Bible Commentaries
Ruth 4

Verse 1

4:1 Then went Boaz up to the {a} gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, {b} Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

(a) Which was the place of judgment.

(b) The Hebrews here use two words which have no proper meaning, but serve to denote a certain person, as we would say, "Ho, so-and-so".

Verse 4

4:4 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] {c} beside thee; and I [am] after thee. And he said, I will redeem [it].

(c) For you are the next of kin.

Verse 5

4:5 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 {d} inheritance.

(d) That his inheritance might bear his name that is dead.

Verse 7

4:7 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 {e} testimony in Israel.

(e) That he had resigned his right, De 25:9.

Verse 10

4:10 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 {f} place: ye [are] witnesses this day.

(f) Or, of the city where he remained.

Verse 11

4:11 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 {g} Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

(g) Ephratah and Bethlehem are both one.

Verse 14

4:14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed [be] the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that {h} his name may be famous in Israel.

(h) He shall leave continual posterity.

Verse 15

4:15 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 {i} seven sons, hath born him.

(i) Meaning, many sons.

Verse 18

4:18 Now these [are] the generations of {k} Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,

(k) This genealogy is brought in to prove that David by succession came from the house of Judah.