Ruth 4:5 - Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Book Notes

Ruth 4:5

3 Then he said to the close relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land ^awhich belonged to our brother Elimelech.

4 And I thought to inform you, saying, ^a‘Buy it back ^bin the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if² you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; ^cfor there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.’ ” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, ^ato perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.”

6 ^aAnd the close relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

7 ^aNow this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel.

8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal.

9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi.

10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, ^athat the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from¹ his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.”

11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. ^aThe Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who ^bbuilt the house of Israel; and may you prosper in ^cEphrathah and be famous in ^dBethlehem.

Book Notes:

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Book Notes

Ruth

RUTH is properly a supplement to the preceding book, to which, in fact, it was appended in the ancient Jewish canon. Although it relates an episode belonging to the time of the Judges, its precise date is unknown. It appears certain, however, that it could not have been written prior to the time of Samuel (see Ruth 4:17-22), who is generally supposed to have been its author; and this opinion, in addition to other reasons on which it rests, is confirmed by Ruth 4:7, where it is evident that the history was not compiled till long after the transactions recorded. The inspiration and canonical authority of the book is attested by the fact of Ruth's name being inserted by Matthew in the Saviour's genealogy [Matthew 1:5].

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