The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Ruth 4

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Ketuvim — the Writings

Ruth chapter 4 — part of the Ketuvim — the Writings in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there; and, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; unto whom he…” — the complete text of all 22 verses is below, free to read online.

1Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there; and, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke 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 near kinsman: 'Naomi, that is come back out of the field of Moab, selleth the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's;

4and I thought to disclose it unto thee, saying: Buy it before them that sit here, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it; but if it will not be redeemed, 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--hast thou also bought of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance?'

6And the near kinsman said: 'I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance; take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it.'--

7Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour; and this was the attestation in Israel.--

8So the near kinsman said unto Boaz: 'Buy it for thyself.' And 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 acquired 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. HaShem make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel; and do thou worthily in Ephrath, and be famous in Beth-lehem;

12and let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore unto Judah, of the seed which HaShem shall give thee of this young woman.'

13So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in unto her, and HaShem gave her conception, and she bore a son.

14And the women said unto Naomi: 'Blessed be HaShem, who hath not left thee this day without a near kinsman, and let his name be famous in Israel.

15And he shall be unto thee a restorer of life, and a nourisher of thine old age; for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne 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 Perez: Perez begot Hezron;

19and Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab;

20and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon;

21and Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed;

22and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

22 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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