4:1 Now Boaz went up¹ to the town gate and sat there. Along came the guardian² whom Boaz had mentioned to Ruth.³ Boaz said, “Come⁴ here and sit down, Mr. So-and So!”⁵ So he came⁶ and sat down. 4:2 Boaz chose ten of the town’s leaders⁷ and said, “Sit down here!” So they sat down. 4:3 Then Boaz said to the guardian,⁸ “Naomi, who has returned from the region of Moab, is selling⁹ the portion of land which belongs to our relative Elimelech. 4:4 So I am legally informing you:¹⁰ Acquire it before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people!¹¹ If you want to exercise your right to redeem it, then do so.¹² But if not, then tell me¹³ so I will know.¹⁴ For you possess the first option to redeem it; I am next in line after you.”¹⁵ He replied, “I will redeem it.” 4:5 Then Boaz said, “When you acquire the field¹⁶ from Naomi,¹⁷ you also acquire Ruth the Moabite girl,¹⁸ the wife of our deceased relative¹⁹ in order to raise up a descendent who will inherit his property.”²⁰ 4:6 The guardian said, “I am unable to redeem it then, for I would ruin my own inheritance²¹ in that case. You may exercise my redemption option for I am unable to redeem it.”²² 4:7 (Now this used to be the customary way to finalize a transaction involving redemption in Israel:²³ A man removed his sandal and gave it to the other party.²⁴ This was a legally binding act²⁵ in Israel.) 4:8 So the guardian said to Boaz, “You may acquire it,” and he removed his sandal.²⁶ 4:9 Then Boaz said to the leaders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have acquired from Naomi all which belonged to Elimelech and to Kilion and Mahlon. 4:10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite girl, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife in order to raise up a descendent who will inherit his property²⁷ so that the name of the deceased might not disappear²⁸ from among his relatives and from his town.²⁹ You are witnesses today.” 4:11 All the people who were at the gate and the elders replied, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is entering your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the house of Israel! Then you will³⁰ accomplish great things³¹ in Ephrathah and be famous³² in Bethlehem. 4:12 May your family, the descendents the LORD gives you through this young woman, be like the family of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah!”³³

4:13 So Boaz married Ruth and had sexual relations with her.³⁴ The LORD allowed her to conceive and she gave birth to a son. 4:14 The women said to Naomi, “May the LORD be praised because he has not left you without a guardian³⁵ today! May he³⁶ be famous in Israel!³⁷ 4:15 He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old,³⁸ for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She³⁹ is better to you than seven sons.” 4:16 Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap;⁴⁰ she became his nurse. 4:17 The neighbor women named him, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed.⁴¹ He was the father of Jesse, David’s father.

4:18⁴² These are the descendents⁴³ of Perez:

Perez was the father of Hezron;

4:19 Hezron was the father of Ram;

Ram was the father of Amminadab;

4:20 Amminadab was the father of Nachshon;

Nachshon was the father of Salmah;

4:21 Salmon⁴⁴ was the father of Boaz;

Boaz was the father of Obed;

4:22 Obed was the father of Jesse;

Jesse was the father of David.⁴⁵