Ruth 4:1-16

No sooner had Boaz gone up to the city gate and sat down when the kinsman-redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken came passing by. Boaz called to him, “Come over here, friend; sit down with me. We have some business to attend to.” So the man went over and sat down. Then Boaz invited ten men of the city council and said, “Please, sit down here with us.” After they were seated, Boaz turned to the kinsman-redeemer and said, “Sir, Naomi has returned from the country of Moab, and she’s selling the piece of property that belonged to our relative Elimelech. So I thought you ought to know about it. Buy it if you want. We can make it official in the presence of those here and in the presence of the elders of our people. As the kinsman-redeemer, you have the first right of refusal. Redeem it if you choose to, but if not, tell me so I will know, as I am next in line.” The man replied, “I’ll redeem it.” Then Boaz added, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead. Therefore, it will be your responsibility to father a child in order to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance.” At this, the kinsman-redeemer balked and said, “In that case, I’m not able to redeem it for myself without risking my own inheritance. Take my purchase option of redemption yourself, for I can’t do it.” (At that time in Israel, in order to finalize a transaction concerning redeeming and transferring property, a man would customarily remove a sandal and give it to the other party, making the contract legally binding.) So when the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, “Take my purchase option of redemption for yourself,” he took off his sandal and gave it to Boaz. Then Boaz turned to the elders and announced publicly, “Today, you are witnesses that I have purchased from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, to be my wife. I will raise children with her who will maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance so that the name of the dead may not be cut off from his village and from his family line. Today, you are witnesses of this transaction.” Then all the elders and all the people who were at the gate said: “We are witnesses. May YAHWEH make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the house of Israel. May you become famous in Bethlehem! May you become very prosperous! And may YAHWEH give you children by this young woman, and through them, may your family be like the family of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah!” So Boaz and Ruth married, and they became one as husband and wife. YAHWEH opened Ruth’s womb, and she bore a son. Then the women of Bethlehem blessed Naomi: “Praise YAHWEH, who never abandoned you nor withheld from you a kinsman-redeemer! And may his name be famous in Israel! May this child renew your life and sustain you in your old age! May your daughter-in-law, who loves you dearly, be more to you than seven sons could ever be, for she has given you a wonderful grandchild!” Then Naomi took her grandson and cuddled him in her arms and cared for him as if he were her own.