波阿斯娶路得
1波阿斯來到城門口，坐在那裡，恰巧看見他所說的那位至親經過，便招呼他說：「某人啊，請過來坐一坐。」那人便走過來坐下。 2波阿斯又邀請了城裡的十位長老，對他們說：「請過來坐一坐。」他們都坐下以後， 3波阿斯便對那位至親說：「拿俄米從摩押回來了，現在要賣我們族兄以利米勒的那塊地， 4我想應該讓你知道這件事。你最有權贖那塊地，其次才是我，此外再沒有別人了。如果你願意贖回那塊地，希望你當著在座各位長老的面表明。如果不願意，請你讓我知道。」那人說：「我願意贖。」 5波阿斯說：「那麼，你從拿俄米手中買地的那天，也要娶已死之人的妻子摩押女子路得，好讓死者繼續在產業上留名。」 6那位至親說：「那我就不能贖了，免得損害到我的產業。你來贖吧，我不能贖。」
7從前在以色列，買贖或交易有這樣的規矩：一旦成交，一方要把鞋脫下來交給另一方，以色列人以此為成交的憑據。 8那位至親對波阿斯說：「你自己買吧！」他就把鞋子脫了下來。 9波阿斯向長老和所有在場的人說：「請各位今天為我作證，所有屬於以利米勒、基連和瑪倫的產業，我都從拿俄米手上買了。 10同時，我要娶瑪倫的遺孀摩押女子路得為妻，好使死者繼續在產業上留名，免得他的名在本族本鄉中消失。今天，請各位作證。」 11聚集在城門口的眾人和長老都說：「我們願意作證。願耶和華使要進你家門的這女子，像建立以色列家的拉結和利亞一樣。願你在以法他家業興隆，在伯利恆聲名遠播。 12願耶和華藉著這年輕女子賜你後裔，使你家像先祖猶大和她瑪的兒子法勒斯家一樣。」
13這樣，波阿斯便娶了路得為妻，與她同房。耶和華使她懷孕生了一個兒子。 14婦女們對拿俄米說：「耶和華當受稱頌！因為今日祂賜給你一位至親，使你後繼有人，願這孩子在以色列得享盛名！ 15他必讓你的生命重新得力，奉養你，使你安度晚年，因為他是愛你的兒媳婦所生的。有這兒媳婦比有七個兒子還要好！」 16拿俄米接過嬰孩抱在懷中，照顧他。 17鄰居的婦女們喊著說：「拿俄米有孩子了！」她們給孩子取名叫俄備得，這俄備得就是耶西的父親，耶西是大衛的父親。
18以下是法勒斯的家譜：法勒斯生希斯崙， 19希斯崙生蘭，蘭生亞米拿達， 20亞米拿達生拿順，拿順生撒門， 21撒門生波阿斯，波阿斯生俄備得， 22俄備得生耶西，耶西生大衛。
Boaz Marries Ruth
1Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there. Right then, the family protector he had talked about came by. Then Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend. Sit down.” So the man went over and sat down.
2Boaz brought ten of the elders of the town together. He said, “Sit down here.” So they did. 3Then he spoke to the family protector. He said, “Naomi has come back from Moab. She’s selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4I thought I should bring the matter to your attention. I suggest that you buy the land. Buy it while those sitting here and the elders of my people are looking on as witnesses. If you are willing to buy it back, do it. But if you aren’t, tell me. Then I’ll know. No one has the right to buy it back except you. And I’m next in line.”
“I’ll buy it,” he said.
5Then Boaz said, “When you buy the property from Naomi, you must also marry Ruth. She is from Moab and is the dead man’s widow. So you must marry her. That’s because his property must continue to belong to his family.”
6When the family protector heard that, he said, “Then I can’t buy the land. If I did, I might put my own property in danger. So you buy it. I can’t do it.”
7In earlier times in Israel, there was a certain practice. It was used when family land was bought back and changed owners. The practice made the sale final. One person would take his sandal off and give it to the other. That was how people in Israel showed that a business matter had been settled.
8So the family protector said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he took his sandal off.
9Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses. You have seen that I have bought land from Naomi. I have bought all the property that had belonged to Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10I’ve also taken Ruth, who is from Moab, to become my wife. She is Mahlon’s widow. I’ve decided to marry her so the dead man’s name will stay with his property. Now his name won’t disappear from his family line or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
11Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. The woman is coming into your home. May the Lord make her like Rachel and Leah. Together they built up the family of Israel. May you be an important person in Ephrathah. May you be famous in Bethlehem. 12The Lord will give you children through this young woman. May your family be like the family of Perez. He was the son Tamar had by Judah.”
Naomi Gains a Son
13So Boaz married Ruth. Then he slept with her. The Lord blessed her so that she became pregnant. And she had a son. 14The women said to Naomi, “We praise the Lord. Today he has provided a family protector for you. May this child become famous all over Israel! 15He will make your life new again. He’ll take care of you when you are old. He’s the son of your very own daughter-in-law. She loves you. She is better to you than seven sons.”
16Then Naomi took the child in her arms and took care of him. 17The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David.
18Here is the family line of Perez.
Perez was the father of Hezron.
19Hezron was the father of Ram.
Ram was the father of Amminadab.
20Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
21Salmon was the father of Boaz.
Boaz was the father of Obed.
22Obed was the father of Jesse.
And Jesse was the father of David.
