Ruth 4

1 Meanwhile, Boaz [the strong and supportive one] went to the gate [the city entrance, a place of gathering] and sat down [to dwell, to remain] there. Soon the kinsman-redeemer [the near relative, the one responsible for redemption] of whom he had spoken [to communicate, to declare] came along, and Boaz said, “Come over here [to this place, hither], my friend [such a one, a certain person], and sit down [to rest, to abide].” So he went over and sat down [to dwell, to remain]. word study 2 Then Boaz took [selected, gathered] ten of the elders [respected leaders, old men] of the city [a place with a wall, a watchman] and said, “Sit [dwell, remain] here [in this place, from this location],” and they did [sat down, remained] so. word study 3 And he said to the kinsman-redeemer [near relative, family guardian], “Naomi [faithful, pleasant one], who has returned [come back, turned away] from the land [region, territory] of Moab [a land east of the Jordan], is selling [giving up, transferring ownership] the piece of land [plot, parcel] that belonged to our brother [relative, kin] Elimelech [my God is king]. word study 4 I thought I should inform you [advertise, make known] that you may buy it back [redeem, purchase] in the presence of those seated here [the inhabitants, the people] and in the presence of the elders [the old, the wise] of my people [my nation, my family]. If you want to redeem [buy back, restore] it, do so [take action, fulfill your duty]. But if you will not redeem [refuse to buy back, decline] it, tell me [declare, make known] so I may know [understand, be aware], because there is no one but you [none besides you, only you] to redeem [save, deliver] it, and I am next after you [following you, second in line].” “I will redeem [I will buy back, I will restore] it,” he replied [said, answered]. word study 5 Then Boaz said, “On the day [of purchase, when the transaction is made] you buy [acquire, take possession of] the land from Naomi and also from Ruth the Moabitess [a woman from Moab, a foreigner], you must also acquire [take as your own, redeem] the widow [the wife of the deceased, left alone] of the deceased [the one who has died, the late husband] in order to raise up [establish, preserve] the name [reputation, legacy] of the deceased [the one who has passed away] on his inheritance [property, ancestral land].” word study 6 The kinsman-redeemer [near relative, family guardian] replied, “I cannot [am not able, do not have the power] redeem it myself, or I would [lest, in order not to] jeopardize [ruin, destroy] my own inheritance [property, heritage]. Take my right of redemption [privilege, claim], because I cannot [am unable, lack the ability] redeem it [buy back, restore].” word study 7 Now in former times [in earlier days, before] in Israel [the descendants of Jacob], concerning the redemption [right of a family member to buy back, restore] or exchange [barter, trading] of property [land, possessions], to make any matter [affair, thing] legally binding [to confirm, establish] a man would remove [take off, draw away] his sandal [shoe] and give [hand over, transfer] it to the other party [neighbor, fellow], and this was a confirmation [testimony, witness] in Israel [the community of God’s people]. word study 8 So the kinsman-redeemer [family redeemer, near relative] removed his sandal [shoe] and said to Boaz [the ancestor of King David], “Buy [acquire, redeem] it for yourself [for thyself, as your own].” word study 9 At this, Boaz [the strong, supportive kinsman] said to the elders [respected leaders, older men] and all the people [the nation, community], “You [as witnesses, testifiers] are witnesses [those who see and attest] today [on this day, at this time] that I am buying [acquiring, redeeming] from Naomi [the pleasant, lovely one] all that belonged [everything, all possessions] to Elimelech [my God is king], Chilion [pining, frailty], and Mahlon [sick, weak]. word study 10 Moreover, I have acquired [purchased, taken as my own] Ruth the Moabitess [a woman from Moab, a foreigner], Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to raise up [to establish, to preserve] the name [reputation, legacy] of the deceased [the one who has died, Mahlon] through his inheritance [property, heritage], so that his name will not disappear [be cut off, forgotten] from among his brothers [relatives, kin] or from the gate [entrance, gathering place] of his home [town, city]. You are witnesses [testifiers, observers] today [at this present time].” word study 11 “We are witnesses,” said the elders [respected leaders, old men] and all the people at the gate [city entrance, public gathering place]. “May the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] make the woman [wife, female companion] entering your home [house, family] like Rachel [mother of Joseph and Benjamin] and Leah [first wife of Jacob], who together [as a team, in unity] built up [established, strengthened] the house of Israel [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob]. May you be prosperous [successful, flourishing] in Ephrathah [place of fruitfulness, Bethlehem] and famous [renowned, celebrated] in Bethlehem [house of bread, city of David]. word study 12 And may your house [family, descendants] become like the house [dynasty, lineage] of Perez [breach, breakthrough], whom Tamar [palm tree] bore to Judah [praise, worship], because of the offspring [seed, descendants] the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] will give you by this young woman [maiden, servant girl].” word study 13 So Boaz [the strong, noble kinsman] took Ruth [the foreign, yet faithful Moabite woman], and she became his wife [his female partner, companion]. And when he had relations [intimate, physical union] with her, the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant-keeping God] enabled her to conceive [to become pregnant, receive new life], and she gave birth [to beget, bring forth] to a son [a male child, descendant]. word study 14 Then the women [of the town, the community] said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], who has not left you this day [at this time, in this circumstance] without a kinsman-redeemer [a near relative, a family redeemer] [a guardian of your family’s heritage]. May his name [his reputation, his character] become famous [well-known, renowned] in Israel [the community of God’s people]. word study 15 He will renew [restore to vitality, give new life] your life and sustain [nourish, support] you in your old age [greyheaded, advanced years]. For your daughter-in-law [bride, wife of your son], who loves [has affection for, cherishes] you and is better [more beneficial, a greater blessing] to you than seven sons [male children, descendants], has given him birth [borne, brought forth].” word study 16 And Naomi [an Israelite woman] took [to get, to receive] the child [youth, a young person], placed [set, laid] him on her lap [bosom, chest area], and became [to be, to exist] a nurse [faithful one, trustworthy caregiver, to support] to him [to care for, to nurture]. word study 17 The neighbor [neighbouring] women said, “A son [child, descendant] has been born [begotten, given birth] to Naomi [the wife of Elimelech],” and they named [called] him Obed [serving, a servant]. He became the father [ancestor, patriarch] of Jesse [I possess, wealthy], the father [ancestor] of David [beloved, dear one]. word study 18 Now these [specific, notable] are the generations [family history, descendants] of Perez [breach, breakthrough]: Perez [the one who broke through] was the father [to beget, give birth to] of Hezron [surrounded by a wall, protected], word study 19 Hezron [the surrounded one, a place in southern Judah] was the father [to beget, give birth to] of Ram [an important ancestor], Ram was the father [to beget, bring forth] of Amminadab [my kinsman is noble, a name signifying noble lineage], word study 20 Amminadab [my kinsman is noble, a name signifying noble kinship] was the father [to beget, to give birth] of Nahshon [an Israelite leader], Nahshon [the same leader] was the father [to bring forth, to produce] of Salmon [father of Boaz, ancestor of King David], word study 21 Salmon [the father of a prominent family] was the father [to beget, as an ancestor] of Boaz [a pillar of strength], Boaz was the father [to bring forth, as a descendant] of Obed [meaning serving, a servant of God], word study 22 Obed [serving, a servant of God] was the father [to beget, to bring forth] of Jesse [I possess, a man of Judah], and Jesse [I possess] was the father [to beget] of David [beloved, a king of Israel]. word study