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.
Boas Ware Rut
1Boas kɔɔ kurow no pon ano kɔtenaa ase wɔ hɔ. Bere a obusuani gyefo titiriw a ɔkaa ne ho asɛm no baa hɔ no, Boas frɛɛ no kae se, “Mʼadamfo, mesrɛ wo bra na mepɛ sɛ me ne wo twetwe nkɔmmɔ.” Enti wɔtenaa ase.
2Na Boas frɛɛ kurow no mu ntuanofo du sɛ wɔmmɛtena ase sɛ nnansefo. 3Na Boas ka kyerɛɛ obusuani gyefo titiriw no se, “Wunim Naomi a ofi Moab bae no. Ɔretɔn asase a na ɛyɛ yɛn busuani Elimelek dea no. 4Misusuw sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ, me ne wo di ho nkɔmmɔ na sɛ wopɛ a, woagye. Sɛ wopɛ asase no a, tɔ no ha yi ara wɔ saa nnansefo yi anim. Na sɛ wompɛ nso a, ma mente no mprempren ara, efisɛ sɛ woantumi annye a, me ne onipa a midi wʼakyi wɔ abusua no mu a ɛsɛ sɛ migye.”
Na ɔbarima no buae se, “Megye.”
5Afei, Boas ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Sɛ wotɔ asase no fi Naomi nkyɛn a, na ɛsɛ sɛ woware Moabni okunafo Rut no. Sɛ ɛba saa a, ɔbɛwo mma a ne kunu din bɛda wɔn so na asase no bɛtena abusua no mu.”
6Ɛhɔ ara na abusua mu gyefo titiriw no kae se, “Ɛno de, merentumi ntɔ asase no, efisɛ ɛbɛhaw mʼankasa mʼagyapade. Tɔ asase no na merentumi ntɔ.”
7Saa bere no, na ɛyɛ Israel amanne sɛ, sɛ obiara redan nʼade bi a watɔ no ɔkwan pa so ama obi foforo a, ɔworɔw ne mpaboa de ma nea ɔtɔ no. Wɔyɛ saa wɔ bagua mu de hyɛ adetɔ no mu den. 8Enti abusua gyefo titiriw no worɔw ne mpaboa ka kyerɛɛ Boas se, “Wo ara tɔ asase no.”
9Na Boas ka kyerɛɛ ɔman no ntuanofo no ne dɔm a wɔatwa ahyia hɔ no se, “Nnɛ matɔ Elimelek, Kilion ne Mahlon agyapade a ɛwɔ Naomi nsam, na moyɛ ɛho nnansefo. 10Menam asase no tɔ so afa Rut a ɔyɛ Moabni a ɔyɛ Mahlon kunafo no sɛ me yere. Ne saa nti, sɛ ɔwo ɔbabarima a, ɔbɛfa ne kunu a wawu no abusua din na wafa abusua agyapade a ɛwɔ ne kurom ha nso. Nnɛ, mo nyinaa moyɛ nnansefo.”
11Afei, ntuanofo no ne ɔmanfo no nyinaa sɔre gyina kae se, “Yɛyɛ nnansefo! Awurade mmoa mma ɔbea a afei na ɔreba wo fi no nyɛ sɛ Rahel ne Lea4.11 Israelfo nyinaa ase fi Rahel ne Lea mu. Saa ara na Dawid ne Agyenkwa no yɛ Rut asefo. a wɔn mu na Israel aman nyinaa fi no. Wobɛyɛ ɔkɛse wɔ Efrata na woagye din wɔ Betlehem. 12Na Awurade mfa ababaa yi so mma wo asefo a wɔbɛyɛ sɛ yɛn agya Peres4.12 Na Peres yɛ Boas aseni (Mat 1.3; Luk 3.33). a ɔyɛ Tamar ne Yuda babarima no.”
Boas Asefo
13Enti Boas waree Rut de no kɔɔ ne fi. Afei, ɔkɔɔ ne ho na Awurade ma onyinsɛnee na ɔwoo ɔbabarima. 14Na kurow no mu mmea ka kyerɛɛ Naomi se, “Anuonyam nka Awurade sɛ nnɛ da yi, wama woanya abusua gyefo! Ɔmmɛyɛ okunini wɔ Israel. 15Akokoaa yi mma wo nsi wo mmabaabere mu na ɔnhwɛ wo wɔ wo mmerewabɔ mu. Efisɛ ɔyɛ wʼase a ɔdɔ wo na ɔsen mmabarima ason ma wo no babarima.”
16Na Naomi faa akokoaa no, na ɔhwɛɛ no te sɛ ɔno ankasa yafunu ba. 17Na mmea a wɔne no bɔ ofipam no kae se, “Afei de Naomi anya ɔbabarima bio.” Na wɔtoo no din Obed. Ɔno na ɔbɛyɛɛ Yisai agya ne Dawid nena.
18Tete agya Peres awo ntoatoaso ni:
Peres woo Hesron.
19Hesron woo Ram,
na Ram woo Aminadab.
20Aminadab woo Nahson,
na Nahson woo Salmon.
21Salmon woo Boas,
na Boas woo Obed.
22Obed woo Yisai,
na Yisai woo Dawid.
