Ruth
Ruth 4:3–6
3And he said to the kinsman-redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4I thought I should inform you that you may buy it back in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem it, do so. But if youb will not redeem it, tell me so I may know, because there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.”
“I will redeem it,” he replied.
5Then 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.”
6The kinsman-redeemer replied, “I cannot redeem it myself, or I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it.”
Footnotes
- b 4:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts, LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts he
Word by word
Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.
Ruth 4:3
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| And he said | וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | way·yō·mer | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H559 utter, say |
| to the kinsman-redeemer | לַגֹּאֵ֔ל | lag·gō·’êl | Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| Naomi | נָעֳמִ֔י | nā·‘o·mî | Noun - proper - feminine singular | H5281 Noömi |
| who has returned | הַשָּׁ֖בָה | haš·šā·ḇāh | Article; Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular | H7725 turn back, return |
| from the land | מִשְּׂדֵ֥ה | miś·śə·ḏêh | Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct | H7704 id. |
| of Moab | מוֹאָֽב׃ | mō·w·’āḇ | Noun - proper - feminine singular | H4124 Moab |
| is selling | מָכְרָ֣ה | mā·ḵə·rāh | Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular | H4376 sell |
| the piece | חֶלְקַת֙ | ḥel·qaṯ | Noun - feminine singular construct | H2513 portion |
| of land | הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה | haś·śā·ḏeh | Article; Noun - masculine singular | H7704 id. |
| that | אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ’ă·šer | Pronoun - relative | H834 particle of relation |
| belonged to our brother | לְאָחִ֖ינוּ | lə·’ā·ḥî·nū | Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common plural | H251 brother |
| Elimelech | לֶאֱלִימֶ֑לֶךְ | le·’ĕ·lî·me·leḵ | Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular | H458 Elimelek |
Ruth 4:4
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | וַאֲנִ֨י | wa·’ă·nî | Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singular | H589 I |
| thought | אָמַ֜רְתִּי | ’ā·mar·tî | Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | H559 utter, say |
| I should inform | אֶגְלֶ֧ה | ’eḡ·leh | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | H1540 uncover, remove |
| you | אָזְנְךָ֣ | ’ā·zə·nə·ḵā | Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular | H241 ear |
| that | לֵאמֹ֗ר | lê·mōr | Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | H559 utter, say |
| you may buy it back | קְ֠נֵה | qə·nêh | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | H7069 get, acquire |
| in the presence of | נֶ֥גֶד | ne·ḡeḏ | Preposition | H5048 what is conspicuous or in front |
| those seated here | הַֽיֹּשְׁבִים֮ | hay·yō·šə·ḇîm | Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural | H3427 sit, remain, dwell |
| and in the presence of | וְנֶ֣גֶד | wə·ne·ḡeḏ | Conjunctive waw; Preposition | H5048 what is conspicuous or in front |
| the elders | זִקְנֵ֣י | ziq·nê | Adjective - masculine plural construct | H2205 old |
| of my people | עַמִּי֒ | ‘am·mî | Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular | H5971 people |
| If | אִם־ | ’im- | Conjunction | H518 if |
| you want to redeem it | תִּגְאַל֙ | tiḡ·’al | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| do so | גְּאָ֔ל | gə·’āl | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| But if you | וְאִם־ | wə·’im- | Conjunction | H518 if |
| will not | לֹ֨א | lō | Adverb - Negative particle | H3808 not |
| redeem | יִגְאַ֜ל | yiḡ·’al | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| tell | הַגִּ֣ידָה | hag·gî·ḏāh | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular | H5046 be conspicuous |
| me | לִּ֗י | lî | Preposition; first person common singular | |
| so I may know | וְאֵדַע | wə·ʾē·ḏaʿ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular | H3045 know |
| because | כִּ֣י | kî | Conjunction | H3588 burning, branding |
| no one | אֵ֤ין | ’ên | Adverb | H369 nothing, nought |
| but you | זוּלָֽתְךָ֙ | zū·lā·ṯə·ḵā | Preposition; second person masculine singular | H2108 removal |
| to redeem | לִגְא֔וֹל | liḡ·’ō·wl | Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| and I | וְאָנֹכִ֖י | wə·’ā·nō·ḵî | Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singular | H595 I |
| next after you | אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ | ’a·ḥă·re·ḵā | Preposition; second person masculine singular | H310 behind |
| I | אָנֹכִ֥י | ’ā·nō·ḵî | Pronoun - first person common singular | H595 I |
| will redeem | אֶגְאָֽל׃ | ’eḡ·’āl | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| he replied | וַיֹּ֖אמֶר | way·yō·mer | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H559 utter, say |
Ruth 4:5
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Then Boaz | בֹּ֔עַז | bō·‘az | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H1162 Boaz |
| said | וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | way·yō·mer | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H559 utter, say |
| On the day | בְּיוֹם־ | bə·yō·wm- | Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct | H3117 day |
| you buy | קְנוֹתְךָ֥ | qə·nō·wṯ·ḵā | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singular | H7069 get, acquire |
| the land | הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה | haś·śā·ḏeh | Article; Noun - masculine singular | H7704 id. |
| from | מִיַּ֣ד | mî·yaḏ | Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct | H3027 hand |
| Naomi | נָעֳמִ֑י | nā·‘o·mî | Noun - proper - feminine singular | H5281 Noömi |
| and also from | וּ֠מֵאֵת | ū·mê·’êṯ | Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | H854 with |
| Ruth | ר֣וּת | rūṯ | Noun - proper - feminine singular | H7327 Ruth |
| the Moabitess | הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֤ה | ham·mō·w·’ă·ḇî·yāh | Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular | H4125 Moabitish |
| you must also acquire | קָנִיתִי | qå̄·nī·ṯī | Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular | H7069 get, acquire |
| the widow | אֵֽשֶׁת־ | ’ê·šeṯ- | Noun - feminine singular construct | H802 woman, wife, female |
| of the deceased | הַמֵּת֙ | ham·mêṯ | Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H4191 die |
| in order to raise | לְהָקִ֥ים | lə·hā·qîm | Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | H6965 arise, stand up, stand |
| up the name | שֵׁם־ | šêm- | Noun - masculine singular construct | H8034 name |
| of the deceased | הַמֵּ֖ת | ham·mêṯ | Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H4191 die |
| on | עַל־ | ‘al- | Preposition | H5921 height |
| his inheritance | נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃ | na·ḥă·lā·ṯōw | Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular | H5159 possession, property, inheritance |
Ruth 4:6
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The kinsman-redeemer | הַגֹּאֵ֗ל | hag·gō·’êl | Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| replied | וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | way·yō·mer | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H559 utter, say |
| I cannot | לֹ֤א | lō | Adverb - Negative particle | H3808 not |
| redeem it | לִגְאוֹל | liḡ·ʾōl | Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| myself | לִ֔י | Preposition; first person common singular | ||
| or | פֶּן־ | pen- | Conjunction | H6435 lest |
| I would jeopardize | אַשְׁחִ֖ית | ’aš·ḥîṯ | Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular | H7843 go to ruin (?) |
| my own inheritance | נַחֲלָתִ֑י | na·ḥă·lā·ṯî | Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular | H5159 possession, property, inheritance |
| Take my right of redemption | גְּאֻלָּתִ֔י | gə·’ul·lā·ṯî | Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular | H1353 kin (?), redemption |
| because | כִּ֥י | kî | Conjunction | H3588 burning, branding |
| I cannot | לֹא־ | lō- | Adverb - Negative particle | H3808 not |
| redeem it | לִגְאֹֽל׃ | liḡ·’ōl | Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
Cross-references
Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.
Ruth 4:3 Psalm 112:5
Ruth 4:4 Leviticus 25:25–29 · 2 Corinthians 8:21 · Jeremiah 32:7–12
Ruth 4:5 Genesis 38:8 · Matthew 22:24 · Deuteronomy 25:5–6
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.