Ruth

Ruth 4:3–8

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.”

7Now in former times in Israel, concerning the redemption or exchange of property, to make any matter legally binding a man would remove his sandal and give it to the other party, and this was a confirmation in Israel. 8So the kinsman-redeemer removed his sandal and said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.”

Footnotes

  • b 4:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts, LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts he

Read all of Ruth 4

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

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And he saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙way·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
to the kinsman-redeemerלַגֹּאֵ֔לlag·gō·’êlPreposition-l, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH1350 redeem, act as kinsman
Naomiנָעֳמִ֔יnā·‘o·mîNoun - proper - feminine singularH5281 Noömi
who has returnedהַשָּׁ֖בָהhaš·šā·ḇāhArticle; Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH7725 turn back, return
from the landמִשְּׂדֵ֥הmiś·śə·ḏêhPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH7704 id.
of Moabמוֹאָֽב׃mō·w·’āḇNoun - proper - feminine singularH4124 Moab
is sellingמָכְרָ֣הmā·ḵə·rāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH4376 sell
the pieceחֶלְקַת֙ḥel·qaṯNoun - feminine singular constructH2513 portion
of landהַשָּׂדֶ֔הhaś·śā·ḏehArticle; Noun - masculine singularH7704 id.
thatאֲשֶׁ֥ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
belonged to our brotherלְאָחִ֖ינוּlə·’ā·ḥî·nūPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common pluralH251 brother
Elimelechלֶאֱלִימֶ֑לֶךְle·’ĕ·lî·me·leḵPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH458 Elimelek

Ruth 4:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Iוַאֲנִ֨יwa·’ă·nîConjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singularH589 I
thoughtאָמַ֜רְתִּי’ā·mar·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH559 utter, say
I should informאֶגְלֶ֧ה’eḡ·lehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH1540 uncover, remove
youאָזְנְךָ֣’ā·zə·nə·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH241 ear
thatלֵאמֹ֗רlê·mōrPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH559 utter, say
you may buy it backקְ֠נֵהqə·nêhVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH7069 get, acquire
in the presence ofנֶ֥גֶדne·ḡeḏPrepositionH5048 what is conspicuous or in front
those seated hereהַֽיֹּשְׁבִים֮hay·yō·šə·ḇîmArticle; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH3427 sit, remain, dwell
and in the presence ofוְנֶ֣גֶדwə·ne·ḡeḏConjunctive waw; PrepositionH5048 what is conspicuous or in front
the eldersזִקְנֵ֣יziq·nêAdjective - masculine plural constructH2205 old
of my peopleעַמִּי֒‘am·mîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH5971 people
Ifאִם־’im-ConjunctionH518 if
you want to redeem itתִּגְאַל֙tiḡ·’alVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH1350 redeem, act as kinsman
do soגְּאָ֔לgə·’ālVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH1350 redeem, act as kinsman
But if youוְאִם־wə·’im-ConjunctionH518 if
will notלֹ֨אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
redeemיִגְאַ֜לyiḡ·’alVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1350 redeem, act as kinsman
tellהַגִּ֣ידָהhag·gî·ḏāhVerb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singularH5046 be conspicuous
meלִּ֗יlîPreposition; first person common singular
so I may knowוְאֵדַעwə·ʾē·ḏaʿConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularH3045 know
becauseכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
no oneאֵ֤ין’ênAdverbH369 nothing, nought
but youזוּלָֽתְךָ֙zū·lā·ṯə·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singularH2108 removal
to redeemלִגְא֔וֹלliḡ·’ō·wlPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH1350 redeem, act as kinsman
and Iוְאָנֹכִ֖יwə·’ā·nō·ḵîConjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singularH595 I
next after youאַחֲרֶ֑יךָ’a·ḥă·re·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singularH310 behind
Iאָנֹכִ֥י’ā·nō·ḵîPronoun - first person common singularH595 I
will redeemאֶגְאָֽל׃’eḡ·’ālVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH1350 redeem, act as kinsman
he repliedוַיֹּ֖אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say

Ruth 4:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Boazבֹּ֔עַזbō·‘azNoun - proper - masculine singularH1162 Boaz
saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
On the dayבְּיוֹם־bə·yō·wm-Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3117 day
you buyקְנוֹתְךָ֥qə·nō·wṯ·ḵāVerb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singularH7069 get, acquire
the landהַשָּׂדֶ֖הhaś·śā·ḏehArticle; Noun - masculine singularH7704 id.
fromמִיַּ֣דmî·yaḏPreposition-m; Noun - feminine singular constructH3027 hand
Naomiנָעֳמִ֑יnā·‘o·mîNoun - proper - feminine singularH5281 Noömi
and also fromוּ֠מֵאֵתū·mê·’êṯConjunctive waw, Preposition-mH854 with
Ruthר֣וּתrūṯNoun - proper - feminine singularH7327 Ruth
the Moabitessהַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֤הham·mō·w·’ă·ḇî·yāhArticle; Noun - proper - feminine singularH4125 Moabitish
you must also acquireקָנִיתִיqå̄·nī·ṯīVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH7069 get, acquire
the widowאֵֽשֶׁת־’ê·šeṯ-Noun - feminine singular constructH802 woman, wife, female
of the deceasedהַמֵּת֙ham·mêṯArticle; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH4191 die
in order to raiseלְהָקִ֥יםlə·hā·qîmPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH6965 arise, stand up, stand
up the nameשֵׁם־šêm-Noun - masculine singular constructH8034 name
of the deceasedהַמֵּ֖תham·mêṯArticle; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH4191 die
onעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
his inheritanceנַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃na·ḥă·lā·ṯōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5159 possession, property, inheritance

Ruth 4:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The kinsman-redeemerהַגֹּאֵ֗לhag·gō·’êlArticle; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH1350 redeem, act as kinsman
repliedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
I cannotלֹ֤אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
redeem itלִגְאוֹלliḡ·ʾōlPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH1350 redeem, act as kinsman
myselfלִ֔יPreposition; first person common singular
orפֶּן־pen-ConjunctionH6435 lest
I would jeopardizeאַשְׁחִ֖ית’aš·ḥîṯVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singularH7843 go to ruin (?)
my own inheritanceנַחֲלָתִ֑יna·ḥă·lā·ṯîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH5159 possession, property, inheritance
Take my right of redemptionגְּאֻלָּתִ֔יgə·’ul·lā·ṯîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH1353 kin (?), redemption
becauseכִּ֥יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
I cannotלֹא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
redeem itלִגְאֹֽל׃liḡ·’ōlPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH1350 redeem, act as kinsman

Ruth 4:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Nowוְזֹאת֩wə·zōṯConjunctive waw; Pronoun - feminine singularH2063 this
in former timesלְפָנִ֨יםlə·p̄ā·nîmPreposition-l; Noun - masculine pluralH6440 face, before
in Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֜לbə·yiś·rā·’êlPreposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
concerningעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the redemptionהַגְּאוּלָּ֤הhag·gə·’ūl·lāhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH1353 kin (?), redemption
or exchange of propertyהַתְּמוּרָה֙hat·tə·mū·rāhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH8545 exchange, recompense
to make anyכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
matterדָּבָ֔רdā·ḇārNoun - masculine singularH1697 speech, word
legally bindingלְקַיֵּ֣םlə·qay·yêmPreposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructH6965 arise, stand up, stand
a manאִ֛ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
would removeשָׁלַ֥ףšā·lap̄Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH8025 draw out, off
his sandalנַעֲל֖וֹna·‘ă·lōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5275 sandal, shoe
and give itוְנָתַ֣ןwə·nā·ṯanConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
to the other partyלְרֵעֵ֑הוּlə·rê·‘ê·hūPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7453 shouting, roar
and thisוְזֹ֥אתwə·zōṯConjunctive waw; Pronoun - feminine singularH2063 this
a confirmationהַתְּעוּדָ֖הhat·tə·‘ū·ḏāhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH8584 testimony, attestation
in Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃bə·yiś·rā·’êlPreposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel

Ruth 4:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So the kinsman-redeemerהַגֹּאֵ֛לhag·gō·’êlArticle; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH1350 redeem, act as kinsman
removedוַיִּשְׁלֹ֖ףway·yiš·lōp̄Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH8025 draw out, off
his sandalנַעֲלֽוֹ׃na·‘ă·lōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5275 sandal, shoe
and saidוַיֹּ֧אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
to Boazלְבֹ֖עַזlə·ḇō·‘azPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH1162 Boaz
Buyקְנֵה־qə·nêh-Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH7069 get, acquire
for yourselfלָ֑ךְlāḵPreposition; second person feminine singular

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

Ruth 4:7 Deuteronomy 25:7–10

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.