Boaz Marries Ruth
1Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer4:1 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55); also in verses 3, 6, 8 and 14. he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.
2Boaz 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 you4:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts he 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.
5Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the4:5 Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew (see also Septuagint) Naomi and from Ruth the Moabite, you acquire the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”
6At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”
7(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)
8So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.
9Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
11Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”
Naomi Gains a Son
13So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”
16Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
The Genealogy of David
18This, then, is the family line of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron,
19Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
20Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,4:20 A few Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 21 and Septuagint of 1 Chron. 2:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Salma
21Salmon the father of Boaz,
Boaz the father of Obed,
22Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of David.
Boazi Amwoa Ruthu
14:1 Mwa 18:1; 23:10; Rut 2:20; 3:12Boazi akakwea mpaka kwenye lango la mji, akaketi pale. Yule mtu wa jamaa aliyekuwa wa karibu wa kukomboa, ambaye Boazi alimtaja, akaja. Boazi akasema, “Njoo hapa, rafiki yangu. Karibu uketi.” Naye akakaribia, akaketi.
24:2 Kut 3:16; 18:21, 22; Kum 16:18; 17:9; 29:10; 25:7; 1Fal 21:8; Za 82:2; Mit 31:21, 23Boazi akatwaa watu kumi miongoni mwa wazee wa mji, akawaambia, “Ketini hapa.” Nao wakaketi. 34:3 Law 25:25; Rut 1:2Kisha akamwambia yule jamaa wa karibu wa kukomboa, “Naomi, aliyerudi hapa kutoka nchi ya Moabu, anauza sehemu ya ardhi iliyokuwa mali ya ndugu yetu Elimeleki. 44:4 Law 25:25; Rum 12:17; 2Kor 8:21; Flp 4:8; Mwa 23:18; Yer 32:7-8Nami niliwaza nikujulishe wewe na kukuambia uinunue mbele ya hawa waliopo hapa, na mbele ya wazee wa watu wangu. Kama wewe utaikomboa, haya fanya hivyo. Lakini kama hutaikomboa, uniambie, ili nijue. Kwa kuwa hakuna mtu mwingine mwenye haki ya kuikomboa ila wewe na baada yako ni mimi.”
Naye akasema, “Nitaikomboa mimi.”
54:5 Rut 1:22; 3:13; Mwa 38:8; Kum 25:5-6; Mt 22:24Ndipo Boazi akasema “Siku utakaponunua hiyo ardhi kutoka kwa Naomi na Ruthu, Mmoabu, itakubidi kumchukua pia huyo mjane, ili kudumisha jina la marehemu pamoja na mali yake.”
64:6 Law 25:25; Rut 3:13; Kum 25:7Aliposikia hili, yule jamaa wa karibu wa kukomboa akasema, “Basi mimi sitaweza kuikomboa, kwa sababu inaonekana nitauhatarisha urithi wangu. Wewe ikomboe mwenyewe. Mimi sitaweza.”
74:7 Law 25:24; Isa 8:1-2, 16-20; Kum 25:7-9(Basi katika siku za kale huko Israeli, ili kukamilisha tendo la kukomboa na kukabidhiana mali, mmoja huvua kiatu chake na kumpatia mwingine. Hii ilikuwa ni njia ya kuhalalisha mabadilishano katika Israeli.)
84:8 Kum 25:9Basi yule jamaa wa karibu wa kukomboa akamwambia Boazi, “Wewe inunue mwenyewe.” Naye huyo jamaa akavua kiatu chake.
94:9 Isa 8:2; Yer 32:10, 44Kisha Boazi akawatangazia wazee na watu wote waliokuwepo, “Leo ninyi ni mashahidi kwamba mimi nimenunua kutoka kwa Naomi yote yaliyokuwa mali ya Elimeleki, Kilioni na Maloni. 104:10 Rut 1:22; Kum 25:5-6; Yos 24:22Nimemchukua pia Ruthu, Mmoabu, mjane wa Maloni, awe mke wangu, ili kuendeleza jina la marehemu pamoja na mali zake, ili jina lake marehemu lisitoweke miongoni mwa jamaa yake, wala katika kumbukumbu za mji wake. Leo hivi ninyi ni mashahidi!”
114:11 Mwa 4:19; 23:10; 29:16; 35:16; Kum 25:9; Rut 1:19; Za 127:3Kisha wazee pamoja na watu wote waliokuwa langoni wakasema, “Sisi ni mashahidi. Bwana na amfanye mwanamke huyu aingiaye nyumbani mwako kuwa kama Raheli na kama Lea, wale wanawake wawili ambao pamoja waliijenga nyumba ya Israeli. Nawe ufanikiwe katika Efrathi na uwe mashuhuri katika Bethlehemu. 124:12 1Nya 2:4; Mt 1:3; 1Sam 2:20; Mwa 38:6, 24, 29Kupitia kwa watoto ambao Bwana atakupa kutokana na huyu mwanamwali, jamaa yako na ifanane na ya Peresi, ambaye Tamari alimzalia Yuda.”
Wazao Wa Boazi
134:13 Mwa 8:1; 29:31-32; 33:5; 30:6; Lk 1:57Basi Boazi akamwoa Ruthu, naye akawa mke wake. Alipoingia kwake, Bwana akamjalia Ruthu, naye akapata mimba, akamzaa mtoto wa kiume. 144:14 Lk 1:58; Rum 12:15; Mwa 24:27; Rut 2:20Wanawake wakamwambia Naomi: “Ahimidiwe Bwana, asiyekuacha bila kuwa na jamaa wa karibu wa kukomboa. Na awe mashuhuri katika Israeli yote! 154:15 Mwa 11:31; Isa 1:8; 2:5; Ay 1:2Atakurejeshea uhai wako na kukuangalia katika siku za uzee wako. Kwa maana mkweo ambaye anakupenda, na ambaye kwako ni bora zaidi ya watoto wa kiume saba, ndiye alimzaa.”
16Basi Naomi akamchukua yule mtoto, akampakata na akawa mlezi wake. 174:17 1Sam 16:1, 13, 18; 17:12, 17, 58; 1Nya 2:12-15; Za 72:20Wanawake waliokuwa jirani zake wakasema, “Naomi ana mtoto wa kiume.” Wakamwita jina lake Obedi. Yeye ndiye baba yake Yese, aliye baba yake Daudi.
184:18 Mwa 38:29; Hes 26:21Hivi ndivyo vizazi vya Peresi:
Peresi alimzaa Hesroni,
194:19 Kut 6:23Hesroni akamzaa Ramu,
Ramu akamzaa Aminadabu,
204:20 Hes 1:7; 7:12Aminadabu akamzaa Nashoni,
Nashoni akamzaa Salmoni,
214:21 Rut 1:2; Mt 1:21Salmoni akamzaa Boazi,
Boazi akamzaa Obedi,
22Obedi akamzaa Yese,
na Yese akamzaa Daudi.
