New International Version
Ruth 4:1
1Meanwhile 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there. Just then the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, “Come over here and sit down, friend. I want to talk to you.” So they sat down together.
Context of Ruth 4:1
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. 2Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. 3Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.
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 officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.
- Deuteronomy 17:5take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death.
- Deuteronomy 21:19his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town.
- Deuteronomy 25:7However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.”
- Job 29:7“When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square,
- Job 31:21if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court,
- Amos 5:10There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth.
- Ruth 3:12Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I.
- Isaiah 55:1“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
- Zechariah 2:6“Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,” declares the Lord.
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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