Old Testament · History

Ruth 4

Redeemed

Sandals exchanged at the gate, a name preserved, and a baby in Naomi's arms. Ruth the Moabite enters the lineage of King David — and of Jesus.

King James Version BSB KJV

1Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

2And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

3And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s:

4And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

5Then 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.

6And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

7Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.

8Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

9And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi.

10Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

11And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth-lehem:

12And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.

13So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

14And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

15And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

16And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

17And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,

19And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,

20And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,

21And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

22And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Understand This

Ruth 4, explained

What Ruth 4 is saying

Boaz convenes a legal assembly at the city gate and presents the nearer kinsman with the opportunity to redeem Elimelech's land. The man agrees until he learns that marrying Ruth is part of the obligation, then withdraws, transferring his right by the sandal custom. Boaz formally acquires the land and marries Ruth; she bears Obed, grandfather of David, whose genealogy is traced from Perez.

The background behind it

The city gate functioned as the ancient Israelite courthouse, with elders serving as witnesses to legal proceedings. The sandal exchange ritual (cf. Deuteronomy 25:5–10) formalized the transfer of redemption rights. The concluding genealogy from Perez to David legitimizes the Davidic dynasty and, by extension, the messianic line.

Themes running underneath

The go'el theology reaches fulfillment as Boaz redeems both land and family line, prefiguring the greater Redeemer in Christian theology. The inclusion of a Moabite woman in David's ancestry subverts ethnic exclusivism and demonstrates that covenant membership is defined by faithfulness, not bloodline.

Why it still matters

God's redemptive plan consistently works through unexpected people and unlikely circumstances. Ruth's place in the Davidic and messianic genealogy reminds the church that no one is outside the reach of grace.

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Scripture text: King James Version — public domain.