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Saturday, June 14th, 2025
the Week of Proper 5 / Ordinary 10
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New Century Version

Ruth 4:5

Then Boaz explained, "When you buy the land from Naomi, you must also marry Ruth, the Moabite, the dead man's wife. That way, the land will stay in the dead man's name."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Court;   Dowry;   Government;   Heir;   Land;   Marriage;   Redemption;   Witness;   Women;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Widows;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Gate;   Names;   Widow;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Boaz;   Elder;   Redemption;   Widow;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Elder;   Leadership;   Redeem, Redemption;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Boaz;   Field;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Cities and Urban Life;   Court Systems;   Economic Life;   Judge (Office);   Levirate Law, Levirate Marriage;   Moabitess;   Ruth;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Boaz;   Kin;   Marriage;   Sabbatical Year;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Redemption (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Elders;   Gate;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Kinsman;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Boaz;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for June 16;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you will acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man’s name on his property.”
Hebrew Names Version
Then said Bo`az, What day you buy the field of the hand of Na`omi, you must buy it also of Rut the Mo'avite, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance.
King James Version
Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
Lexham English Bible
And Boaz said, "On the day of your acquiring the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the wife of the dead man, in order to raise up for the name of the dead his inheritance."
English Standard Version
Then Boaz said, "The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance."
New English Translation
Then Boaz said, "When you acquire the field from Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the wife of our deceased relative, in order to preserve his family name by raising up a descendant who will inherit his property."
Amplified Bible
Then Boaz said, "The day that you buy the field from Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, to restore the name of the deceased to his inheritance."
New American Standard Bible
Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou mnst also buy it of Ruth the Moabitesse the wife of the dead, to stirre vp the name of the dead, vpon his inheritance.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Boaz said, "On the day you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the one who had died, in order to raise up the name of the one who had died, on behalf of his inheritance."
Contemporary English Version
"If you do buy it from Naomi," Boaz told him, "you must also marry Ruth. Then if you have a son by her, the property will stay in the family of Ruth's first husband."
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Bo‘az said, "The same day you buy the field from Na‘omi, you must also buy Rut the woman from Mo'av, the wife of the deceased [son], in order to raise up in the name of the deceased an heir for his property."
Darby Translation
And Boaz said, On the day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy [it] also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Boaz said, "If you buy the land from her, you must also marry the dead man's wife, Ruth, the Moabite woman. Then the first child will get the land, and it will stay in the dead man's family."
George Lamsa Translation
Then Boaz said, On the day you buy the field from Naomi and from Ruth, the Moabitess, the widow of the dead, you must buy it with the intention of raising the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
Good News Translation
Boaz said, "Very well, if you buy the field from Naomi, then you are also buying Ruth, the Moabite widow, so that the field will stay in the dead man's family."
Literal Translation
And Boaz said, In the day you buy the field from Naomi's hand, even you have bought from Ruth of Moab, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of him who died over his inheritance.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Boos saide: In the daye yt thou byest the lode out of ye hande of Naemi, thou must take Ruth also the Moabitisse the wife of the deed, that thou mayest rayse vp a name to ye deed in his inheritaunce.
American Standard Version
Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
Bible in Basic English
Then Boaz said, On the day when you take this field, you will have to take with it Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, so that you may keep the name of the dead living in his heritage.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayd Booz: What day thou biest the fielde of the hande of Naomi, thou must bye it also of Ruth the Moabite the wyfe of the dead, to stirre vp the name of the dead vpon his inheritaunce.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said Boaz: 'What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi--hast thou also bought of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance?'
King James Version (1611)
Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitesse, the wife of the dead, to raise vp the name of the dead vpon his inheritance.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Booz said, In the day of thy buying the field of the hand of Noemin and of Ruth the Moabitess the wife of the deceased, thou must also buy her, so as to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
English Revised Version
Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
Berean Standard Bible
Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi and also from Ruth the Moabitess, you must also acquire the widow of the deceased in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom Booz seide, Whanne thou hast bouyte the feeld of the `hond of the womman, thou owist `to take also Ruth of Moab, that was the wijf of the deed man, that thou reise the name of thi kynesman in his eritage.
Young's Literal Translation
And Boaz saith, `In the day of thy buying the field from the hand of Naomi, then from Ruth the Moabitess, wife of the dead, thou hast bought [it], to raise up the name of the dead over his inheritance.'
Update Bible Version
Then Boaz said, The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you buy from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy [it] also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
World English Bible
Then said Boaz, What day you buy the field of the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance.
New King James Version
Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate [fn] the name of the dead through his inheritance."
New Living Translation
Then Boaz told him, "Of course, your purchase of the land from Naomi also requires that you marry Ruth, the Moabite widow. That way she can have children who will carry on her husband's name and keep the land in the family."
New Life Bible
Then Boaz said, "The day you buy the field from Naomi, you must take Ruth, the Moabite woman, also. She is the wife of the dead man. You must keep alive the name of the dead man on his land."
New Revised Standard
Then Boaz said, "The day you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you are also acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead man, to maintain the dead man's name on his inheritance."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Boaz, What day thou takest over the land from the hand of Naomi, also, of Ruth the Moabitess, wife of the dead, dost thou take it , to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Booz said to him: When thou shalt buy the field at the woman’s hand, thou must take also Ruth, the Moabitess, who was the wife of the deceased: to raise up the name of thy kinsman in his inheritance.
Revised Standard Version
Then Bo'az said, "The day you buy the field from the hand of Na'omi, you are also buying Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the dead, in order to restore the name of the dead to his inheritance."
THE MESSAGE
Then Boaz added, "You realize, don't you, that when you buy the field from Naomi, you also get Ruth the Moabite, the widow of our dead relative, along with the redeemer responsibility to have children with her to carry on the family inheritance."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance."

Contextual Overview

1 Boaz went to the city gate and sat there until the close relative he had mentioned passed by. Boaz called to him, "Come here, friend, and sit down." So the man came over and sat down. 2 Boaz gathered ten of the elders of the city and told them, "Sit down here!" So they sat down. 3 Then Boaz said to the close relative, "Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, wants to sell the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I decided to tell you about it: If you want to buy back the land, then buy it in front of the people who are sitting here and in front of the elders of my people. But if you don't want to buy it, tell me, because you are the only one who can buy it, and I am next after you." The close relative answered, "I will buy back the land." 5 Then Boaz explained, "When you buy the land from Naomi, you must also marry Ruth, the Moabite, the dead man's wife. That way, the land will stay in the dead man's name." 6 The close relative answered, "I can't buy back the land. If I did, I might harm what I can pass on to my own sons. I cannot buy the land back, so buy it yourself." 7 Long ago in Israel when people traded or bought back something, one person took off his sandal and gave it to the other person. This was the proof of ownership in Israel. 8 So the close relative said to Boaz, "Buy the land yourself," and he took off his sandal.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

What day: Or rather, according to the emendations proposed by Houbigant and Dr. Kennicott, and which have been confirmed by a great many manuscripts since collated, and agreeably to the ancient versions, "In the day thou purchasest the land from the hand of Naomi, thou wilt also acquire Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of the dead," etc. This is Boaz's statement of the case to his kinsman, before the people and elders.

to raise up: Ruth 3:12, Ruth 3:13, Genesis 38:8, Deuteronomy 25:5, Deuteronomy 25:6, Matthew 22:24, Luke 20:28

Reciprocal: Mark 12:19 - If

Cross-References

Genesis 4:10
Then the Lord said, "What have you done? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground.
Genesis 4:11
And now you will be cursed in your work with the ground, the same ground where your brother's blood fell and where your hands killed him.
Genesis 31:2
Then Jacob noticed that Laban was not as friendly as he had been before.
Genesis 31:5
He said to them, "I have seen that your father is not as friendly with me as he used to be, but the God of my father has been with me.
Numbers 16:15
Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord , "Don't accept their gifts. I have not taken anything from them, not even a donkey, and I have not done wrong to any of them."
Job 5:2
Anger kills the fool, and jealousy slays the stupid.
Psalms 20:3
May he remember all your offerings and accept all your sacrifices. Selah
Matthew 20:15
I can do what I want with my own money. Are you jealous because I am good to those people?'
Acts 13:45
Seeing the crowd, the Jewish people became very jealous and said insulting things and argued against what Paul said.
Hebrews 11:4
It was by faith that Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. God said he was pleased with the gifts Abel offered and called Abel a good man because of his faith. Abel died, but through his faith he is still speaking.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said Boaz,.... In order to try the kinsman, whether he would abide by his resolution, he acquaints him with what he had as yet concealed:

what day thou buyest the field of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead; the wife of Mahlon, who was dead, the eldest son of Naomi, and so his widow, Ruth the Moabitess, had the reversion of the estate; wherefore the purchase must be made of her as well as of Naomi, and the purchase could not be made of her without marrying her; which, though no law obliged to, yet it seems to be a condition of the purchase annexed to it by Naomi, that she would sell it to no man, unless he would consent to marry Ruth, for whose settlement she had a great concern, having been very dutiful and affectionate to her; which is clearly intimated in the next clause:

to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance; and so Naomi had another end to answer thereby, not only to provide a good husband for her daughter-in-law, but to perpetuate the name of her son, agreeably to the design of the law in Deuteronomy 25:5.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Observe the action of the Levirate law. If there had been no one interested but Naomi, she would have sold the land unclogged by any condition, the law of Levirate having no existence in her case. But there was a young widow upon whom the possession of the land would devolve at Naomi’s death, and who already had a right of partnership in it, and the law of Levirate did apply in her case. It was, therefore, the duty of the גאל gā'al to marry her and raise up seed to his brother, i. e. his kinsman. And he could not exercise his right of redeeming the land, unless he was willing at the same time to fulfill his obligations to the deceased by marrying the widow. This he was unwilling to do.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ruth 4:5. Thou must buy it also of Ruth — More properly, Thou wilt also acquire Ruth. Thou canst not get the land without taking the wife of the deceased and then the children which thou mayest have shall be reputed the children of Mahlon, thy deceased kinsman.


 
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