Ruth 4:5

Then Boaz said, “That is good, but you have to remember that when you buy the land, you have to marry Ruth, the woman from Mo-ab. She was married to Mah-lon, Elim-elek's son who passed away. That way she can have children to carry on Elim-elek's family line and the land will still belong to them.”

Barkly (portions)

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

4And so I thought I would tell you. You are the closest relation for Elim-elek and you are the right person to buy that land. If you want to buy the land, you can do that here in front of all these elders right now. They will be witnesses that you own that land. But, if you do not want to buy the land, tell me, and I will buy it. You know that I am the next one in line.” The close relation said, “Yes I will buy that land from Naomi.”

6The other man said, “If that is what has to happen, I cannot buy that land. If I buy Elim-elek's land, it will still belong to Elim-elek's family and my own children will miss out. No, I will not buy that land. You are free to buy it.”

Read all of Ruth 4

Cross References

Genesis 38:8Judah said to Onan, his second son, “Your brother Er has died and so by our culture, you have to marry his wife Tamar. Go and sleep with her so that she can have a baby to keep your older brother's family line going.”

Ruth 3:12Yes, it is true that I am a close relation and it is my job to look after you, but there is another man that is a closer relation than me. He is the one who has to look after you and marry you.

Matthew Henry on Ruth 4:2-9

Ruth Refused by Her Kinsman. ( b. c. 1312.) 1 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. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's: 4 And I thought to… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ruth 4:5