Christian Standard Bible
Ruth 4:5
5Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you will acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man’s name on his property.”
Ruth 4:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Boaz said, "The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.”
Context of Ruth 4:5
3He 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. 4I 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 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. Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you will acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man’s name on his property.” 6The 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.” 7At an earlier period in Israel, a man removed his sandal 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.
Read all of Ruth 4Ruth 4:5 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר בֹּ֔עַז בְּיוֹם־קְנוֹתְךָ֥ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה מִיַּ֣ד נָעֳמִ֑י וּ֠מֵאֵת ר֣וּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֤ה אֵֽשֶׁת־הַמֵּת֙ קָנִ֔יתָה לְהָקִ֥ים שֵׁם־הַמֵּ֖ת עַל־נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Boazבֹּ֫עַזbô‛az · BoazH1162
- What dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- thou buyestקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
- the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
- of the handיָדyâd · handH3027
- of Naomiנׇעֳמִיno‛ŏmîy · NaomiH5281
- also of Ruthרוּתrûth · RuthH7327
- the Moabitessמוֹאָבִיmô'âbîy mô'âbîyâh mô'âbîyth · MoabiteH4125
- the wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- of the deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- to raise upקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
- the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- upon his inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
Cross-references for Ruth 4:5
- Ruth 3:12Yes, it is true that I am a family redeemer, but there is a redeemer closer than I am.
- Genesis 38:8Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and produce offspring for your brother.”
- Deuteronomy 25:5“When brothers live on the same property and one of them dies without a son, the wife of the dead man may not marry a stranger outside the family. Her brother-in-law is to take her as his wife, have sexual relations with her, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law for her.
- Matthew 22:24“Teacher, Moses said, if a man dies, having no children, his brother is to marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
- Luke 20:28“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother has a wife, and dies childless, his brother should take the wife and produce offspring for his brother.
Commentaries on Ruth 4:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Thou must buy it also of Ruth - More properly, Thou wilt also acquire Ruth. Thou canst not get the land without taking the wife of the deceased and then the children which thou mayest have shall be reputed the children of Mahlon, thy deceased kinsman.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Observe the action of the Levirate law. If there had been no one interested but Naomi, she would have sold the land unclogged by any condition, the law of Levirate having no existence in her case. But there was a young widow upon whom the possession of the land would devolve at Naomi‘s death, and who already had a right of partnership in it, and the law of Levirate did apply in her case. It was, therefore, the duty of the גאל gā'al to marry her and raise…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5On the day you buy the land...you must also acquire the widow of the deceased: In Hebrew manuscripts, the verse reads I buy, but a scribal correction in the margin reads you buy, differing by one letter. The scribe believed you buy was the original text, suggesting an error in the main text. Some think I buy is the original, indicating Boaz and Ruth's marriage was already planned (see study note on Judges 3:11). However, most translators believe you buy…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-51. Then went Boaz up to the gate of the city--a roofed building, unenclosed by walls; the place where, in ancient times, and in many Eastern towns still, all business transactions are made, and where, therefore, the kinsman was most likely to be found. No preliminaries were necessary in summoning one before the public assemblage; no writings and no delay were required. In a short conversation the matter was stated and arranged--probably in the morning as…Read the comment
Topics related to Ruth 4:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ruth 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries