Ruth 4:6

The 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.”

Barkly (portions)

In The King James Version

And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

In Context

5Then 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.”

7In those days, the Israelite people had a way of showing that someone was the new owner of some land. The person selling that land took off their shoe and gave it to the person buying the land. They did this in front of witnesses to show that the deal was finished and legal in Israel.

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 2:20Straight away Naomi said, “I want the Lord to bless Boaz and do good things for him. The Lord always keeps his promise to people that are alive and to people who are dead. Yes, I want him to do good things for Boaz.” Naomi said to Ruth, “Boaz is a close relation for us. In our culture he is someone that has to look after us.”

Ruth 3:13But stay there and sleep at my feet. In the morning I will find out if that man will follow our culture and look after you. If he wants to look after you and marry you, that is alright. But if he does not want to marry you, then I will do the right thing and I will marry you. I am making this promise to you and the Lord is my witness. Lie down there until morning.”

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

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