1 Boaz went to the town gate,4:1. Civil affairs including legal matters were conducted in the area around the town gate. and sat down there. The family redeemer that Boaz had mentioned happened to pass by, so Boaz said to him, "Come over here, friend, and sit down." The man came over and sat down. 2 Then Boaz selected ten of the town elders and asked them to sit there with them.
6 "Well, I can’t do it then," the family redeemer replied. "If I were to redeem it, that could jeopardize what I already own.4:6. The man was concerned that any property he already had would also be included in the legacy to any son Ruth would have, and it would be credited to her dead husband’s line. You redeem it for yourself, because I can’t."
7 (Now during those times it was the custom in Israel to confirm the action of family redeemer, property transfer, or any similar legal matter by removing a sandal and handing it over. This was the way of validating a transaction in Israel.)
9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people present, "You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife. By having children who may inherit his property his name will be kept alive in his family and in his home town. You are witnesses of this today."
12 May your descendants the Lord gives you through this young woman become like the descendants of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah."
13 Boaz took Ruth home, and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord arranged for her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.
17 The neighbor women named him Obed,4:17. "Obed," meaning "servant" as in "servant of God." saying "Naomi now has a son!" He was the father of Jesse who was the father of David.