God’s Word Translation
Ruth 4:2
2Then Boaz chose ten men who were leaders of that city and said, “Sit here.” So they also sat down.
Ruth 4:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
- New International Version (NIV)Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.
Context of Ruth 4:2
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. Then 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. 4So I said that I would inform you. Buy it in the presence of these men sitting here and in the presence of the leaders of our people. If you wish to buy back the property, you can buy back the property. But if you do not wish to buy back the property, tell me. Then I will know that I am next in line because there is no other relative except me.” The man said, “I’ll buy back the property.”
Read all of Ruth 4Ruth 4:2 word by word
וַיִּקַּ֞ח עֲשָׂרָ֧ה אֲנָשִׁ֛ים מִזִּקְנֵ֥י הָעִ֖יר וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁבוּ־פֹ֑ה וַיֵּשֵֽׁבוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ruth 4:2
- Exodus 18:21“But choose capable men from all the people, men who fear God, men you can trust, men who hate corruption. Put them in charge of groups of 1,000, or 100, or 50, or 10 people.
- Exodus 21:8If she doesn’t please the master who has chosen her as a wife, he must let her be bought back by one of her close relatives. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has treated her unfairly.
- Deuteronomy 29:10All of you are standing here today in the presence of the Lord your God. The heads of your tribes, your leaders, your officers, and all the men of Israel are here.
- Deuteronomy 31:28Assemble all the leaders of your tribes and your officers in front of me. As they listen, I will speak these words and call on heaven and earth to testify against them.
- 1 Kings 21:8So Jezebel wrote letters, signed them with Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal. She sent them to the respected leaders and nobles living in Naboth’s city.
- Proverbs 31:23“Her husband is known at the city gates when he sits with the leaders of the land.
- Lamentations 5:14⌞Our⌟ older leaders have stopped meeting at the city gate, and ⌞our⌟ young men no longer play their music.
- Acts 6:12The liars stirred up trouble among the people, the leaders, and the experts in Moses’ Teachings. So they went to Stephen, took him by force, and brought him in front of the Jewish council.
Commentaries on Ruth 4:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2He took ten men - Probably it required this number to constitute a court. How simple and how rational was this proceeding! The man who had a suit went to the city gates. Here he stopped till the person with whom he had the suit came to the gate on his way to his work. He called him by name, and he stopped and sat down. Then ten elders were called, and they came and sat down. When all this was done, the appellant preferred his suit. Then the appellee…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Every city was governed by elders (see Deuteronomy 19:12; Judges 8:14). For the number “ten,” compare Exodus 18:25. Probably the presence of, at least, ten elders was necessary to make a lawful public assembly, as among modern Jews ten (a minyon) are necessary to constitute a synagogue.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. he took ten men of the elders of the city--as witnesses. In ordinary circumstances, two or three were sufficient to attest a bargain; but in cases of importance, such as matrimony, divorce, conveyancing of property, it was the Jewish practice to have ten (1Ki 21:8).Read the comment
Topics related to Ruth 4:2
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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