New International Version
Ruth 4:2
2Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then Boaz called ten leaders from the town and asked them to sit as witnesses.
Context of Ruth 4:2
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. Boaz 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. 4I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said.
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 18:21But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
- Exodus 21:8If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her.
- Deuteronomy 29:10All of you are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God—your leaders and chief men, your elders and officials, and all the other men of Israel,
- Deuteronomy 31:28Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them.
- 1 Kings 21:8So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him.
- Proverbs 31:23Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
- Lamentations 5:14The elders are gone from the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.
- Acts 6:12So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
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
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