Ruth 4:1-12 - Boaz Redeems Ruth

¹ Then went Boaz unto the gate and sat him down there. And behold, the kinsman of which Boaz spake came by. Unto whom he said, "Come and sit down here, and called him by his name." And he turned in and sat down. ² Then he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit ye down here." And they sat down. ³ Then he said unto the kinsman, "Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, will sell a parcel of land which was our brother Elimelech's. ⁴ And I thought to do thee to know, and bid thee buy it before the inhabiters and elders of my people, if thou be disposed to challenge it: but and if thou wilt not purchase it, then tell me that I may know it. For there is none to challenge it save thou, and I next after thee." And the other answered, "I will purchase it."

⁵ Then said Boaz, "What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must take also Ruth the Moabite the wife of the dead, to stir up the name of the dead upon his inheritance."

⁶ Then said the kinsman, "I cannot purchase it for marrying of mine own inheritance: take thou my right to thee, for I cannot purchase it."

⁷ Now this was the manner of old time in Israel concerning purchase and changing, for to establish all things: that a man must pluck off his shoe and give it his neighbour, and this was a witness in Israel.

⁸ And the kinsman said to Boaz, "Buy it thou": and so drew off his shoe.

⁹ Then said Boaz unto the elders and unto all the people, "Ye 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. ¹⁰ And moreover, Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, do I take unto me to wife to stir up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that his name be not put out from among his brethren, and from the gate of his city: ye are witnesses this day."

¹¹ And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said "We are witnesses: the LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and Lea, which twain did build the house of Israel: that she may do virtuously in Ephrata, and be famous in Bethlehem, ¹² and that thine house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, even of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman."