Bethlehem as an empty woman, but she leaves with a grandson to comfort her in her old age.
Ruth also finds redemption in marrying Boaz, her redeemer. She comes to Bethlehem as a poor, widowed foreigner, but she leaves as the wife of a wealthy landowner and the mother of their son, Obed.
Boaz is a redeemer of great faith and impeccable manners. He respects the rights of the closer relative by giving him the first option to buy Naomi’s property and marry Ruth.
He does not take advantage of the closer relative’s reluctance and leaves him free to make his choice.
The people of Bethlehem also help Naomi and Ruth by witnessing the agreement between Boaz and the closer relative. The legal and familial responsibilities for Naomi’s property and Ruth’s marriage are publicly known.
Finally, Naomi’s suffering in chapter 1 is redeemed. Her journey with Ruth has not been easy, and she has lost her husband, sons, and seemingly hope of ever having grandchildren. However, Naomi has her grandson to comfort her in her old age, and Ruth has found a new family to belong to.
Although her journey has been full of hardship, Naomi’s faith in the Lord has been rewarded many times over. Ruth’s faithfulness has also been rewarded as she becomes part of Israel’s royal family line.
The genealogy at the end of the chapter serves as a reminder that the story of Ruth and Naomi is part of a much greater story.
Ruth and Boaz are the parents of Obed, who becomes the grandfather of Jesse and the father of David. The story of a poor widow who lost everything but remained faithful to the Lord and joined Naomi in her time of need is a story of hope and faith. It is a story of kindness and love that begins with famine, the loss of husbands and sons, and ends with joy and the birth of a child who will one day rule over Israel.
Ruth chapter 4 concludes the book of Naomi’s redemption and Naomi’s hope. She is no longer empty-handed, Ruth has found a new family, and Boaz has fulfilled his duty as a redeemer.