² The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name was Naomi.^[a] The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites^(A) from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the fields of Moab and settled there.

³ Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, died, and she was left with her two sons.

Ruth and Boaz Meet

2 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side. He was a prominent man of noble character^(A) from Elimelech’s family. His name was Boaz.

³ So Ruth left and entered the field to gather grain behind the harvesters. She happened^(A) to be in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech’s family.

³ He said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the territory of Moab, is selling the portion of the field that belonged to our brother Elimelech.^{(A) 4} I thought I should inform you: 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 it. But if you do^[a] not want to redeem it, tell me so that I will know, because there isn’t anyone other than you to redeem it, and I am next after you.”

“I want to redeem it,” he answered.

⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you will acquire^[b] Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man’s name on his property.”^[c](B)

⁶ The redeemer replied, “I can’t redeem it myself, or I will ruin my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I can’t redeem it.”

⁷ At an earlier period in Israel, a man removed his sandal^(C) and gave it to the other party in order to make any matter legally binding concerning the right of redemption or the exchange of property. This was the method of legally binding a transaction in Israel.

⁸ So the redeemer removed his sandal and said to Boaz, “Buy back the property yourself.”

⁹ Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I am buying from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon.

¹² Now David was the son of the Ephrathite^(A) from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons^(B) and during Saul’s reign was already an old man.