Boaz meets the nearer relative at the town gate, who declines to redeem the land. Boaz buys it and marries Ruth, and they have a son, Obed, the grandfather of David. The chapter closes with David's family line.
1 Then 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 .
2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city , and said , Sit ye down here. And they sat down .
3 And 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 :
4 And 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.
5 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 .
6 And 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.
7 Now 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 .
8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz , Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe .
9 And 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 .
10 Moreover 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 .
11 And 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 Bethlehem :
12 And 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 .
13 So 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 .
14 And 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 .
15 And 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.
16 And Naomi took the child , and laid it in her bosom , and became nurse unto it.
17 And 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 .
18 Now these are the generations of Pharez : Pharez begat Hezron ,
19 And Hezron begat Ram , and Ram begat Amminadab ,
20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon , and Nahshon begat Salmon ,
21 And Salmon begat Boaz , and Boaz begat Obed ,
22 And Obed begat Jesse , and Jesse begat David .