God’s Word Translation
Ruth 4:1
1Boaz went to the city gate and sat there. Just then, the relative about whom he had spoken was passing by. Boaz said, “Please come over here and sit, my friend.” So the man came over and sat down.
Ruth 4:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
- New International Version (NIV)Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, "Turn aside, friend; sit down here." And he turned aside and sat down.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, “Come aside, friend, sit down here.” So he came aside and sat down.
Context of Ruth 4:1
Boaz went to the city gate and sat there. Just then, the relative about whom he had spoken was passing by. Boaz said, “Please come over here and sit, my friend.” So the man came over and sat down. 2Then Boaz chose ten men who were leaders of that city and said, “Sit here.” So they also sat down. 3Boaz said to the man, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the field that belonged to our relative Elimelech.
Read all of Ruth 4Ruth 4:1 word by word
וּבֹ֨עַז עָלָ֣ה הַשַּׁעַר֮ וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב שָׁם֒ וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַגֹּאֵ֤ל עֹבֵר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּר־בֹּ֔עַז וַיֹּ֛אמֶר ס֥וּרָה שְׁבָה־פֹּ֖ה פְּלֹנִ֣י אַלְמֹנִ֑י וַיָּ֖סַר וַיֵּשֵֽׁב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then wentעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- Boazבֹּ֫עַזbô‛az · BoazH1162
- to the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- and sat him downיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- there: and, behold, the kinsmanגָּאַלgâ'al · to redeem: redeemH1350
- spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- cameעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- by; unto whom he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Hoהוֹיhôy · woe!H1945
- suchפְּלֹנִיpelônîy · someoneH6423
- a oneאַלְמֹנִי'almônîy · someoneH492
- turn asideסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
Cross-references for Ruth 4:1
- Deuteronomy 16:18Appoint judges and officers for your tribes in every city that the Lord your God is giving you. They are to judge the people fairly.
- Deuteronomy 17:5then bring the man or woman who did this evil thing to the gates of your city, and stone that person to death.
- Deuteronomy 21:19His father and mother must take him to the leaders of the city at the city gate.
- Deuteronomy 25:7But if the man doesn’t want to marry his brother’s widow, she must go to the leaders of the city at the city gate. She must say, “My brother-in-law refuses to let his brother’s name continue in Israel. He doesn’t want to do his duty as my brother-in-law.”
- Job 29:7When I went through the city gate and took my seat in the town square,
- Job 31:21If I have shaken my fist at an orphan because I knew that others would back me up in court,
- Amos 5:10Israel, you hate anyone who speaks out against injustice. You are disgusted by anyone who speaks the truth.
- Ruth 3:12It is true that I am a close relative of yours, but there is a relative closer than I.
- Isaiah 55:1“Listen! Whoever is thirsty, come to the water! Whoever has no money can come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk. You don’t have to pay; it’s free!
- Zechariah 2:6“Hurry, hurry! Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. I’ve scattered you to the four winds of heaven.
Commentaries on Ruth 4:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Then went Boaz up to the gate - We have often had occasion to remark that the gate or entrance to any city or town was the place where the court of justice was ordinarily kept. For an account of the officers in such places, see the note on Deuteronomy 16:18. Ho, such a one! - sit down here - This familiar mode of compellation is first used here. The original is אלמני פלני פה שבה shebah poh, peloni almoni ! "Hark ye, Mr. Such-a-one of such a place! come…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The gate is the place of concourse, of business, and of justice in Oriental cities (see Judges 19:15 note; Genesis 34:20; Deuteronomy 16:18). Ho, such a one! - Indicating that the name of the kinsman was either unknown or purposely concealed 1 Samuel 21:2; 2 Kings 6:8.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The kinsman refuses to redeem Ruth's inheritance. (1-8) Boaz marries Ruth. (9-12) Birth of Obed. (13-22) Verses 1-8 This matter depended on the laws given by Moses about inheritances, and doubtless the whole was settled in the regular and legal manner. This kinsman, when he heard the conditions of the bargain, refused it. In like manner many are shy of the great redemption; they are not willing to espouse religion; they have heard well of it, and have…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Most legal transactions, like property transfers, happened at the town gate. friend: Boaz may have used the man's name, but the author of Ruth did not.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 4:1
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
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